Delphinus

Constellation

A small constellation representing a dolphin, easily recognized despite containing no especially bright stars.

Facts

TypeConstellation
Area of sky189 sq°
Brightest star magnitudemag 3.62
HemisphereNorthern
Zodiac constellationNo
Discovered150

Delphinus in context

A constellation is a pattern drawn on the sky rather than a physical grouping: its stars are usually unrelated and sit at wildly different distances, just lined up as seen from Earth.

Delphinus covers 189 square degrees of sky, which is 0.5 percent of the whole celestial sphere.

That makes it the 69th largest of the 88 constellations the International Astronomical Union recognises.

It sits in the northern sky.

Its brightest star reaches magnitude 3.62, bright enough to pick out with the naked eye under a dark sky.

Play today's Cosmodle