For thousands of years, people have recognized twelve constellations of the zodiac, from Aries the Ram to Pisces the Fishes. Each has its own distinctive star pattern, mythology and place in the night sky. In astronomy, these zodiac constellations lie along the ecliptic — the apparent path the Sun follows against the background stars during the year. But the astronomical zodiac is rather different from the familiar twelve signs of astrology.
The 12 Zodiac Constellations in Order
The traditional zodiac begins with Aries and continues through Taurus, Gemini and the remaining constellations to Pisces. This order dates back to when the March equinox lay among the stars of Aries. Each constellation has its own distinctive stars, mythology and best viewing season, explored below. Viewing seasons refer to Northern Hemisphere evenings.
Aries — The Ram
- Name: Aries (The Ram)
- Recognizable feature: A short, curved line of stars
- Brightest star: Hamal
- Mythology: The golden ram whose fleece Jason and the Argonauts sought
- Best viewing season: Late fall
- Notable attractions: The double star Mesarthim and the spiral galaxy NGC 772
Taurus — The Bull
- Name: Taurus (The Bull)
- Recognizable feature: The V-shaped Hyades, marking the Bull’s face
- Brightest star: Aldebaran
- Mythology: Zeus took the form of a white bull to carry Europa to Crete
- Best viewing season: Winter
- Notable attractions: The Pleiades star cluster and Crab Nebula
Gemini — The Twins
- Name: Gemini (The Twins)
- Recognizable feature: Castor and Pollux marking the twins’ heads
- Brightest star: Pollux
- Mythology: The brothers Castor and Pollux were placed together among the stars
- Best viewing season: Winter
- Notable attractions: The M35 open star cluster and Geminid meteor shower
Cancer — The Crab
- Name: Cancer (The Crab)
- Recognizable feature: A faint, inverted Y-shaped pattern of stars
- Brightest star: Tarf (Beta Cancri)
- Mythology: Hera sent a crab against Hercules during his battle with the Hydra
- Best viewing season: Spring
- Notable attractions: The Beehive Cluster (M44) and M67
Leo — The Lion
- Name: Leo (The Lion)
- Recognizable feature: The Sickle, shaped like a backward question mark
- Brightest star: Regulus
- Mythology: The Nemean Lion defeated by Hercules in his first labor
- Best viewing season: Spring
- Notable attractions: The Leo Triplet of galaxies
Virgo — The Maiden
- Name: Virgo (The Maiden)
- Recognizable feature: Spica, representing an ear of wheat held by the Maiden
- Brightest star: Spica
- Mythology: Associated with Astraea, goddess of justice, and Demeter, goddess of agriculture
- Best viewing season: Spring
- Notable attractions: The Virgo Cluster of galaxies and M104, the Sombrero Galaxy
Libra — The Scales
- Name: Libra (The Scales)
- Recognizable feature: A faint, roughly quadrilateral pattern between Virgo and Scorpius
- Brightest star: Zubeneschamali (Beta Librae)
- Mythology: The scales of justice, associated with the goddess Astraea
- Best viewing season: Early summer
- Notable attractions: Zubenelgenubi, a wide double star, and Zubeneschamali
Scorpius — The Scorpion
- Name: Scorpius (The Scorpion)
- Recognizable feature: Reddish Antares and a long, curling tail
- Brightest star: Antares
- Mythology: A scorpion was sent to confront the hunter Orion
- Best viewing season: Summer
- Notable attractions: The M4 globular cluster and rich Milky Way star fields
Sagittarius — The Archer
- Name: Sagittarius (The Archer)
- Recognizable feature: The Teapot-shaped asterism
- Brightest star: Kaus Australis
- Mythology: A centaur archer traditionally associated with ancient Greek legends
- Best viewing season: Summer
- Notable attractions: The Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula and Milky Way center
Capricornus — The Sea-Goat
- Name: Capricornus (The Sea-Goat)
- Recognizable feature: A faint, broad triangular outline
- Brightest star: Deneb Algedi
- Mythology: The ancient sea-goat was later associated with the god Pan
- Best viewing season: Late summer to fall
- Notable attractions: The M30 globular cluster and Alpha Capricornid meteors
Aquarius — The Water-Bearer
- Name: Aquarius (The Water-Bearer)
- Recognizable feature: The Water Jar asterism
- Brightest star: Sadalsuud
- Mythology: Often identified with Ganymede, cupbearer to the Greek gods
- Best viewing season: Fall
- Notable attractions: The Helix Nebula and M2 globular cluster
Pisces — The Fishes
- Name: Pisces (The Fishes)
- Recognizable feature: Two faint star groups linked by a long cord
- Brightest star: Alpherg (Eta Piscium)
- Mythology: Aphrodite and Eros became fish to escape Typhon
- Best viewing season: Fall
- Notable attractions: The Circlet asterism and spiral galaxy M74
Historical constellation illustrations: Johann Bayer, Uranometria (1603). Public-domain originals.
