In the northern hemisphere, certain constellations appear to rotate around the north star. These constellations are called the circumpolar constellations because they stay above the horizon all night long, even as the other constellations rise and set in the night sky. The most obvious circumpolar constellation is Ursa Major or […]

Cancer is one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac, as well as a constellation in its own right. The official name of this constellation in Latin is Canis Minor, meaning the lesser dog. Cancer represents the crab and contains some bright stars, including Sigma Cancri (also known as Acubens), […]

With its distinctive shape and location in the sky, it’s no surprise that Capricorn gets a lot of attention. However, some people know very little about this sign of the zodiac, or why it’s so important to astrologers around the world. In this article, we will explore just what makes […]

Draco, the dragon constellation, is one of the 88 modern constellations, and it’s also the largest and brightest in the sky. How did this constellation get its name? It may have started with the ancient Greek tale of Ladon, a giant serpent who guarded the sacred apples in the Garden […]

There are dozens of names for the Big Dipper, an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major that has been used to find the North Star (also known as Polaris) for millennia. It’s also been used as a navigational tool by sailors around the world, as well as farmers and tradesmen […]

We are all familiar with the zodiac—the twelve signs of the zodiac that represent various groups of animals and people we associate with astrology. But have you ever wondered what exactly the zodiac is? Read on to discover more about the twelve constellations of the zodiac and how they were […]

Scorpio—the sign of the Scorpion—has some special properties that make it an exceptional sign in the zodiac. First, it’s one of the few signs that holds two planets, Mars and Pluto, giving it intense energy and focus. Second, Scorpio rules the 8th house of your chart, which pertains to possessions, […]

One of the zodiac constellations, Libra lies in the vicinity of five other zodiacal constellations; namely, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Virgo, Hercules and Leo. The constellation was not formally included in the Babylonian star catalogues; however, references about it were present in the writings of Ptolomey and Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy). The name […]

The Pisces constellation contains two separate but connected asterisms—Pisces Austrinus and Pisces Cygnus. Although the star patterns can be seen separately, they’re most easily seen when they’re together in the same night sky, as they are now in early March. Pisces Austrinus can be found by looking to the east […]