Listed below are the 88 constellations agreed upon in 1922 by the International Astronomical Union.

# Notes Constellation I.A.U.
Abbrev		 Possessive Description
1 A Andromeda And Andromedae the Chained Maiden
Mythological daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia
Chained to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus
Rescued by Perseus
2 B Antlia Ant Antliae the air pump
3 D Apus Aps Apodis the bird of paradise
4 A Aquarius Aqr Aquarii the water-carrier / water-bearer
5 A Aquila Aql Aquilae the eagle
6 A Ara Ara Arae the altar
7 A Aries Ari Arietis the ram
8 A Auriga Aur Aurigae the charioteer
9 A Boötes Boo Boötis the herdsman / plowman
10 B Caelum Cae Caeli the chisel / engraving tool
11 C Camelopardalis Cam Camelopardalis the giraffe
12 A Cancer Cnc Cancri the crab
13 F Canes Venatici CVn Canum Venaticorum the hunting dogs
14 A Canis Major CMa Canis Majoris the greater dog
15 A Canis Minor CMi Canis Minoris the lesser dog
16 A Capricornus Cap Capricorni the horned goat / sea goat
17 B Carina Car Carinae the keel of a ship
18 A Cassiopeia Cas Cassiopeiae mythological queen – mother of Andromeda
19 A Centaurus Cen Centauri the centaur (mythological creature ½ man / ½ horse)
20 A Cepheus Cep Cephei mythological king – father of Andromeda
21 A Cetus Ceti Ceti mythological sea monster (now interpreted as a whale)
22 E Chamaeleon Cha Chamaeleontis the chameleon
23 B Circinus Cir Circini the drawing compass
24 C Columba Col Columbae the dove
25 G Coma Berenices Com Comae Berenices Berenice’s hair (refers to Queen Berenice II of Egypt)
26 A Corona Australis CrA Coronae Australis the southern crown
27 A Corona Borealis CrB Coronae Borealis the northern crown
28 A Corvus Crv Corvi the crow
29 A Crater Crt Crateris the cup
30 Crux Cru Crucis the southern cross
31 A Cygnus Cyg Cygni the swan
32 A Delphinus Del Delphini the dolphin
33 E Dorado Dor Doradus the swordfidh / dolphin-fish
34 A Draco Dra Draconis the dragon
35 A Equuleus Equ Equulei the Little Horse / pony
36 A Eridanus Eri Eridani the river
37 B Fornax For Fornacis the furnace
38 A Gemini Gem Geminorum the twins
39 E Grus Gru Gruis the crane
40 A Hercules Her Herculis mythological hero
41 B Horologium Hor Horologii the clock with pendulum
42 A Hydra Hya Hydrae mythological multi-headed female water snake
43 E Hydrus Hyi Hydri mythological male water snake
44 E Indus Ind Indi American Indian (Native American)
45 F Lacerta Lac Lacertae the lizard
46 A Leo Leo Leonis the lion
47 F Leo Minor LMi Leonis Minoris the lesser lion
48 A Lepus Lep Leporis the hare
49 A Libra Lib Librae the scales / balance
50 A Lupus Lup Lupi the wolf
51 F Lynx Lyn Lyncis the lynx
52 A Lyra Lyr Lyrae the lyre / harp
53 B Mensa Men Mensae table mountain
54 B Microscopium Mic Microscopii the microscope
55 C Monoceros Mon Monocerotis the unicorn
56 B E Musca Mus Muscae the fly
57 B Norma Nor Normae the carpenter’s square / carpenter’s level
58 B Octans Oct Octantis the octant
59 A Ophiuchus Oph Ophiuchi the serpent-bearer
60 A Orion Ori Orionis mythological hunter
61 E Pavo Pav Pavonis the peacock
62 A Pegasus Peg Pegasi mythological winged horse
63 A Perseus Per Persei mythological hero
64 E Phoenix Phe Phoenicis mythological bird that is reborn from the ashes
65 B Pictor Pic Pictoris painter’s easel
66 A Pisces Psc Piscium the fishes
67 A Piscis Austrinus PsA Piscis Austrini the southern fish
68 B Puppis Pup Puppis the stern / poop deck
69 B Pyxis Pyx Pyxidis the navigational compass
70 B Reticulum Ret Reticuli the reticle / eyepiece
71 A Sagitta Sge Sagittae the arrow
72 A Sagittarius Sgr Sagittarii the archer
73 A Scorpius Sco Scorpii the scorpion
74 B Sculptor Scl Sculptoris the sculptor
75 F Scutum Sct Scuti the shield
76 A Serpens Ser Serpentis the serpent / snake
77 F Sextans Sex Sextantis the sextant
78 A Taurus Tau Tauri the bull
79 B Telescopium Tel Telescopii the telescope
80 A Triangulum Tri Trianguli the triangle
81 E Triangulum Australe TrA Trianguli Australis the southern triangle
82 E Tucana Tuc Tucanae the toucan
83 A Ursa Major UMa Ursae Majoris the great bear
84 A Ursa Minor UMi Ursae Minoris the lesser bear
85 B Vela Vel Velorum the sails
86 A Virgo Vir Virginis the maiden / virgin
87 E Volans Vol Volantis the flying fish
88 F Vulpecula Vul Vulpeculae the fox

A   The Greek mathematician and astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (100 – 170) wrote a comprehensive work on astronomy entitled the Almagest. In this work he listed 48 constellations, 47 of which are still used today.
Ptolemy’s 48th constellation (not listed) was called Argo Navis representing the ship “Argo” from the Greek myth “Jason and the Argonauts”.

B   The constellation Argo was so large that in 1752, the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713 – 1762) split it into 3 constellations – Carina, Puppis and Vela.
In addition, he named 14 constellations Antlia, Caelum, Circinus, Fornax, Horologium, Mensa, Microscopium, Norma, Octans, Pictor, Pyxis, Reticulum, Sculptor, Telescopium and renamed a fifteenth, Musca.

C   Flemish astronomer Petrus Plancius (1552 – 1622) created 3 constellations – Camelopardalis, Columba and Monoceros.

D   Dutch navigator Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (1540 – 1596) and Dutch explorer Frederick de Houtman (1571 – 1627) introduced the constellation Apus.

E   Plancius, Keyser and Houtman (see C & D above) created 11 constellations – Chamaeleon, Dorado, Grus, Hydrus, Indus, Musca, Pavo, Phoenix, Triangulum Australe, Tucana and Volans.

F   Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611 – 1687) created 7 constellations – Canes Venatici, Lacerta, Leo Minor, Lynx, Scutum, Sextant and Vulpecula.

G   German cartographer Caspar Vopel (1511 – 1561) created the constellation Coma Berenices.