List of constellations by area
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Here is a list of the 88 modern constellations by their area in the sky, measured in square degrees.
These areas are determined by constellation boundaries drawn up by Eugène Delporte in 1930 on behalf of the IAU and published in Délimitation scientifique des constellations (Cambridge University Press). Before Delporte's work, the precise boundaries of each constellation were only vaguely defined.
Delporte drew the boundaries along vertical and horizontal lines of right ascension and declination; however, he did so for the epoch B1875.0, which means that due to precession of the equinoxes, the borders on a modern star map (eg, for epoch J2000) are already somewhat skewed and no longer perfectly vertical or horizontal. This skew will increase over the years and centuries to come. However, this does not change the area of any constellation.
| Rank | Family [1] | Abbr | Constellation | Area (sq. deg.) [2] | Percentage | RA: [3] h m | DEC: d m | Quad [4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Her | HYA | Hydra | 1302.844 | 3.16% | 11 36.73 | -14 31.91 | SQ2 |
| 02 | Zod | VIR | Virgo | 1294.428 | 3.14% | 13 24.39 | -04 09.51 | SQ3 |
| 03 | Urs | UMA | Ursa Major | 1279.660 | 3.10% | 11 18.76 | +50 43.27 | NQ2 |
| 04 | Per | CET | Cetus | 1231.411 | 2.99% | 01 40.10 | -07 10.76 | SQ1 |
| 05 | Her | HER | Hercules | 1225.148 | 2.97% | 17 23.16 | +27 29.93 | NQ3 |
| 06 | Wat | ERI | Eridanus | 1137.919 | 2.76% | 03 18.02 | -28 45.37 | SQ1 |
| 07 | Per | PEG | Pegasus | 1120.794 | 2.72% | 22 41.84 | +19 27.98 | NQ4 |
| 08 | Urs | DRA | Draco | 1082.952 | 2.63% | 15 08.64 | +67 00.40 | NQ3 |
| 09 | Her | CEN | Centaurus | 1060.422 | 2.57% | 13 04.27 | -47 20.72 | SQ3 |
| 10 | Zod | AQR | Aquarius | 979.854 | 2.38% | 22 17.38 | -10 47.35 | SQ4 |
| 11 | Her | OPH | Ophiuchus | 948.340 | 2.30% | 17 23.69 | -07 54.74 | SQ3 |
| 12 | Zod | LEO | Leo | 946.964 | 2.30% | 10 40.03 | +13 08.32 | NQ2 |
| 13 | Urs | BOO | Boötes | 906.831 | 2.20% | 14 42.64 | +31 12.16 | NQ3 |
| 14 | Zod | PSC | Pisces | 889.417 | 2.16% | 00 28.97 | +13 41.23 | NQ1 |
| 15 | Zod | SGR | Sagittarius | 867.432 | 2.10% | 19 05.94 | -28 28.61 | SQ4 |
| 16 | Her | CYG | Cygnus | 803.983 | 1.95% | 20 35.28 | +44 32.70 | NQ4 |
| 17 | Zod | TAU | Taurus | 797.249 | 1.93% | 04 42.13 | +14 52.63 | NQ1 |
| 18 | Urs | CAM | Camelopardalis | 756.828 | 1.83% | 08 51.37 | +69 22.89 | NQ2 |
| 19 | Per | AND | Andromeda | 722.278 | 1.75% | 00 48.46 | +37 25.91 | NQ1 |
| 20 | Wat | PUP | Puppis | 673.434 | 1.63% | 07 15.48 | -31 10.64 | SQ2 |
| 21 | Per | AUR | Auriga | 657.438 | 1.59% | 06 04.42 | +42 01.68 | NQ2 |
| 22 | Her | AQL | Aquila | 652.473 | 1.58% | 19 40.02 | +03 24.65 | NQ4 |
| 23 | Her | SER | Serpens [5] | 636.928 | 1.54% | 16 57.04 | +06 07.32 | NQ3 |
