The sky is divided into 88 sections, known as constellations, which astronomers use to locate and name celestial objects. Most of the stars in a constellation have no real connection: they may be millions of miles apart at vastly different distances from the Earth and form a pattern simply by chance.
The constellations are historical, and the twelve constellations of the Zodiac are particularly important. The Greek astronomer Ptolemy in AD 150 compiled a catalogue of 48 constellations, which was added to by Dutch, French & Polish astronomers. Eventually 88 were officially accepted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1922.
Asterisms are other patterns in the stars that we have seen, such as The Plough.
A constellation or a star that never sets below the horizon is called circumpolar.
Below are the 88 constellations and their abbreviated identities:
Andromeda (And)
Antlia (Ant)
Apus (Aps)
Aquila (Aql)
Aquarius (Aqr)
Ara (Ara)
Aries (Ari)
Amiga (Aur)
Boötes (Boo)
Canis Major (CMa)
Canis Minor (CMi)
Canes Venatici (Cvn)
Caelum (Cae)
Camel op andalis (Cam)
Capricornus (Cap)
Carina (Car)
Cassiopeia (Cas)
Centaurus (Cen)
Cepheus (Cep)
Cetus (et)
Chamaeleon (Cha)
Critias (Cir)
Cancer (Cnc)
Columba (Col)
Coma Berenices (Com)
Corona Australis (CrA)
Corona Borealis (CrB)
Crater (Crt)
Crux (Cru)
Corvus (Crv)
Cygnus (Cyg)
Delphinus (Del)
Dorado (Dor)
Draco (Dra)
Equuleus (Equ)
Eridanus (Eri)
Fornax (For)
Gemini (Gem)
Grus (Gru)
Hercules (Her)
Horologium (Hor)
Hydra (Hya)
Hydrus (Hy)
Indus (Ind)
Leo Minor (LMi)
Lacerta (Lac)
Leo (Leo)
Lepus (Lep)
Libra (Lib)
Lupus (Lup)
Lynx (Lyn)
Lyra (Lyr)
Mensa (Men)
Microscopium ( Mi)
Monoceros (Mon)
Musca (Mus)
Norma (Nor)
Octans (Oct)
Ophiuchus (Oph)
Orion (Ori)
Pavo (Pav)
Pegasus (Peg)
Perseus (Per)
Phoenix (Phe)
Pictor (Pic)
Piscis Austrinus (PsA)
Pisces (Psc)
Puppis (Pup)
Pyxis (Pyx)
Reticulum (Ret)
Sculptor (Scl)
Scorpius (Sco)
Scutum (Sct)
Serpens (Ser)
Sextans (Sex)
Sagitta (Sge)
Sagittarius (Sgr)
Taurus (Tau)
Telescopium (Tel)
Triangulum Australe (TrA)
Triangulum (Tri)
Tucana (Tuc)
Ursa Major (UMa)
Ursa Minor(UMi)
Vela (Vel)
Virgo (Vir)
Volans (Vol)
Vulpecula (Vul)
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