Dictionary term
Lacerta
Direct answer
Lacerta is a small northern constellation representing a lizard in the Milky Way between Cygnus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia.
Lacerta is the Lizard, a faint zigzag in the northern Milky Way.
A symbolic locator, not a substitute for an observational chart at a specific place and time.Quick reference
- Use when
- Find the region between the Northern Cross and Andromeda, then trace its narrow zigzag with a chart.
- Do not use it for
- Do not confuse Lacerta with Lacertid, the name for a class of active galaxies derived from BL Lacertae.
- Reference category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related terms
- Hydrus, Indus, Leo Constellation, Leo Minor
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The story behind Lacerta
Johannes Hevelius introduced Lacerta in the seventeenth century to fill an uncatalogued northern sky gap.
Lacerta in spiritual tradition
Lacerta shows how an uncelebrated gap can become a field of quiet stellar abundance.
Lacerta: fact and faith, kept distinct
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.
Lacerta in numerology
Lacerta 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 Lacerta matters
Its rich background rewards binocular sweeps even though its principal stars are too faint to make a famous pattern.
Lacerta at work: an example
Open cluster NGC 7243 appears as a loose granular patch through binoculars or a small telescope.
Where interpretation stops
Lacerta 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.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Also appears in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Trace the Lizard through the Milky Way
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More in Constellations & Star Lore
Common questions
What is Lacerta?
Lacerta is a small northern constellation representing a lizard in the Milky Way between Cygnus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia.
How is Lacerta used in an almanac?
Find the region between the Northern Cross and Andromeda, then trace its narrow zigzag with a chart.
What should I avoid when interpreting Lacerta?
Do not confuse Lacerta with Lacertid, the name for a class of active galaxies derived from BL Lacertae.
