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Visual Constellations

A photographic field guide

Natural Impression

The constellation photos resemble more or less the impression of the starry sky we have by naked eye. They are intended to be quite natural, just the way the well adapted naked eye might see the stars in a clear night at full darkness, little moonlight or at the rest of twilight. If you prefer deep photographies, also showing the myriad of fainter stars we usually can't see by naked eye, please have a look at my "Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations".

Poster of the Zodiac
Visual Mosaic of the Zodiac Constellations

Lines

There is no standard for the constellation outlines, only the borders are defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). So the outlines are quite arbitrary but similar to most sky charts. Their purpose is just to help identifying the fixed star pattern of each celestial region. Nevertheless, it is always impressive to identify such a fixed star pattern in the real night sky. Go, grab your sky chart and have a try!

Standard Camera

The same optics (28 mm focal length) and conventional slide film was used throughout the entire project. This gives the same standard field of view and similar impressions in color and resolution. Usually more than one constellation appears in an image, but just one constellation is highlighted. The constellations have very different sizes in the sky. Hydra spans a third of the sky and is much larger than the standard field of view. On the other hand is for example Equuleus which appears quite tiny on the photo.

The 88 constellations are complete now.

Constellation Andromeda Constellation Andromeda Constellation Antlia Constellation Antlia Constellation Apus Constellation Apus
Andromeda Antlia, the air pump Apus, the bird of paradise

Constellation Aquarius Constellation Aquarius Constellation Aquila Constellation Aquila Constellation Ara Constellation Ara
Aquarius, the water bearer Aquila, the eagle Ara, the altar

Constellation Aries Constellation Aries Constellation Auriga Constellation Auriga Constellation Bootes Constellation Bootes
Aries, the ram Auriga, the charioteer Bootes, the herdsman

Constellation Caelum Constellation Caelum Constellation Camelopardalis Constellation Camelopardalis Constellation Cancer Constellation Cancer
Caelum, the chisel Camelopardalis, the giraffe Cancer

Constellation Canes Venatici Constellation Canes Venatici Constellation Canis Major Constellation Canis Major Constellation Canis Minor Constellation Canis Minor
Canes Venatici, the hunting dogs Canis Major, the big dog Canis Minor, the lesser dog

Constellation Capricornus Constellation Capricornus Constellation Carina Constellation Carina Constellation Cassiopeia Constellation Cassiopeia
Capricornus, the goat

Carina, the keel Cassiopeia

Constellation Centaurus Constellation Centaurus Constellation Cepheus Constellation Cepheus Constellation Cetus Constellation Cetus
Centaurus, the Centaur Cepheus Cetus, the whale

Constellation Chamaeleon Constellation Chamaeleon Constellation Circinus Constellation Circinus Constellation Columba Constellation Columba
Chamaeleon, the chameleon Circinus, the compass Columba, the dove

Constellation Coma Berenices Constellation Coma Berenices Constellation Corona Australis Constellation Corona Australis Constellation Corona Borealis Constellation Corona Borealis
Coma Berenices, Berenice's hair Corona Australis, the southern crown Corona Borealis, the northern crown

Constellation Corvus Constellation Corvus Constellation Crater Constellation Crater Constellation Crux Constellation Crux
Corvus, the crow Crater, the cup Crux, the southern cross

Constellation Cygnus Constellation Cygnus Constellation Delphinus Constellation Delphinus Constellation Dorado Constellation Dorado
Cygnus, the swan Delphinus, the dolphin Dorado, the swordfish

Constellation Draco Constellation Draco Constellation Equuleus Constellation Equuleus Constellation Eridanus Constellation Eridanus
Draco, the dragon Equuleus, the colt Eridanus, the river

Constellation Fornax Constellation Fornax Constellation Gemini Constellation Gemini Constellation Grus Constellation Grus
Fornax, the furnace Gemini, the heavenly twins Grus, the crane

Constellation Hercules Constellation Hercules Constellation Horologium Constellation Horologium Constellation Hydra Constellation Hydra
Hercules, the kneeling man Horologium, the clock Hydra, the water snake

Constellation Hydrus Constellation Hydrus Constellation Indus Constellation Indus Constellation Lacerta Constellation Lacerta
Hydrus, the little water snake Indus, the indian Lacerta, the lizard

Constellation Leo Constellation Leo Constellation Leo Minor Constellation Leo Minor Constellation Lepus Constellation Lepus
Leo, the lion Leo Minor, the lesser lion Lepus, the hare

Constellation Libra Constellation Libra Constellation Lupus Constellation Lupus Constellation Lynx Constellation Lynx
Libra, the scales Lupus, the wolf Lynx

Constellation Lyra Constellation Lyra Constellation Mensa Constellation Mensa Constellation Microscopium Constellation Microscopium
Lyra, the lyre

Mensa, the table Microscopium, the microscope

Constellation Monoceros Constellation Monoceros Constellation Musca Constellation Musca Constellation Norma Constellation Norma
Monoceros, the unicorn Musca, the fly Norma, the square

Constellation Octans Constellation Octans Constellation Ophiuchus Constellation Ophiuchus Constellation Orion Constellation Orion
Octans, the octant Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer Orion, the hunter

Constellation Pavo Constellation Pavo Constellation Pegasus Constellation Pegasus Constellation Perseus Constellation Perseus
Pavo, the peacock Pegasus, the winged horse Perseus

Constellation Phoenix Constellation Phoenix Constellation Pictor Constellation Pictor Constellation Pisces Constellation Pisces
Phoenix Pictor, the painter Pisces, the fishes

Constellation Piscis Austrinus Constellation Piscis Austrinus Constellation Puppis Constellation Puppis Constellation Pyxis Constellation Pyxis
Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish Puppis, the stern Pyxis, the compass

Constellation Reticulum Constellation Reticulum Constellation Sagitta Constellation Sagitta Constellation Sagittarius Constellation Sagittarius
Reticulum, the net Sagitta, the arrow Sagittarius, the archer

Constellation Scorpius Constellation Scorpius Constellation Sculptor Constellation Sculptor Constellation Scutum Constellation Scutum
Scorpius, the scorpion Sculptor Scutum, the shield

Constellation Serpens Caput Constellation Serpens Caput Constellation Serpens Cauda Constellation Serpens Cauda Constellation Sextans Constellation Sextans
Serpens Caput, the head of the serpent Serpens Cauda, the tail of the serpent

Sextans, the sextant

Constellation Taurus Constellation Taurus Constellation Telescopium Constellation Telescopium Constellation Triangulum Constellation Triangulum
Taurus, the bull Telescopium, the telescope Triangulum, the triangle

Constellation Triangulum Australe Constellation Triangulum Australe Constellation Tucana Constellation Tucana Constellation Ursa Major Constellation Ursa Major
Triangulum Australe, the southern triangle Tucana, the toucan Ursa Major, the greater bear

Constellation Ursa Minor Constellation Ursa Minor Constellation Vela Constellation Vela Constellation Virgo Constellation Virgo
Ursa Minor, the little bear Vela, the sails Virgo, the virgin

Constellation Volans Constellation Volans Constellation Vulpecula Constellation Vulpecula
Volans, the flying fish Vulpecula, the fox

© all photographs taken by Till Credner, AlltheSky.com