IAU Chart
NOIRLab Images
Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Psc |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Fishes |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | PICE-eez |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | PYE-see-um |
| Best Month | November |
| Visibility | Global |
| Origin | AncientThese figures are rooted in the classical Greek and Mesopotamian traditions cataloged by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. |
| Author | PtolemyPtolemy, a 2nd-century Greco-Egyptian astronomer, cataloged the 48 classical constellations in his landmark work, the Almagest. These form the core of the 88 modern constellations recognized today. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Description | The Two Fish are tied together by a long cord at their tails in one of the faintest zodiac constellations — yet one of the most astronomically significant. In myth they are Aphrodite and her son Eros, who transformed into fish and tied themselves together to escape the monster Typhon during the gods' flight. The Vernal Equinox — the 'First Point of Aries' that defines the zero point of the celestial coordinate system — currently lies within Pisces due to precession, having drifted here from Aries around 68 BCE. This means that despite its name, the Sun is actually in Pisces (not Aries) at the start of spring, a 2,000-year astronomical drift that astrology has never updated. |
Click a thumbnail to view full-size. Plain and Annotated versions available on the image page.
Monthly sky charts courtesy of What's Out Tonight? — Copyright ©2026 Ken Graun. Star charts are optimized for mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Click a chart to view or download the PDF. For guidance on using the chart, or to purchase a planisphere and astronomy books, visit kenpress.com.
Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →
