231 replies to this topic

[erin]

I think that part of the problem is that constellations don't exist in isolation. Orion is magnificent, but it would be far less of a constellation without the Pleiades and Hyades luring it on and the Great Dog nipping at its heels. To say nothing of Scorpius, on the opposite side of the sky, ducking below the horizon to avoid Orion.

Although I do love constellations, my real passion is for the night sky as a whole. No, make that the sky as a whole. The Sun is arguably the greatest astronomical object of all, and even clouds often enhance the sky's beauty dramatically.

Tony, I am with you. It is the night sky as a whole. Every familiar star, cluster, nebula, galaxy, asterism, and constellation feel like old friends to me. But it is fun to try and pick one so......

 

I will have to say Orion.  It was my fav as a kid and one of three I could identify. I didn’t know the summer constellations until I bothered to learn them as a teen, but I knew Summer Triangle and the Milky Way.

[Jim4321]

Being of Scots-Irish heritage, I'll go with the one and only Irish constellation.... 

 

                                     O'Ryan! 

(I dunno how the spelling got so garbled over the centuries.... )

 

Besides, it's the first one Mom taught me at about age 4 or 5. 

 

Jim H.

[frank5817]

Crux. I have not yet seen it but I have been down sizing.

[kfiscus]

I choose my favorite constellations not by what objects they hold but for the special meanings behind them.  My favorite constellation was Cassiopeia because that royal name was chosen by my wife for our dog that we got to love for 13 years.  Cassi died this September.

 

We went to be with family for Thanksgiving and when I walked into my Mom's house my sister was holding our new dog, a surprise early birthday present for me.  My new favorite constellation is Andromeda.  We call my new dog Andi.

 

Both are Schnoodles (Schnauzers that don't shed), both royalty.

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Edited by kfiscus, 01 December 2019 - 10:01 PM.

[sunnyday]

I choose my favorite constellations not by what objects they hold but for the special meanings behind them.  My favorite constellation was Cassiopeia because that royal name was chosen by my wife for our dog that we got to love for 13 years.  Cassi died this September.

 

We went to be with family for Thanksgiving and when I walked into my Mom's house my sister was holding our new dog, a surprise early birthday present for me.  My new favorite constellation is Andromeda.  We call my new dog Andi.

 

Both are Schnoodles, both royalty.

I hope it will bring you joy and very good momments.

bless you and your family .

[tchandler]

Crux. I have not yet seen it but I have been down sizing.

My first sighting of Crux was from the back seat of a taxi in Rio de Janeiro. It wasn’t quite how I thought it would be, but there we are. But about a year later I saw it right, while camping in Patagonia. By right, I mean right overhead. 

[John O'Hara]

For me it is Scorpius, because as a young boy, I'd read that stars have colors, but I was able to observe it in Antares first.  After that, I could see color in many other stars.  I also like the distinctness of it's shape, it really looks like a scorpion.  I love to follow the form of this constellation from its head to its stinger in binoculars.  On January mornings, I look for the appearance of Antares low in the SE.  Somehow, seeing this old friend, a summer star in winter, gives me hope that the cold and snow won't last forever.

[Enkidu]

Andromeda, since she's the center of a six-constellation myth (Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Perseus, Pegasus and Cetus).

 

It's the most comprehensive story in the sky, and covers the largest area. M31 and M33 as her chains are a beautiful detail.

 

I also love constellations that animate with celestial motion (eg Scorpius/CMa/CMi running after Orion, Argo Navis). Observationally, Centaurus has exquisite targets for almost every category and viewing style.

Edited by Enkidu, 03 December 2019 - 11:00 AM.

[Jon Isaacs]

This is a little like asking who’s your favourite child. You probably have one, depending on the day, but few want to admit it or share this information.

 

 

I'd have to say my favorite constellation is the one I happen to be looking at or thinking of.

 

There are many reasons a particular constellation might be favored, fond memories of my father ponting out the stars, a particularly bright or special pattern or stars, favorite DSOs and/or doubles stars or just a richness of the star fields or galaxies. Or maybe fond memories of time spent at the eyepiece observing a particular constellation.

 

I think the question is an interesting one and after thinking about it for a week and reading everyone's thoughts, I decided I really didn't have a favorite. 

 

Jon

[Illinois]

Orion is my favorite when I grew up in Chicago. I am glad to see whole Orion in light pollution. I caught two faint stars by the belt that night is rare good night! I like Cygnus in dark sky! NGC 7000 and Veal Nebula! Now my favorite is CRUX! Finally I saw it when I was on cruise went way far south. 5 degrees north. I used my 10X50 binocular and I saw some very nice open clusters around Crux and Carina. Omega Cen. was high! Never forgot that night!

[goodricke1]

Most favourite:

 

1. Orion

2. Taurus

3. Scorpius

4. Cassiopeia

5. Cygnus

6. Sagittarius

7. Ursa Major

 

Least favourite:

 

1. Reticulum

2. Musca

3. Norma

4. Octans

5. Pictor

6. Horologium 

7. Circinus

 

(Can't see any of 'em and they don't sound particularly impressive )

[Araguaia]

My first sighting of Crux was from the back seat of a taxi in Rio de Janeiro. It wasn’t quite how I thought it would be, but there we are. 

That's because from Rio de Janeiro you can't see the way it sparkles between the vast Coal Sack dark nebula and the bright arm of the Carina Milky Way...

 

The western Centaurus-Crux-eastern Carina region is by far the most spectacular "constellation" in the sky.  Unfortunately, the old timers chose to split it into 3 different constellations, one of which (Crux) is tiny, embedded in Centaurus like an Astronomical Union excrescence. 

