Indy's Object Catalog
Order of Ascension
The following tables list the constellations in order of Right Ascension... or the Local Sidereal Time and order in which they will appear exactly on your local meridian. Use this with your Local Sidereal Clock to determine what is currently rising, what is on your meridian, and what is setting. For example: Orion has an RA of about 5h 34m. So when your local sidereal clock displays 05:34:00, Orion is directly on your North/South Line. Of course depending on the time of year, it might also be 9:00 AM Local Solar Time and you can't see any stars; or depending on your local latitude, Orion may be below the horizon.
Return to Catalog Index

Click on a constellation link to jump to the main constellation page and find out more about a particular constellation.

Alternatively, you can try one of these sky charts for the closest local sidereal time.

Local Sidereal Sky Charts | 0h | 3h | 6h | 9h | 12h | 15h | 18h | 21h |
Northern Constellations (in order of ascension)
Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)		 Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)		 Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)
Andromeda 0h 34m Lynx 7h 44m Draco 17h 57m
Cassiopeia 0h 52m Cancer 8h 30m Lyra 18h 54m
Pisces 0h 53m Leo 10h 00m Sagitta 19h 40m
Triangulum 2h 03m Ursa Major 10h 16m Aquila 19h 41m
Aries 2h 41m Leo Minor 10h 19m Vulpecula 20h 22m
Perseus 3h 31m Coma Berenices 12h 45m Cygnus 20h 36m
Taurus 4h 06m Canes Venatici 13h 01m Delphinus 20h 40m
Orion 5h 34m Boötes 14h 41m Equuleus 21h 15m
Auriga 5h 57m Ursa Minor 14h 58m Cepheus 22h 25m
Camelopardus 6h 09m Serpens Caput 15h 44m Lacerta 22h 31m
Gemini 6h 51m Corona Borealis 15h 53m Pegasus 22h 37m
Canis Minor 7h 37m Hercules 17h 26m
Southern Constellations (in order of ascension)
Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)		 Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)		 Name Local
Sidereal
Time (RA)
Phoenix 0h 44m Puppis 7h 52m Apus 16h 08m
Sculptor 1h 00m Pyxis 8h 53m Scorpius 16h 52m
Cetus 1h 43m Hydra 9h 08m Ophiuchus 17h 02m
Hydrus 2h 35m Vela 9h 20m Ara 17h 14m
Fornax 2h 46m Sextans 10h 06m Serpens Cauda 17h 57m
Horologium 3h 13m Antlia 10h 07m Scutum 18h 39m
Eridanus 3h 53m Crater 11h 21m Corona Australis 18h 39m
Reticulum 3h 54m Chamaeleon 12h 00m Pavo 19h 10m
Caelum 4h 43m Corvus 12h 23m Telescopium 19h 15m
Dorado 5h 20m Musca 12h 28m Sagittarius 19h 23m
Pictor 5h 23m Crux 12h 29m Microscopium 20h 57m
Lepus 5h 26m Centaurus 12h 57m Capricornus 21h 03m
Mensa 5h 30m Virgo 13h 21m Indus 21h 08m
Columba 5h 42m Circinus 14h 32m Octans 22h 10m
Canis Major 6h 50m Libra 15h 11m Piscis Austrinus 22h 25m
Monoceros 6h 58m Lupus 15h 23m Grus 22h 27m
Volans 7h 40m Norma 16h 03m Aquarius 22h 42m
Carina 7h 46m Triangulum Australe 16h 07m Tucana 23h 50m
Return to Catalog Index
Animations and Logos!