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The great ladle of the northern sky, Ursa Major cradles the Big Dipper. It holds the five sibling stars, the six-star system at Mizar, and the myth of Callisto.

Leo, the king of the spring sky. It carries Regulus, its chief star riding the ecliptic, and the tale of the Nemean Lion slain by Heracles.

Boötes, the kite-shaped herdsman. Arcturus, the fourth-brightest star in the night sky and a red giant, leads the herdsman who drives the bear.

Virgo, the second-largest constellation on the ecliptic. It holds Spica, the ear of wheat, and the Virgo Cluster of some 1,300 galaxies.

Cassiopeia, the W-shaped signpost for finding the North Star. Here Tycho's nova blazed in 1572 and opened the door to modern astronomy.

Gemini, the twins of the two brothers Castor and Pollux. Here are the most spectacular Geminid meteor shower and the myth of undying brotherly love.

Orion, the hunter of the winter sky. This giant carries Betelgeuse, poised on the brink of a supernova, and the Orion Nebula, a cradle of stars.

Lyra, glowing with Vega. It is the pole star of 12,000 years hence, the lyre of Orpheus, and the Weaver Maid of the Qixi legend.

Cygnus, the swan flying over the Milky Way, the Northern Cross. Here are Cygnus X-1, the first black hole candidate, and the supergiant Deneb.

Aquila, glowing with Altair the Cowherd star. Here are a star flattened by dizzying rotation and the Cowherd of the Qixi legend.

Corvus, a small but crisp trapezoid. It holds the colliding Antennae Galaxies and the legend of the crow that Apollo turned black.

Cancer, the faintest constellation of the zodiac. It holds the Beehive Cluster (M44), visible to the naked eye, and the myth of the crab that aided the Hydra.

Scorpius, with the red heart Antares. Here are dazzling clusters toward the galactic center and the myth of the scorpion that felled Orion.

Taurus, holding the red eye Aldebaran and the Pleiades cluster. The bull into which Zeus transformed himself charges across the winter sky.

Canis Major, holding Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It is the faithful hunting dog that follows Orion.

The pentagon of Auriga and its sixth-brightest star, Capella. It is the inventor of the chariot, cradling a young goat in his arms.

The home of the Andromeda Galaxy, the farthest object visible to the naked eye. This is the tale of the princess nearly given to a monster.

Perseus the hero, holding the winking "Demon Star" Algol. The hero who beheaded Medusa became a constellation.

Sagittarius, aiming at the center of the Milky Way. Beyond the Teapot shape hides the supermassive black hole at the galactic center.

Aquarius, pouring water from the heavens. One of the oldest constellations of the zodiac, it is the beautiful youth who served drink to the gods.

Aries, once the starting point of the zodiac. The hide of the golden ram that rescued two children later became the goal of the Argonauts.

Ursa Minor, wearing the guiding North Star (Polaris) at the tip of its tail. Shaped like a little ladle, it is the compass of the night sky.

Draco, the great dragon coiling around the celestial pole. Here are Thuban, the pole star of 5,000 years ago, and the dragon that guarded the golden apples.

Pegasus, the winged horse that forms the "Great Square," the landmark of the autumn sky. It was born from the blood of Medusa.

Canis Minor, made of just two stars. Procyon, the eighth-brightest star, forms one vertex of the Winter Triangle.

Hercules, the fifth-largest constellation in the sky. This greatest of heroes holds the trapezoidal "Keystone" and the beautiful globular cluster M13.

Libra, the only zodiac constellation that is not a living thing. Once the claws of the scorpion, it is the "Scales of Justice."

Delphinus, the little dolphin leaping beside the Milky Way. With its dainty rhombus shape, it carries the tale of the dolphin that saved a musician.

Pisces, two fish tied to each other by a long ribbon. Its stars are faint, yet the "vernal equinox" that marks the start of spring now lies within this constellation.

Capricornus, the "sea-goat" with the upper body of a goat and the lower body of a fish. The smallest constellation of the zodiac, it carries the tale of the god Pan and his transformation.

Ophiuchus, gripping a great serpent in both hands. It is the "thirteenth constellation" the Sun truly passes through, and Asclepius, the god of medicine who raised the dead.

Cepheus, shaped like a five-sided house with a steep roof. Here lies the original of the "Cepheid" variable stars that became the measuring rod for cosmic distances.

Cetus, the fourth-largest constellation in the sky (the sea monster). It holds Mira, a remarkable variable star whose brightness changes hundreds of times over.

Centaurus, holding "Alpha Centauri," the nearest neighboring star to the Sun. It is another guise of Chiron, the wise half-man, half-horse.

Crux, the emblem of the southern sky — the smallest yet most famous constellation, the Southern Cross. It is the guide for finding the south celestial pole and the cross emblazoned on many national flags.

Hydra, the largest constellation of all, sprawling across a full quarter of the sky. It is the nine-headed monster Hydra that Heracles faced.

Corona Borealis, a crown of seven stars tracing a half-circle. Here are the "Blaze Star," which may one day suddenly flare, and the tale of a princess's wedding garland.

Triangulum, a slender triangle formed by three stars. It hides the spiral galaxy M33, one of the farthest objects visible to the naked eye.

Lepus, the hare crouching at the feet of Orion the hunter. It is the little hare of the winter sky, keeping low as the hunting dog (Canis Major) gives chase.

Eridanus, the river of the sky that begins at Orion's feet and winds down into the southern heavens. It is the river into which the boy who fell from the runaway chariot of the Sun plunged.