How to Make Up Your Own Star Constellation

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 21, 2021

For millennia people have looked to the stars as a way of navigating across oceans and land or to mark the changing of the seasons. They have created constellations as familiar, reassuring beacons to guide them along their journeys. Now you too can learn how to create a unique star system to help put a more familiar face on the night sky. While you won't be able to officially register your new constellation for all the world to see, your system will still surely be a hit with friends and family.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your View

Pick a moonless night with as few clouds as possible. Also, try to minimize light pollution by getting away from street lights.
You will need something comfortable and waterproof to lie on while stargazing. Otherwise, moisture from the soil beneath you can leach upwards, making your experience messy.
The night sky is filled with thousands of stars, as many as 2500 to 5000 visible to the naked eye.^{[1]
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Research source} Looking through a picture frame will help capture within your view a small portion of the stars above you.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating a Constellation

Look for closely grouped clusters of stars. Brighter stars will be easier to spot and work with. Planets, the most brilliant objects in the night sky after the moon, can be useful too.
Throughout history sailors and navigators have looked for patterns in the arrangement of stars. See if you can assemble any stars into the outline of a familiar object: a cat, house or tree. If you’ve ever practiced cloud-gazing, it’s a similar process.
Now imagine drawing straight lines between these prominent points in the sky. Can you see the outline of your object taking shape?
Branch out and try to create a new constellation rather than merely copying an existing one. Going beyond the norm gives you an opportunity to be truly creative!

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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Recording Your New Constellation

Now that you’ve created a new star system you need to locate it in relation to an existing constellation so you don’t lose track of it. There are a number of online star maps you can consult and print off as a reference. ^{[2]
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Research source} You might be able to see a portion of your new constellation within part of an existing cluster. If so, grab your flashlight, pen and paper and take note of its position compared to a well-known cluster.
With your flashlight, pen and paper start drawing the stars in your constellation. Take note of the brighter stars and dimmer stars and label them accordingly. Use larger dots for bigger stars and smaller dots for dimmer stars. You might also want to draw lines between star endpoints to give your constellation its final shape.
Choose a title for your constellation. There are currently 88 named constellations in use by astronomers today.^{[3]
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Research source} That leaves you thousands of possibilities for labeling. So the sky’s the limit!

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How do I name my own constellation?

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Have fun and be creative! For inspiration you could look up words in Latin, since the 88 official constellations used by astronomers all have Latin names.

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How is a Leo a constellation?

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Today's 88 officially recognized constellations mostly come from historical precedent; a long time ago, somebody thought it looked like a lion. Astronomers today use constellations for convenience when referring to particular areas of the sky, so the designation stuck.

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Further, throughout the year some polar constellations, like the big Dipper, rotate. So they might appear to be upside-down or at an angle depending upon the season.

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Learning how to track the known constellations across the night sky during the year will help you locate your own constellation.

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Remember that the location of stars is dependent upon your location (northern or southern hemisphere). Time of night and season of the year can also influence the visibility and placement of the constellations.

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