NORTHERNOrionthe Hunter
Brightest starRigel / Betelgeuse
How to know itThe most recognisable constellation on Earth — the three-star Belt sits almost on the celestial equator, so nearly everyone can see it.
SKY · CONSTELLATIONS
Constellations Tonight
The constellations you can see change through the night and through the year as Earth turns and orbits the Sun — and they depend on whether you're north or south of the equator. Here are the brightest, easiest patterns to find, and a live read of which ones are above the horizon over your city right now.
Best on winter evenings (Northern Hemisphere)
NORTHERNTaurusthe Bull
Brightest starAldebaran
How to know itMarked by orange Aldebaran and the tiny, sparkling Pleiades star cluster on the Bull’s shoulder.
NORTHERNGeminithe Twins
Brightest starPollux
How to know itThe twin stars Castor and Pollux head two parallel lines of stars — and host the December Geminid meteors.
SOUTHERNCanis Majorthe Great Dog
Brightest starSirius
How to know itContains Sirius, the brightest star in the entire night sky, trailing just behind Orion.
SOUTHERNCarinathe Keel
Brightest starCanopus
How to know itHome to Canopus, the second-brightest star in the sky, and the spectacular Carina Nebula — a far-southern jewel.
Best on spring evenings
NORTHERNUrsa Majorthe Great Bear / the Big Dipper
Brightest starAlioth
How to know itHome to the Big Dipper (the Plough), whose two end stars point to Polaris, the North Star.
NORTHERNLeothe Lion
Brightest starRegulus
How to know itA backwards question-mark (the "Sickle") forms the Lion’s head, anchored by bright Regulus.
NORTHERNBoötesthe Herdsman
Brightest starArcturus
How to know itA kite-shaped figure led by Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern spring sky.
Best on summer evenings
SOUTHERNScorpiusthe Scorpion
Brightest starAntares
How to know itA genuinely scorpion-shaped curve of stars led by red Antares, riding low across the southern summer sky.
SOUTHERNSagittariusthe Archer / the Teapot
Brightest starKaus Australis
How to know itIts bright stars form a "Teapot" — and it points straight at the dense, glowing centre of the Milky Way.
NORTHERNCygnusthe Swan / the Northern Cross
Brightest starDeneb
How to know itA great cross of stars flying down the summer Milky Way, with brilliant Deneb at its tail.
NORTHERNLyrathe Lyre
Brightest starVega
How to know itSmall but led by Vega, one of the brightest stars in the sky and a corner of the Summer Triangle.
NORTHERNAquilathe Eagle
Brightest starAltair
How to know itBright Altair completes the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb, straddling the celestial equator.
Best on autumn evenings
NORTHERNCassiopeiathe Queen
Brightest starSchedar
How to know itA bright "W" or "M" of five stars, circling the north pole opposite the Big Dipper — useful for finding north.
NORTHERNAndromedathe Chained Princess
Brightest starAlpheratz
How to know itHome to the Andromeda Galaxy — the most distant thing visible to the naked eye, a faint smudge on a dark night.
NORTHERNPegasusthe Winged Horse
Brightest starMarkab
How to know itThe "Great Square" of Pegasus is a big, easy autumn signpost high in the eastern sky.
NORTHERNPerseusthe Hero
Brightest starMirfak
How to know itA rich slice of the Milky Way and the radiant of the August Perseid meteor shower.
SOUTHERNCruxthe Southern Cross
Brightest starAcrux
How to know itThe smallest constellation, but the most famous in the south — its long axis points toward the south celestial pole.
SOUTHERNCentaurusthe Centaur
Brightest starAlpha Centauri
How to know itHolds Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun, and wraps around the Southern Cross.
Source: IAU constellation boundaries + Hipparcos catalogue (2026). Seasons are for the Northern Hemisphere and are flipped six months in the Southern Hemisphere — your city page sorts it out for your latitude.
Constellations visible tonight by city
132 CITIESEach city page computes which of these constellations are above the horizon in a dark sky tonight from that location, how high each climbs, and which way to look — and tells you honestly which never rise from there.
USA
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USA · DARK-SKY
USA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — SedonaUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — MoabUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Bryce CanyonUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Death ValleyUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Big BendUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Mauna KeaUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Cherry SpringsUSA · Dark-skyConstellations tonight — Outer Banks
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MEXICO
PUERTO RICO
BRAZIL
CHILE · DARK-SKY
UK
SWITZERLAND
NORWAY · AURORA
SOUTH AFRICA
NAMIBIA · DARK-SKY
SAUDI ARABIA
SOUTH KOREA
INDIA
BANGLADESH
PHILIPPINES
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NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND · DARK-SKY
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