88 modern constellations by area

Hydra is the largest constellation.

The table below ranks the 88 modern constellations by the solid angle that they subtend in the sky, measured in square degrees and millisteradians.

These solid angles depend on arbitrary boundaries between the constellations: the list below is based on 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, there was no standard list of the boundaries of each constellation.

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 (e.g., 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 solid angle of any constellation.

Rank  | Abbrev.  | Constellation  | Solid angle
("Area")
(sq. deg.) [1] | Solid angle
(millisteradians)  | Per­cent­age  | Right ascension
(hours & mins) [2] | Decli­nation
(degs & mins) [3] | Quad [4]

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01 | Hya | Hydra | 1302.844 | 396.869 | 3.16% | 11 36.73 | −14 31.91 | SQ2
02 | Vir | Virgo | 1294.428 | 394.305 | 3.14% | 13 24.39 | −04 09.51 | SQ3
03 | UMa | Ursa Major | 1279.660 | 389.807 | 3.10% | 11 18.76 | +50 43.27 | NQ2
04 | Cet | Cetus | 1231.411 | 375.109 | 2.99% | 01 40.10 | −07 10.76 | SQ1
05 | Her | Hercules | 1225.148 | 373.201 | 2.97% | 17 23.16 | +27 29.93 | NQ3
06 | Eri | Eridanus | 1137.919 | 346.630 | 2.76% | 03 18.02 | −28 45.37 | SQ1
07 | Peg | Pegasus | 1120.794 | 341.413 | 2.72% | 22 41.84 | +19 27.98 | NQ4
08 | Dra | Draco | 1082.952 | 329.886 | 2.63% | 15 08.64 | +67 00.40 | NQ3
09 | Cen | Centaurus | 1060.422 | 323.023 | 2.57% | 13 04.27 | −47 20.72 | SQ3
10 | Aqr | Aquarius | 979.854 | 298.481 | 2.38% | 22 17.38 | −10 47.35 | SQ4
11 | Oph | Ophiuchus | 948.340 | 288.881 | 2.30% | 17 23.69 | −07 54.74 | SQ3
12 | Leo | Leo | 946.964 | 288.462 | 2.30% | 10 40.03 | +13 08.32 | NQ2
13 | Boo | Boötes | 906.831 | 276.237 | 2.20% | 14 42.64 | +31 12.16 | NQ3
14 | Psc | Pisces | 889.417 | 270.932 | 2.16% | 00 28.97 | +13 41.23 | NQ1
15 | Sgr | Sagittarius | 867.432 | 264.235 | 2.10% | 19 05.94 | −28 28.61 | SQ4
16 | Cyg | Cygnus | 803.983 | 244.907 | 1.95% | 20 35.28 | +44 32.70 | NQ4
17 | Tau | Taurus | 797.249 | 242.856 | 1.93% | 04 42.13 | +14 52.63 | NQ1
18 | Cam | Camelopardalis | 756.828 | 230.543 | 1.83% | 08 51.37 | +69 22.89 | NQ2
19 | And | Andromeda | 722.278 | 220.018 | 1.75% | 00 48.46 | +37 25.91 | NQ1
20 | Pup | Puppis | 673.434 | 205.140 | 1.63% | 07 15.48 | −31 10.64 | SQ2
21 | Aur | Auriga | 657.438 | 200.267 | 1.59% | 06 04.42 | +42 01.68 | NQ2
22 | Aql | Aquila | 652.473 | 198.755 | 1.58% | 19 40.02 | +03 24.65 | NQ4
23 | Ser | Serpens [5] | 636.928 | 194.019 | 1.54% | 16 57.04 | +06 07.32 | NQ3
24 | Per | Perseus | 614.997 | 187.339 | 1.49% | 03 10.50 | +45 00.79 | NQ1
25 | Cas | Cassiopeia | 598.407 | 182.285 | 1.45% | 01 19.16 | +62 11.04 | NQ1
26 | Ori | Orion | 594.120 | 180.979 | 1.44% | 05 34.59 | +05 56.94 | NQ1