What Makes a Constellation Part of the Zodiac?
As Earth orbits the Sun, the Sun appears to move against the distant background stars, crossing different constellations throughout the year. These constellations make up the astronomical zodiac. The Moon and planets also appear near the ecliptic because their orbits lie relatively close to the plane of Earth’s orbit.
The constellations themselves are not physically connected. Their stars lie at vastly different distances and only appear to form recognizable patterns from our viewpoint.
Why Are There 12 Zodiac Constellations but the Sun Passes Through 13?
Although the traditional zodiac contains twelve constellations, the Sun actually passes through thirteen of the 88 modern constellation regions. The additional constellation is Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, situated between Scorpius and Sagittarius. It is not a recent discovery: Ophiuchus was among the 48 constellations recorded by Ptolemy in the second century AD. Its omission from the traditional zodiac reflects the history of astrology, which uses twelve signs rather than the modern astronomical constellation boundaries.
Zodiac Constellations vs. Zodiac Signs
Western astrology divides the zodiac into twelve equal sections of 30 degrees, while astronomical constellations vary considerably in size and shape. The Sun travels approximately 1 degree along the ecliptic each day, so it spends different lengths of time passing through each constellation, as shown below.
| Constellation | Approx. dates the Sun passes through | Approx. duration |
|---|---|---|
| Capricornus | Jan 20 – Feb 15 | ~28 days |
| Aquarius | Feb 16 – Mar 11 | ~24 days |
| Pisces | Mar 12 – Apr 18 | ~38 days |
| Aries | Apr 19 – May 13 | ~26 days |
| Taurus | May 14 – Jun 21 | ~38 days |
| Gemini | Jun 22 – Jul 20 | ~29 days |
| Cancer | Jul 21 – Aug 10 | ~21 days |
| Leo | Aug 11 – Sep 16 | ~37 days |
| Virgo | Sep 17 – Oct 31 | ~45 days |
| Libra | Nov 1 – Nov 23 | ~23 days |
| Scorpius | Nov 24 – Nov 29 | ~6 days |
| Ophiuchus | Nov 30 – Dec 17 | ~18 days |
| Sagittarius | Dec 18 – Jan 19 | ~33 days |
Dates are approximate and can vary slightly from year to year. They refer to the Sun’s position within modern astronomical constellation boundaries, not traditional astrological sign dates. The two systems also differ because of precession, the gradual change in the direction of Earth’s rotational axis. Around 2,000 years ago, the March equinox lay in Aries; today, it lies in Pisces. This means the constellation behind the Sun on your birthday may differ from your traditional zodiac sign.
How to See the Zodiac Constellations
The best time to observe a zodiac constellation is generally several months away from when the Sun appears in front of it. Otherwise, the constellation lies too close to the Sun in our sky to be readily visible at night.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, Taurus and Gemini are excellent winter targets, while Leo and Virgo dominate spring evenings. Scorpius and Sagittarius are summer favorites, and Aquarius and Pisces are best sought during fall. Start with recognizable landmarks such as Taurus’s V-shaped Hyades, Leo’s Sickle or Sagittarius’s Teapot. Once you’ve found one constellation, nearby patterns become easier to identify.
