Capricornus
The sea-goat of the autumn sky
Best on September–November evenings · southern sky.
Capricornus is one of the oldest constellations in the sky, tracing the outline of a mythical sea-goat — half goat, half fish. It sits in a region of the sky sometimes called the Sea, surrounded by other water-themed constellations, and is best placed on autumn evenings when it rides through the southern sky for northern observers.
How to find it
On autumn evenings, look south for the bright planets or the teapot shape of Sagittarius — Capricornus lies just to the east of Sagittarius, a modest eastward step along the ecliptic. Once you're in the right area, look for a wide, slightly lopsided triangle or arrowhead shape made of stars; that broad wedge pointing downward is Capricornus. From the southern hemisphere it climbs higher and is even easier to take in whole.
Brightest stars
Deneb Algedi, the constellation's brightest star at magnitude 2.87, anchors the eastern tip of the wedge. Dabih (magnitude 3.08) marks the western corner, with Algedi (3.57) sitting close beside it as a wide naked-eye pair.
Worth seeing
The pairing of Algedi and Al Giedi at the western corner is worth a long look — two stars close together on the sky that make a genuine naked-eye double, one of the more understated pleasures of the autumn sky.
Frequently asked
When is Capricornus visible?
It's best seen on autumn evenings, roughly September through November, when it transits the southern sky. Northern observers find it low in the south; from the southern hemisphere it climbs much higher and is easier to appreciate in full.
What are the brightest stars in Capricornus?
Deneb Algedi leads at magnitude 2.87, followed by Dabih at 3.08 and Algedi at 3.57 — all three form the main corners of the constellation's distinctive wedge shape.
Is Capricornus a northern or southern constellation?
Capricornus sits south of the celestial equator, so it's better placed for southern hemisphere observers, though it's still visible from mid-northern latitudes on autumn evenings, just staying relatively low in the south.
Nearby constellations
Aquarius · Sagittarius · Aquila · Delphinus · Pegasus · Ophiuchus · Pisces · Cygnus