27 | Cep | Cepheus | 587.787 | 179.050 | 1.42% | 02 32.64 | +71 00.51 | NQ4
28 | Lyn | Lynx | 545.386 | 166.134 | 1.32% | 07 59.53 | +47 28.00 | NQ2
29 | Lib | Libra | 538.052 | 163.900 | 1.30% | 15 11.96 | −15 14.08 | SQ3
30 | Gem | Gemini | 513.761 | 156.501 | 1.25% | 07 04.24 | +22 36.01 | NQ2
31 | Cnc | Cancer | 505.872 | 154.097 | 1.23% | 08 38.96 | +19 48.35 | NQ2
32 | Vel | Vela | 499.649 | 152.202 | 1.21% | 09 34.64 | −47 10.03 | SQ2
33 | Sco | Scorpius | 496.783 | 151.329 | 1.20% | 16 53.24 | −27 01.89 | SQ3
34 | Car | Carina | 494.184 | 150.537 | 1.20% | 08 41.70 | −63 13.16 | SQ2
35 | Mon | Monoceros | 481.569 | 146.694 | 1.17% | 07 03.63 | +00 16.93 | NQ2
36 | Scl | Sculptor | 474.764 | 144.621 | 1.15% | 00 26.28 | −32 05.30 | SQ1
37 | Phe | Phoenix | 469.319 | 142.963 | 1.14% | 00 55.91 | −48 34.84 | SQ1
38 | CVn | Canes Venatici | 465.194 | 141.706 | 1.13% | 13 06.96 | +40 06.11 | NQ3
39 | Ari | Aries | 441.395 | 134.457 | 1.07% | 02 38.16 | +20 47.54 | NQ1
40 | Cap | Capricornus | 413.947 | 126.095 | 1.00% | 21 02.93 | −18 01.39 | SQ4
41 | For | Fornax | 397.502 | 121.086 | 0.96% | 02 47.88 | −31 38.07 | SQ1
42 | Com | Coma Berenices | 386.475 | 117.727 | 0.94% | 12 47.27 | +23 18.34 | NQ3
43 | CMa | Canis Major | 380.118 | 115.791 | 0.92% | 06 49.74 | −22 08.42 | SQ2
44 | Pav | Pavo | 377.666 | 115.044 | 0.92% | 19 36.71 | −65 46.89 | SQ4
45 | Gru | Grus | 365.513 | 111.342 | 0.89% | 22 27.39 | −46 21.11 | SQ4
46 | Lup | Lupus | 333.683 | 101.646 | 0.81% | 15 13.21 | −42 42.53 | SQ3
47 | Sex | Sextans | 313.515 | 95.502 | 0.76% | 10 16.29 | −02 36.88 | SQ2
48 | Tuc | Tucana | 294.557 | 89.727 | 0.71% | 23 46.64 | −65 49.80 | SQ4
49 | Ind | Indus | 294.006 | 89.559 | 0.71% | 21 58.33 | −59 42.40 | SQ4
50 | Oct | Octans | 291.045 | 88.657 | 0.71% | 23 00.00 | −82 09.12 | SQ4
51 | Lep | Lepus | 290.291 | 88.428 | 0.70% | 05 33.95 | −19 02.78 | SQ1
52 | Lyr | Lyra | 286.476 | 87.266 | 0.69% | 18 51.17 | +36 41.36 | NQ4
53 | Crt | Crater | 282.398 | 86.023 | 0.68% | 11 23.75 | −15 55.74 | SQ2
54 | Col | Columba | 270.184 | 82.303 | 0.65% | 05 51.76 | −35 05.67 | SQ1
55 | Vul | Vulpecula | 268.165 | 81.688 | 0.65% | 20 13.88 | +24 26.56 | NQ4
56 | UMi | Ursa Minor | 255.864 | 77.941 | 0.62% | 15 00.00 | +77 41.99 | NQ3
57 | Tel | Telescopium | 251.512 | 76.615 | 0.61% | 19 19.54 | −51 02.21 | SQ4
58 | Hor | Horologium | 248.885 | 75.815 | 0.60% | 03 16.56 | −53 20.18 | SQ1
59 | Pic | Pictor | 246.739 | 75.161 | 0.60% | 05 42.46 | −53 28.45 | SQ1
60 | PsA | Piscis Austrinus | 245.375 | 74.745 | 0.59% | 22 17.07 | −30 38.53 | SQ4
61 | Hyi | Hydrus | 243.035 | 74.033 | 0.59% | 02 20.65 | −69 57.39 | SQ1
62 | Ant | Antlia | 238.901 | 72.773 | 0.58% | 10 16.43 | −32 29.01 | SQ2
63 | Ara | Ara | 237.057 | 72.212 | 0.57% | 17 22.49 | −56 35.30 | SQ3
64 | LMi | Leo Minor | 231.956 | 70.658 | 0.56% | 10 14.72 | +32 08.08 | NQ2
