Cygnus (The Swan) Constellation
Cygnus (pronounced ˈsɪɡnəs) is the Latin name of a large constellation (in fact it extends itself for about 40 degrees across the sky) situated north of the celestial equator. As such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The Swan" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "Cyg" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "Cygn" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Cygni" (pronounced ˈsɪɡnaɪ) and it is used to identify some of the brightest stars in this constellation based on the Bayer or Flamsteed star naming convention. For instance: α Cygni (the brightest star of Cygnus based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Cygni (the 23th star in the constellation of Cygnus based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Cygnus Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Cygnus constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Cygnus in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Cygnus Constellation
Location: Greenwich, UK
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Cygnus is circumpolar and transits at 18:48 UTC (altitude: 81.4°)
The rise and set times provided here are just directional indications and they refer to a point approximately placed at the center of the constellation. In case of very large constellations (like Cygnus actually is) these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Cygnus Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Cygnus constellation. See also the complete list of 290 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Cygnus. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR7924 | α Cygni | Deneb | 1.25 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR7796 | γ Cygni | Sadr | 2.2 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR7949 | ε Cygni | Aljanah | 2.46 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
|
HR7528 | δ Cygni | Fawaris | 2.87 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR7417 | β1 Cygni | Albireo | 3.08 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; |
|
HR8115 | ζ Cygni | 3.2 | ⬤ | Multiple; | |
|
HR8079 | ξ Cygni | 3.72 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR8130 | τ Cygni | 3.72 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR7328 | κ Cygni | 3.77 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR7735 | 31 Cygni | 3.79 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR7420 | ι2 Cygni | 3.79 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR7615 | η Cygni | 3.89 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR8028 | ν Cygni | 3.94 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR7751 | 32 Cygni | 3.98 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; | |
|
HR7834 | 41 Cygni | 4.01 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR8252 | ρ Cygni | 4.02 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR7942 | 52 Cygni | 4.22 | ⬤ | Double; | |
|
HR8335 | π2 Cygni | 4.23 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR8143 | σ Cygni | 4.23 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR7564 | χ Cygni | 4.23 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; | |
| ...go to the complete list of 290 bright stars in the constellation of Cygnus | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Cygnus Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Cygnus constellation. See also the complete list of 90 deep sky objects in the constellation of Cygnus. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
