SINCE 1930, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has officially recognised 88 constellations. The saga of how we got there is an interesting one that involves a colourful cast of characters — some familiar, some not.
Many cultures have their own star lore, but the constellations we use today are largely derived from Western sources, starting with the 48 groupings that Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy) described in his 2nd-century Almagest. Ptolemy didn't draw any celestial maps that we know of — but the Almagest contained a catalogue listing the constellations and their associated stars. There were no set boundaries, so some stars were shared by neighbouring constellations.
Shortly after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, terrestrial maps, globes and atlases began to appear. These efforts were later expanded to include…
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Australian Sky & Telescope (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2023