65 | Pyx | Pyxis | 220.833 | 67.270 | 0.54% | 08 57.16 | −27 21.10 | SQ2
66 | Mic | Microscopium | 209.513 | 63.821 | 0.51% | 20 57.88 | −36 16.49 | SQ4
67 | Aps | Apus | 206.327 | 62.851 | 0.50% | 16 08.65 | −75 18.00 | SQ3
68 | Lac | Lacerta | 200.688 | 61.133 | 0.49% | 22 27.68 | +46 02.51 | NQ4
69 | Del | Delphinus | 188.549 | 57.435 | 0.46% | 20 41.61 | +11 40.26 | NQ4
70 | Crv | Corvus | 183.801 | 55.989 | 0.45% | 12 26.52 | −18 26.20 | SQ3
71 | CMi | Canis Minor | 183.367 | 55.857 | 0.44% | 07 39.17 | +06 25.63 | NQ2
72 | Dor | Dorado | 179.173 | 54.579 | 0.43% | 05 14.51 | −59 23.22 | SQ1
73 | CrB | Corona Borealis | 178.710 | 54.438 | 0.43% | 15 50.59 | +32 37.49 | NQ3
74 | Nor | Norma | 165.290 | 50.350 | 0.40% | 15 54.18 | −51 21.09 | SQ3
75 | Men | Mensa | 153.484 | 46.754 | 0.37% | 05 24.90 | −77 30.24 | SQ1
76 | Vol | Volans | 141.354 | 43.059 | 0.34% | 07 47.73 | −69 48.07 | SQ2
77 | Mus | Musca | 138.355 | 42.145 | 0.34% | 12 35.28 | −70 09.66 | SQ3
78 | Tri | Triangulum | 131.847 | 40.163 | 0.32% | 02 11.07 | +31 28.56 | NQ1
79 | Cha | Chamaeleon | 131.592 | 40.085 | 0.32% | 10 41.53 | −79 12.30 | SQ2
80 | CrA | Corona Australis | 127.696 | 38.898 | 0.31% | 18 38.79 | −41 08.85 | SQ4
81 | Cae | Caelum | 124.865 | 38.036 | 0.30% | 04 42.27 | −37 52.90 | SQ1
82 | Ret | Reticulum | 113.936 | 34.707 | 0.28% | 03 55.27 | −59 59.85 | SQ1
83 | TrA | Triangulum Australe | 109.978 | 33.501 | 0.27% | 16 04.95 | −65 23.28 | SQ3
84 | Sct | Scutum | 109.114 | 33.238 | 0.26% | 18 40.39 | −09 53.32 | SQ4
85 | Cir | Circinus | 93.353 | 28.437 | 0.23% | 14 34.54 | −63 01.82 | SQ3
86 | Sge | Sagitta | 79.932 | 24.349 | 0.19% | 19 39.05 | +18 51.68 | NQ4
87 | Equ | Equuleus | 71.641 | 21.823 | 0.17% | 21 11.26 | +07 45.49 | NQ4
88 | Cru | Crux | 68.447 | 20.850 | 0.17% | 12 26.99 | −60 11.19 | SQ3

Notes

1. ↑ The total solid angle of all constellations is the total solid angle of the sky, which is exactly 4π steradians, or 4π × (180/π)2 = 129,600/π square degrees, or approximately 41,252.961 square degrees. The figures in the table do not sum precisely to this number due to rounding errors, which vanish when the areas are rounded instead to one decimal place.
2. ↑ Average of the most eastward and most westward RA.
3. ↑ Average of the most northern and most southern declination.
4. ↑ "Quad" designates the quadrant of the sky as N for North or S for South, Quadrants 1 ( 0h– 6h), 2 ( 6h– 12h), 3 ( 12h– 18h), or 4 ( 18h– 0h).
5. ↑ Serpens is divided into two parts:
Serpens Caput ("Serpent's Head"; 428.484 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 15 46.49, Dec: +10 58.20), and
Serpens Cauda ("Serpent's Tail"; 208.444 sq. deg.; midpoint: RA: 18 07.60, Dec: -04 51.73)

## Sources

* Constellations – Ian Ridpath
* Constellations – RASC Calgary Centre

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