How to find Aquarius
A large but faint autumn constellation hiding two fine planetary nebulae.
Sadalsuud — a distant, luminous supergiant (Beta Aquarii).
Aquarius is an ancient zodiac constellation, large but made of mostly faint stars, best placed on autumn evenings. Its most identifiable piece is a small Y-shaped asterism of stars called the 'Water Jar'.
What it lacks in bright stars it makes up for in deep-sky objects for those with a telescope and a dark sky.
The Water Jar and two nebulae
The little Y of the Water Jar marks the centre of the figure. Aquarius hosts the Helix Nebula, one of the closest planetary nebulae (and a tricky, large, faint target), and the Saturn Nebula, a small bright planetary that shows a Saturn-like shape in larger scopes.
It's also home to the Aquarid meteor showers, which radiate from this region in spring and summer.
How to find it
- From the Great Square of Pegasus, look down and to the south on autumn evenings
- Spot the small Y-shaped Water Jar asterism near the centre
- A dark sky is essential — Aquarius's stars are faint
Deep-sky highlights
- Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) — a large, nearby planetary nebula for dark skies
- Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) — small and bright in a telescope
- Globular cluster M2
Stella shows exactly when Aquarius is highest from your location tonight — and whether the sky is worth it.
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