 

It is as if Orion was split between Lepus and Auriga, with the belt region belonging to a third constellation. 

[viewer]

Here up north in the city? The Big Dipper (the only part of Ursa Major usually visible...). You can always find it, it's faithful to you...

[sunnyday]

I noticed that many here chose Orion, just like me.
many have a sentimental attachment, either the first target or a parent who has shown you orion
the most important thing for me is to give back and show the sky to the neofythians,
I wish you beautiful obeservations and a clear skys.
whatever your target is 

[ensign]

Hercules.  The first DSO I found “on my own” was M13 from my light-polluted back yard with a 4” achromat.

 

A second favourite is Cygnus.  When I was a kid, I would often see part of the constellation as it was setting in the West - three symmetrical stars over a wide patch of sky.  Always wondered what I was looking at.  Figured it out after resuming my interest in astronomy after a very long hiatus.

[brightsky]

I have enjoyed exploring around Sagittarius for the last ~6 wks.  I got into it by observing Saturn and Jupiter.  It was at a comfortable height in the sky and alongside the Milky Way.  I like to try for the globular clusters inside and around the Teapot then with the time left tract to the right and find the starfish cluster in the upper bow.  Then add a UHC filter and slide over to the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae, then up to the Small Sagittarius star cloud, and the Omega and Eagle nebulae.  Next time I may start at the Lagoon nebula and go up further to Scutum and try to see the Wild duck cluster.  Saturn, Venus and Jupiter are in a line now just above the Teapot and add to the show.  Anyway, I like Sagittarius because of so many things to see in and around it.

 

 

Dave

[RubyCruxis]

Most favourite:

 

1. Orion

2. Taurus

3. Scorpius

4. Cassiopeia

5. Cygnus

6. Sagittarius

7. Ursa Major

 

Least favourite:

 

1. Reticulum

2. Musca

3. Norma

4. Octans

5. Pictor

6. Horologium 

7. Circinus

 

(Can't see any of 'em and they don't sound particularly impressive )

You should come down to the Southern Hemisphere on vacation and check out your least favourite list. They are absolutely fantastic constellations to observe, full of galaxies and other DSO’s that are only overshadowed due to the fact that there are relatively few people down here observing them. Musca the fly is one of my personal favourites and I always find myself there when it is well positioned. Small but distinctive, it has a couple of great Globular clusters and a couple of very bright and easy Planetary Nebulae, as well as some more challenging PN's. Also some lovely double stars and open clusters as well. All easy to star hop to find due to the small and distinctive size and shape of the constellation. I must get to the Northern Hemisphere one day soon and observe the northern constellations and all the great astronomical sights that I have only so far read about.

Edited by RubyCruxis, 04 December 2019 - 11:30 PM.

[Araguaia]

 Musca the fly is one of my personal favourites and I always find myself there when it is well positioned. Small but distinctive, it has a couple of great Globular clusters and a couple of very bright and easy Planetary Nebulae, as well as some more challenging PN's. Also some lovely double stars and open clusters as well. All easy to star hop to find due to the small and distinctive size and shape of the constellation. 

Hear hear!  One of the most interesting planetaries too.

[bumm]

Hear hear!  One of the most interesting planetaries too.

And there's something particularly fun about "archaic" constellations!

                                                                                              Marty

[mountain monk]

Like many here my favorites are part of my heritage from my father. He introduced me to the constellations just after WWII using surplus binoculars that were commonplace after the war. We would lie on the dock by a fishing cottage on Chesapeake Bay and watch the major constellations as they passed by during the year. Since he and his family were avid hunters (his father owned a hunting lodge), Orion was his favorite, though he insisted that he carried a bow, not a shield because who hunted with a shield. Although I spent many months awed by the southern skies decades later, my emotional attachment remains with our northern constellations and I look forward to each of them every year. That said, my favorite form of viewing is prone in a sleeping bag at high altitude just enjoying the night sky.

 

Dark skies.

 

Jack

[Tony Flanders]

You should come down to the Southern Hemisphere on vacation and check out your least favourite list. They are absolutely fantastic constellations to observe, full of galaxies and other DSO’s that are only overshadowed due to the fact that there are relatively few people down here observing them.

True enough. But viewed as star patterns, they're the absolute pits. No bright stars arranged in no recognizable patterns. What's to like?

[Araguaia]

True enough. But viewed as star patterns, they're the absolute pits. No bright stars arranged in no recognizable patterns. What's to like?

Huh?

 

Crux, Carina, Centaurus, Scorpius, Columba, Phoenix, Corvus, Corona, Ara, Pavo, Grus, just to name a few quite recognizable star patterns - and all contain very nice DSOs.

[sunnyday]

True enough. But viewed as star patterns, they're the absolute pits. No bright stars arranged in no recognizable patterns. What's to like?

open your eyes it's full of surprise.

Edited by sunnyday, 06 December 2019 - 03:37 PM.

[StargazerLuigi]

Crux. I have not yet seen it but I have been down sizing.

+1 for Crux. The first time I saw it was at the 2006 Winter Star Party and the skies were magical. Seeing it 'hover' over the Atlantic was mesmerizing for a north temperate latitude observer like me. We could see stars literally to the horizon.

 

After the first couple of nights of absolutely fabulous observing conditions, the veterans warned it wouldn't be like that every night, but it was! I'll never forget that star party.

[Tyson M]

Orion for sure.  Sagittarius is a running up, but that's only because it is so low and I get such little time with it. Same applies for Scorpius.  Cassiopeia is a very nice region as well, I would like to dive deeper in the star studded area.