The Archer. Best placed in April. It lies south of the celestial equator and sits low for northern observers, better the further south you go.
Sagittarius, known in English as the Archer, is centred near right ascension 19.5 hours, declination -34°. It lies south of the celestial equator and sits low for northern observers, better the further south you go.
It reaches its highest point in the sky around local midnight in April, which is when it is easiest to pick out. Earlier in the year it rises before dawn; later, it is already setting in the evening.
| Star | Designation | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| Kaus Australis | ε Sgr | 1.85 |
| Nunki | σ Sgr | 2.02 |
| Ascella | ζ Sgr | 2.60 |
| Kaus Media | δ Sgr | 2.70 |
Not every shape people point out is a constellation. These are asterisms — patterns picked out of Sagittarius by eye and by habit, with no official standing.
SkyRef draws Sagittarius in its real position for wherever you are, right now, along with the other 88 IAU figures.