| 24 | Per | PER | Perseus | 614.997 | 1.49% | 03 10.50 | +45 00.79 | NQ1 |
| 25 | Per | CAS | Cassiopeia | 598.407 | 1.45% | 01 19.16 | +62 11.04 | NQ1 |
| 26 | Ori | ORI | Orion | 594.120 | 1.44% | 05 34.59 | +05 56.94 | NQ1 |
| 27 | Per | CEP | Cepheus | 587.787 | 1.42% | 22 | +71 00.51 | NQ4 |
| 28 | Urs | LYN | Lynx | 545.386 | 1.32% | 07 59.53 | +47 28.00 | NQ2 |
| 29 | Zod | LIB | Libra | 538.052 | 1.30% | 15 11.96 | -15 14.08 | SQ3 |
| 30 | Zod | GEM | Gemini | 513.761 | 1.25% | 07 04.24 | +22 36.01 | NQ2 |
| 31 | Zod | CNC | Cancer | 505.872 | 1.23% | 08 38.96 | +19 48.35 | NQ2 |
| 32 | Wat | VEL | Vela | 499.649 | 1.21% | 09 34.64 | -47 10.03 | SQ2 |
| 33 | Zod | SCO | Scorpius | 496.783 | 1.20% | 16 53.24 | -27 01.89 | SQ3 |
| 34 | Wat | CAR | Carina | 494.184 | 1.20% | 08 41.70 | -63 13.16 | SQ2 |
| 35 | Ori | MON | Monoceros | 481.569 | 1.17% | 07 03.63 | +00 16.93 | NQ2 |
| 36 | Lac | SCL | Sculptor | 474.764 | 1.15% | 00 26.28 | -32 05.30 | SQ1 |
| 37 | Bay | PHE | Phoenix | 469.319 | 1.14% | 00 55.91 | -48 34.84 | SQ1 |
| 38 | Urs | CVN | Canes Venatici | 465.194 | 1.13% | 13 06.96 | +40 06.11 | NQ3 |
| 39 | Zod | ARI | Aries | 441.395 | 1.07% | 02 38.16 | +20 47.54 | NQ1 |
| 40 | Zod | CAP | Capricornus | 413.947 | 1.00% | 21 02.93 | -18 01.39 | SQ4 |
| 41 | Lac | FOR | Fornax | 397.502 | 0.96% | 02 47.88 | -31 38.07 | SQ1 |
| 42 | Urs | COM | Coma Berenices | 386.475 | 0.94% | 12 47.27 | +23 18.34 | NQ3 |
| 43 | Ori | CMA | Canis Major | 380.118 | 0.92% | 06 49.74 | -22 08.42 | SQ2 |
| 44 | Bay | PAV | Pavo | 377.666 | 0.92% | 19 36.71 | -65 46.89 | SQ4 |
| 45 | Bay | GRU | Grus | 365.513 | 0.89% | 22 27.39 | -46 21.11 | SQ4 |
| 46 | Her | LUP | Lupus | 333.683 | 0.81% | 15 13.21 | -42 42.53 | SQ3 |
| 47 | Her | SEX | Sextans | 313.515 | 0.76% | 10 16.29 | -02 36.88 | SQ2 |
| 48 | Bay | TUC | Tucana | 294.557 | 0.71% | 23 46.64 | -65 49.80 | SQ4 |
| 49 | Bay | IND | Indus | 294.006 | 0.71% | 21 58.33 | -59 42.40 | SQ4 |
| 50 | Lac | OCT | Octans | 291.045 | 0.71% | 23 00.00 | -82 09.12 | SQ4 |
| 51 | Ori | LEP | Lepus | 290.291 | 0.70% | 05 33.95 | -19 02.78 | SQ1 |
| 52 | Her | LYR | Lyra | 286.476 | 0.69% | 18 51.17 | +36 41.36 | NQ4 |
| 53 | Her | CRT | Crater | 282.398 | 0.68% | 11 23.75 | -15 55.74 | SQ2 |
| 54 | Wat | COL | Columba | 270.184 | 0.65% | 05 51.76 | -35 05.67 | SQ1 |
| 55 | Her | VUL | Vulpecula | 268.165 | 0.65% | 20 13.88 | +24 26.56 | NQ4 |
| 56 | Urs | UMI | Ursa Minor | 255.864 | 0.62% | 15 00.00 | +77 41.99 | NQ3 |
| 57 | Lac | TEL | Telescopium | 251.512 | 0.61% | 19 19.54 | -51 02.21 | SQ4 |
| 58 | Lac | HOR | Horologium | 248.885 | 0.60% | 03 16.56 | -53 20.18 | SQ1 |
| 59 | Lac | PIC | Pictor | 246.739 | 0.60% | 05 42.46 | -53 28.45 | SQ1 |
| 60 | Wat | PSA | Piscis Austrinus | 245.375 | 0.59% | 22 17.07 | -30 38.53 | SQ4 |
| 61 | Bay | HYI | Hydrus | 243.035 | 0.59% | 02 20.65 | -69 57.39 | SQ1 |
