A Guide To The Pronunciation Of The Constellations

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Name Contraction Pronounced Meaning Named Stars
Andromeda And an-DROH-me-duh The Chained Maiden Alpheratz, Mirach, Almach
Antla Ant ANT-lih-uh The Air Pump .
Apus Aps AY-pus The Bird of Paradise .
Aquarius Aqa ah-KWAIR-ee-us The Water Bearer Sadalmelik, Sadalsuud, Sadachbia
Aquila Aqu uh-KWI-luh The Eagle Altair, Alshain, Tarazed
Aar Aar AY-ruh The Altar .
Aries Ari AIR-eez The Ram Hamal, Sheratan, Mesarthim
Auriga Aur oh-RYE-gah The Charioteer Capella, Menkalinan, Sadatoni
Bootes Boo boh-OH-teez The Herdsman Arcturus, Kar, Seginus
Caelum Cae KAY-lum The Chisel .
Camelopardalis Can ka-MEL-oh-PAR-da-lis The Giraffe .
Cancer Cnc CAN-ser The Crab Acubens, Al Tarf, Asellus Borealis
Canes Venatici CVn KAH-nez ve-NAT-eh-see The Hunting Dogs Canum Venaticuorum
Canis Major CMa KAY-niss MAY-jer The Great Dogs Sirius, Murzim, Muliphen
Canis Minor CMi KAY-niss MY-ner The Small Dog Procyon, Gomeisa
Capricornus Cap kap-reh-KOR-nuss The Sea Goat Al Giedi, Babih
Carina Car ka-RYE-nah The Keel Canopus, Miaplacidus
Cassiopeia Cas kass-ee-oh-PEE-uh The Queen in a Chair Schedar, Caph, Tsih
Centaurus Cen sen-TOR-us The Centaur Rigil Kentaurus, Hadar
Cepheus Cep SEE-fee-us The King Alderamin, Alfirk
Cetus Cet SEE-tus The Whale Mira, Diphda
Chamaeleon Cae ka-MEEL-eon The Cameleon .
Circinus Cir SUR-sin-us The Drawing Compass .
Columba Col ko-LUM-bah The Dove Phact, Wazn
Corona Australis CrA kor-OH-nah oss-TRAY-liss The Southern Crown .
Corona Borealis CrB kor-OH-nah bor-ee-AL-is The Northern Crown Alphecca , Nusakan
Corvus Crv KOR-vus The Crow Giena, Algorab
Crater Crt KRAY-turr The Cup Alkes
Crux Cru KRUKS The Southern Cross Acrux, Gacrux
Cygnus Cyg SIG-nus The Swan Deneb, Albireo, Sadr
Delphinus Del del-FINE-uss The Dolphin Sualocin, Rotanev, Deneb
Dorado Dor doh-RAH-doh The Swordfish .
Draco Dra DRAY-koh The Dragon Thuban, Rastaban, Eltanin
Equuleus Equ ek-KWOO-lee-us The Little Horse Kitalpha
Eridanus Eri eh-RID-ah-nuss The River Acharnar, Cursa, Zaurak, Rana
Fornax For for-NAX The Furnace .
Gemini Gem JEM-eh-nye The Heavenly Twins Castor, Pollux
Grus gru GRUSS The Crane Alnair
Hercules Her HER-kyu-leez The Kneeling Giant Ras Algethi, Kornephoros
Horologium Hor hor-o-LO-jee-um The Clock .
Hydra Hya HIGH-druh The Sea Serpent Alphard
Hydrus Hyi HIGH-drus The Water Snake .
Indus Ind IN-duss The Indian Alnair
Lacerta Lac la-SIR-tah The Lizard .
Leo Leo LEE-oh The Lion Regulus, Denebola, Algeiba
Leo Minor LMi LEE-oh MY-ner The Little Lion Praecipula
Lepus Lep LEE-puss The Hare Arneb, Nihal
Libra Lib Lee-bra The Scales Zubenelgenub, Zubeneschamali
Lupus Lup LEW-puss The Wolf .
Lynx Lyn LINKS The Lynx .
Lyra Lyr LYE-rah The Lyre Vega, Sheliak, Lafat
Mensa Men MEN-sah The Table .
Microscopium Mic my-kro-SKO-pee-um The Microscope .
Monocerus Mon mon-OSS-er-us The Unicorn .
Musca Mus MUS-kah The Fly .
Norma Nor NOR-mah The Carpenter's Square .
Octans Oct OCK-tanz The Octant .
Ophiuchus Oph off-ih-YOU-kuss The Serpent Bearer Ras Alhagua, Cheleb, Yed Prior
Orion Ori oh-RYE-un The Hunter Betelgeuse, Rigel , Bellatrix
Pavo Pav PAH-voh The Peacock .
Pegasus Peg PEG-a-sus The Winged Hourse Markab, Scheat, Algenib
Perceus Per Perseus The Chanpion Marfak, Algol
Pheonix Phe FEE-nix The Pheonix Ankaa
Pictor Pic PICK-torr The Painter's Easel .
Pisces Psc PIE-seez The Fishes Al Risha, Fum Al Samakah
Piscis Austriunus PsA PIE-sis OSS-trih-nuss The Southern Fishes Fomalhaut
Puppis Pup PUPP-iss The Stern Naos
Pyxis Pyx PICK-siss The Compass .
Reticulum Ret reh-TIK-u-lum The Reticule .
Sagitta Sag sah-JIT-tah The Arrow .
Sagittarius Sgr sadge-ih-TAIR-ee-us The Archer Rukbat, Arkaba, Al Nasl, Nunkie
Scorpius Sco SKOR-pee-us The Scorpion Antares, Graffias, Shaula, Jabbah
Sculptor Scl SKULPT-tor The Sculptor .
Scutum Sct SKYOU-tum The Shield .
Serpents Caput Ser SIR-pens CA-put The Serpent (Head) .
Serpents Cauda Ser SIR-pens CA-uda The Serpent (Tail) .
Sextans Sex SEX-tans The Sextant .
Taurus Tau TORR-us The Bull Aldebaran, El Nath,
Telescopium Tel tell-ih-SKO-pee-um The Telescope .
Triangulum Tri try-ANGH-gu-lum The Triangle Caput Trianguli
Triangulum Australe TrA try-ANGH-gu-lum OSS-trale The Southern Triangle Atria
Tucana Tuc too-KAH-nah The Toucan .
Ursa Major UMa ER-suh MAY-jer The Great Bare Dubhe, Merak, Phecde, Megrez
Ursa Minor UMi ER-suh MY-ner The Little Bare Polaris, Kochab, Pharkad
Vela Vel VEE-lah The Sail Velorum, Markab, Suhail
Virgo Vir VER-go The Virgin Spica, Porrima
Volans Vol VO-lanz The Flying Fish .
Vulpecula Vul vul_PECK-you-lah The Fox .


Wave Files from GalexyGuide, A Journey through the Constellations
provided by Parallax Multimedia, Inc.

Wave files ©Copyright Parallax Multimedia, Inc.


Constellation Links:

Constellations Home Page, By Chris Dolan's, University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Astronomy
A Guide to the Pronunciation of the Constellations, By Jeff Bondono