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Sky-Tonight.com / Constellations / Capricornus
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Observation Settings

Or select it on the map:
This Earth map fragment is intended to illustrate celestial motion across the sky, emphasizing both bearing and elevational perspectives. The map's center point corresponds to the transit, showcasing celestial objects at their highest point, while elevation gradually decreases towards the map edges. This dynamic representation offers insights into the changing positions of celestial bodies with a focus on their bearing and elevational trajectories.
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Longitude:
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Capricornus Constellation

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Capricornus, the sea-goat, is a zodiac constellation that is one of the oldest documented constellations, representing a creature that is part goat and part fish.

Capricornus (The Goat)

Capricornus, often referred to as "The Sea-Goat," is one of the twelve zodiac constellations and represents a mythological creature with the front half of a goat and the tail of a fish. It is a moderately bright constellation located in the Southern Hemisphere and holds significant cultural and astrological importance.

Key Features

  • Bright Stars: Capricornus is not particularly known for bright stars, but it has some notable ones:
    • Delta Capricornus (Deneb Algedi): The brightest star in Capricornus, a yellow giant located about 39 light-years away.
    • Alpha Capricornus (Algedi): A binary star system marking the goat's head, located about 109 light-years away.
    • Beta Capricornus (Dabih): A giant star, forming part of the creature's body.
  • Deep-Sky Objects: While Capricornus does not feature many deep-sky objects, it is still home to a few interesting ones:
    • Messier M30: A globular cluster containing hundreds of thousands of stars
    • NGC 6907: A barred spiral galaxy located about 80 million light-years away.

Mythological Background

In Greek mythology, Capricornus is commonly identified with the god Pan, who was half-man and half-goat. During a battle with the monster Typhon, Pan dove into the river and transformed his lower body into that of a fish to escape. As a result, the constellation symbolizes both his goat-like features and the aquatic tail of a fish.

Another interpretation links Capricornus with the god of the Nile, and it was sometimes represented as a fish with the head of a goat. This dual nature of land and water reflects the transition of life from one state to another, representing perseverance and adaptability.

Cultural Significance

Capricornus is associated with the winter solstice, as the Sun passes through this constellation around December 21st each year. This time marks the shortest day of the year and the beginning of longer days, symbolizing rebirth and renewal. In astrology, Capricorn (born between December 22 and January 19) is seen as practical, disciplined, and ambitious, often embodying qualities of determination and resilience.

Historically, Capricornus was important to ancient civilizations, especially the Babylonians and the Greeks, for its seasonal and astrological associations.

Capricornus Rise and Set Timetable

TimeElevation
Astrosession begin23:12-29°
Moon Rise, 81.5% illuminated00:41-11°
Capricornus Rise01:42
Astrosession end05:1331°
Civil sunrise05:5034°
Sunrise06:2035°
Capricornus Transit06:4735°
Moon Set09:5919°
Capricornus Set11:52

Track Capricornus Position Throughout the Night

← Sat, 17 May 2025 →

Elevation (degrees)
Time
Altitude
Azimuth
Shift the map to change the time and observe Capricornus changing position in the night sky.

Annual motion of Capricornus

Time
DateSun, 18 May 2025
Twighlight start22:21
Twighlight end04:31
Twighlight duration6h 10m
Rise01:38
Set11:48
Elevation at transit35°
Transit time06:43
Equatorial coordinatesRA: 20h 57m 36s", Dec: -16° 50' 09s
Magnitude-
Constellation
The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of a Capricornus, providing a comprehensive overview of its daily appearances and transit times throughout the year.
The graph is structured with the vertical axis showing the hours of the day, ranging from 12 AM to 12 AM the next day, while the horizontal axis spans each day of the year.
The reddish shaded area indicates the periods when the Capricornus is above the horizon, visible to observers. The white line marks the times when the celestial object reaches its highest point in the sky each day, known as the transit.

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for defining and standardizing the official constellation boundaries, which provide a consistent framework for celestial mapping.

Special thanks to Sky & Telescope Magazine and contributors Roger Sinnott and Rick Fienberg for their collaboration in producing the charts and tables. The constellation patterns, drawn by Alan MacRobert, were influenced by the work of H. A. Rey and thoughtfully adjusted to align with earlier traditions.