SkyRef / Star patterns

The Southern Pointers

An asterism in Centaurus, formed from 2 stars. Not one of the 88 constellations.

The pattern

Stars in the figure2
Brightestmagnitude -0.01
Sits inCentaurus
Right ascension14.4h
Declination-61°

What to look for

Alpha and Beta Centauri, pointing at the true Southern Cross and settling the argument about which cross you are looking at. Alpha is the nearest star system to the sun.

The Southern Pointers is centred near right ascension 14.4 hours, declination -61°. It is deep in the southern sky and never rises for most of the northern hemisphere.

Asterism, not constellation

The International Astronomical Union recognises 88 constellations, and they divide the whole sky between them like countries on a map. The Southern Pointers is not one of them — it is a pattern picked out of Centaurus. That makes it an asterism: a shape people recognise and name, with no official standing whatsoever.

The distinction matters less than it sounds. Asterisms are usually easier to find than the constellations containing them, which is exactly why they survive.

Find it tonight

SkyRef can draw the Southern Pointers in its real position for wherever you are — switch on the asterism layer and it appears dashed across the constellations it runs through.

Open the live sky map →

Other star patterns

the Big Dipperthe Little DipperOrion's Beltthe Summer Trianglethe Winter Hexagonthe Great Square of Pegasusthe Teapotthe Sicklethe Northern Crossthe Wthe Keystonethe False Crossthe Southern Pointers