Aquarius Constellation

Aquarius, the Water-Bearer, is one of the oldest constellations recognized along the zodiac, its stream of faint stars representing a figure pouring water from an urn into the mouth of a fish below. Ancient Babylonian astronomers associated this stretch of sky with rain, floods, and renewal, and that watery theme carried through into Greek mythology, which cast the figure as Ganymede, a beautiful young Trojan prince carried off by Zeus to serve as cupbearer to the gods. Aquarius sits in a region of sky ancient astronomers simply called "the Sea," surrounded by other water-themed constellations like Pisces, Cetus, and Capricornus.

Aquarius at a Glance

• AbbreviationAqr
• Genitive FormAquarii
• MeaningThe Water-Bearer
• Constellation FamilyZodiac
• Area980 sq. degrees (10th largest of 88)
• Right Ascension20h 38m – 23h 56m
• Declination+3.3° to -24.9°
• Brightest StarSadalsuud (magnitude 2.87)
• Best Evening ViewingOctober, visible 65°N to 90°S
• Sun's Actual TransitFebruary 16 – March 11 (astrology: January 20 – February 18)

Mythology and History

In Greek myth, Ganymede was a Trojan prince so beautiful that Zeus, transformed into an eagle, swept him up from the mountains of Phrygia and carried him to Mount Olympus to serve as the gods' cupbearer, pouring their nectar and ambrosia. Zeus later honored Ganymede by placing him among the stars, forever pouring his urn across the sky. The figure and its watery associations, however, are far older than Greek myth: Babylonian astronomers identified this same stretch of sky with their god of wisdom and water, Ea, more than 3,000 years ago, and the constellation was one of the 48 recorded by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. Its faint stream of stars, representing the poured water, stretches down toward Piscis Austrinus, where it is traditionally shown flowing into the mouth of the Southern Fish.

Notable Stars in Aquarius

Sadalsuud, Aquarius's brightest star at magnitude 2.87, is a yellow supergiant roughly 540 light-years from Earth whose Arabic name translates to "luckiest of the lucky." Sadalmelik, nearly as bright, carries a name meaning "luck of the king" and is likewise a distant yellow supergiant — the pair of auspicious names reflects Aquarius's ancient association with fortune and the life-giving arrival of seasonal floods.

Deep-Sky Objects

Aquarius is home to several standout planetary nebulae, the glowing shells cast off by dying sun-like stars. The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is one of the nearest and largest such nebulae to Earth, roughly 650 light-years away, its layered, eye-like structure earning it the nickname "Eye of God" in astrophotography circles. The smaller, brighter Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) shows faint ring-like extensions reminiscent of the planet it's named for. Aquarius also hosts two fine globular clusters, M2 and M72.

• Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) — one of the closest and largest planetary nebulae to Earth, the glowing remains of a dying sun-like star, sometimes nicknamed the "Eye of God" for its appearance in long-exposure images
• Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) — a compact planetary nebula whose faint extensions resemble the rings of Saturn through a telescope
• Globular clusters M2 & M72 — two dense, ancient star clusters visible through small to mid-sized telescopes

Neighboring Constellations and How to Find It

Aquarius is a large but faint constellation, easiest to find by first locating the Great Square of Pegasus and scanning south and slightly west toward a Y-shaped pattern of stars marking the water jar. It climbs highest in the evening sky around October and is best viewed from a dark location free of light pollution. Aquarius borders Pisces, Pegasus, Equuleus, Delphinus, Aquila, Capricornus, Piscis Austrinus, Sculptor, and Cetus.

Aquarius is also associated with the Eta Aquariids, Delta Aquariids, March Aquariids, and Iota Aquariids meteor showers, visible to observers who track where these annual displays radiate from.