Aquarius
The water-bearer of the autumn sky
Best on September–November evenings · southern sky.
Aquarius is one of the zodiac's oldest constellations, depicting a figure pouring water from a jar. It sprawls across a relatively dim but rewarding patch of the southern autumn sky, with no single blazing star to grab your eye but a satisfying pattern once you know where to look.
How to find it
On autumn evenings, Aquarius sits in the southern sky for northern observers — look between the distinctive Great Square of Pegasus to the north and the lonely bright star Fomalhaut low to the south. Start from the Great Square and drop southward; the two closely matched yellow supergiants Sadalsuud and Sadalmelik mark the water-bearer's shoulder region and serve as your anchors for the rest of the figure.
Brightest stars
Yellow supergiant Sadalsuud (β Aqr) leads at magnitude 2.91, with Sadalmelik (α Aqr) close behind at 2.96 — the two are nearly twins in brightness and color, sitting near each other in the northern part of the constellation. Skat (δ Aqr) at magnitude 3.27 marks the water-bearer's leg.
Worth seeing
The gentle chain of stars including Sadachbia (γ Aqr) near the water jar is the most rewarding naked-eye detail — a delicate curved line that traces the stream of water pouring from the bearer's urn.
Frequently asked
When is Aquarius visible?
Aquarius is best seen on autumn evenings, roughly September through November, when it climbs into the southern sky for northern hemisphere observers. Southern hemisphere observers get an even better view, as it passes higher overhead.
What are the brightest stars in Aquarius?
Sadalsuud (magnitude 2.91) and Sadalmelik (2.96) are the two brightest, nearly matched yellow supergiants. Skat (3.27), Albali (3.77), and Sadachbia (3.84) fill out the figure, though none are particularly dazzling.
Which hemisphere is Aquarius best seen from?
Both hemispheres can see it, but southern hemisphere observers have the advantage — Aquarius rides high overhead for them in autumn. Northern observers see it lower in the southern sky, which makes a clear, unobstructed southern horizon helpful.
Nearby constellations
Capricornus · Pegasus · Delphinus · Pisces · Aquila · Cetus · Sagittarius · Cygnus