By Lou Martin | Updated March 24, 2022

© anatoliy_gleb/iStock/GettyImages

When you gaze up at the night sky, the sheer splendor of the stars reminds us of our place in the cosmos. In the Northern Hemisphere, thirty constellations punctuate the heavens. Five of them — Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor — remain visible all year round. The others appear in distinct seasons. Each constellation, rooted in Greek mythology, traces a star pattern that abstractly mirrors its mythic namesake. Below is a concise, season‑by‑season catalogue to help you spot them.

TL;DR

Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor can be seen all year long.

In the winter, look for Canis Major, Cetus, Eridanus, Gemini, Orion, Perseus and Taurus.

In the spring, keep an eye out for Bootes, Cancer, Crater, Hydra, Leo and Virgo.

In the summer, Aquila, Cygnus, Hercules, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius and Scorpius light up the sky.

In the fall, you can see Andromeda, Aquarius, Capricornus, Pegasus and Pisces.

Circumpolar Constellations

These constellations revolve around the North Star and are visible throughout the year from the Northern Hemisphere:

• Cassiopeia
• Cepheus
• Draco
• Ursa Major
• Ursa Minor

Winter Constellations

Braving the cold for a night of stargazing is well worth it. During winter, seven constellations dominate the Northern sky:

• Canis Major (the Great Dog) – home to Sirius, the brightest star after the Sun and Moon (NASA)
• Cetus (the Whale)
• Eridanus (the River)
• Gemini (the Twins)
• Orion (the Hunter) – the most iconic winter constellation, its three-star belt is unmistakable.
• Perseus (the Hero) – contains the bright star Miraphor.
• Taurus (the Bull) – features the bright star Aldebaran.

Spring Constellations

Spring brings a new set of bright favorites. Six constellations are prominent during this season:

• Bootes (the Herdsman) – contains Arcturus, a red supergiant 37 light‑years away and 20 times the Sun’s radius.
• Cancer (the Crab)
• Crater (the Cup)
• Hydra (the Lizard) – the longest and largest constellation by area; mythologically a multi‑headed serpent slain by Hercules.
• Leo (the Lion) – includes the bright star Regulus.
• Virgo (the Maiden) – home to Spica, a binary star 260 light‑years away and 100 times brighter than the Sun.

Summer Constellations

Summer offers seven spectacular constellations in the Northern sky:

• Aquila (the Eagle) – hosts the bright star Altair.
• Cygnus (the Swan) – contains the famous star Deneb.
• Hercules (the Hero) – features the bright star Vega’s neighbor.
• Lyra (the Lyre) – contains Vega, a star 26 light‑years away, and the Lyrid meteor shower.
• Ophiuchus (the Serpent‑Bearer)
• Sagittarius (the Centaur) – houses several globular clusters and the galactic center.
• Scorpius (the Scorpion) – home to the bright star Antares.

Fall Constellations

Fall offers fewer but still striking constellations. Look for:

• Andromeda (the Princess) – contains the Andromeda Galaxy, our nearest spiral neighbor.
• Aquarius (the Water‑Bearer) – hosts the Saturn Nebula and several globular clusters.
• Capricornus (the Goat)
• Pegasus (the Winged Horse) – features the bright globular cluster M13.
• Pisces (the Fish) – includes the Pleiades star cluster.

Happy stargazing!