| 62 | Lac | ANT | Antlia | 238.901 | 0.58% | 10 16.43 | -32 29.01 | SQ2 |
| 63 | Her | ARA | Ara | 237.057 | 0.57% | 17 22.49 | -56 35.30 | SQ3 |
| 64 | Urs | LMI | Leo Minor | 231.956 | 0.56% | 10 14.72 | +32 08.08 | NQ2 |
| 65 | Wat | PYX | Pyxis | 220.833 | 0.54% | 08 57.16 | -27 21.10 | SQ2 |
| 66 | Lac | MIC | Microscopium | 209.513 | 0.51% | 20 57.88 | -36 16.49 | SQ4 |
| 67 | Bay | APS | Apus | 206.327 | 0.50% | 16 08.65 | -75 18.00 | SQ3 |
| 68 | Per | LAC | Lacerta | 200.688 | 0.49% | 22 27.68 | +46 02.51 | NQ4 |
| 69 | Wat | DEL | Delphinus | 188.549 | 0.46% | 20 41.61 | +11 40.26 | NQ4 |
| 70 | Her | CRV | Corvus | 183.801 | 0.45% | 12 26.52 | -18 26.20 | SQ3 |
| 71 | Ori | CMI | Canis Minor | 183.367 | 0.44% | 07 39.17 | +06 25.63 | NQ2 |
| 72 | Bay | DOR | Dorado | 179.173 | 0.43% | 05 14.51 | -59 23.22 | SQ1 |
| 73 | Urs | CRB | Corona Borealis | 178.710 | 0.43% | 15 50.59 | +32 37.49 | NQ3 |
| 74 | Lac | NOR | Norma | 165.290 | 0.40% | 15 54.18 | -51 21.09 | SQ3 |
| 75 | Lac | MEN | Mensa | 153.484 | 0.37% | 05 24.90 | -77 30.24 | SQ1 |
| 76 | Bay | VOL | Volans | 141.354 | 0.34% | 07 47.73 | -69 48.07 | SQ2 |
| 77 | Bay | MUS | Musca | 138.355 | 0.34% | 12 35.28 | -70 09.66 | SQ3 |
| 78 | Per | TRI | Triangulum | 131.847 | 0.32% | 02 11.07 | +31 28.56 | NQ1 |
| 79 | Bay | CHA | Chamaeleon | 131.592 | 0.32% | 10 41.53 | -79 12.30 | SQ2 |
| 80 | Her | CRA | Corona Australis | 127.696 | 0.31% | 18 38.79 | -41 08.85 | SQ4 |
| 81 | Lac | CAE | Caelum | 124.865 | 0.30% | 04 42.27 | -37 52.90 | SQ1 |
| 82 | Lac | RET | Reticulum | 113.936 | 0.28% | 03 55.27 | -59 59.85 | SQ1 |
| 83 | Her | TRA | Triangulum Australe | 109.978 | 0.27% | 16 04.95 | -65 23.28 | SQ3 |
| 84 | Her | SCT | Scutum | 109.114 | 0.26% | 18 40.39 | -09 53.32 | SQ4 |
| 85 | Lac | CIR | Circinus | 93.353 | 0.23% | 14 34.54 | -63 01.82 | SQ3 |
| 86 | Her | SGE | Sagitta | 79.932 | 0.19% | 19 39.05 | +18 51.68 | NQ4 |
| 87 | Wat | EQU | Equuleus | 71.641 | 0.17% | 21 11.26 | +07 45.49 | NQ4 |
| 88 | Her | CRU | Crux | 68.447 | 0.17% | 12 26.99 | -60 11.19 | SQ3 |
- Notes
- ^ 'Family' abbreviations correspond to Constellation Family Abbreviations: Per=Perseus, Urs=Ursa Major, Her=Hercules, Zod=Zodiacal, Ori=Orion, Wat=Heavenly waters, Bay=J. Bayer, Lac=La Caille (see List of constellations).
- ^ The total area of all constellations is the total area of the sky, which is 4π steradians, or 4π × (180/π)2 square degrees, or approximately 41252.961 square degrees.
- ^ Right Ascension & Declination of the midpoints of the constellations.
- ^ 'Quad' designates the quadrant of the sky as N for North or S for South, Quadrant 1 through 4.
- ^ Serpens is divided into two parts:
Serpens Caput (428.48 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 15 46.49, Dec: +10 58.20), and
Serpens Cauda (208.44 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 18 07.60, Dec: -04 51.73)
