Dictionary term
Crater
Direct answer
Crater is a faint southern-equatorial constellation representing a cup set on the long body of Hydra.
Crater is the Cup, a subtle spring constellation neighboring Corvus and Hydra.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Also appears in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Corvus's stronger quadrilateral and Hydra's path to locate Crater's small bowl-like outline.
- Do not use it for
- Crater the constellation has no connection to an impact crater despite the identical English spelling.
- Reference category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related terms
- Corona Borealis, Corvus, Crux Constellation, Delphinus
The story behind Crater
Crater was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations and kept its cup imagery in the modern catalogue.
Crater in spiritual tradition
Crater rewards the observer who learns relationships among neighboring patterns instead of chasing only bright stars.
The Great Almanac frames Crater with educational restraint. Mystical or symbolic language may be meaningful, but it should not be exaggerated into certainty, panic, or permission to ignore ordinary responsibility.
Crater in the Bible
This is a factual sky reference. It can support wonder and orientation without turning a measured position or inherited pattern into a claim of fate or private revelation.
Crater in numerology
Crater is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Crater matters
It completes an ancient three-constellation grouping and helps define a sparsely starred region below Leo and Virgo.
Example in a reading: Delta Crateris is the brightest member of the cup but is not strong enough to serve as a broad seasonal beacon.
Interpretive caution: Crater the constellation has no connection to an impact crater despite the identical English spelling.
How Crater is used in a reading
Use Corvus's stronger quadrilateral and Hydra's path to locate Crater's small bowl-like outline.
Where interpretation stops
Crater is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- International Astronomical Union: The Constellations - Official names, abbreviations, and boundaries for the 88 modern constellations.
- NASA Space Place: What Are Constellations? - NASA introduction to constellation regions, patterns, visibility, and seasonal sky changes.
The page starts with a direct definition, then separates use, example, caution, spiritual meaning, and historical context. For astrology, occult, demonology, curse, and spiritual warfare terms, the editorial rule is to explain the term without making fear-based, fatalistic, medical, legal, financial, or ritual-instruction claims.
Continue learning
Continue into the current celestial field and place this sky reference beside live planetary positions.
Open Worldwide WatchRelated terms
These related entries help place Crater inside a wider reference cluster instead of leaving it as a standalone keyword.
