Canis Major

constellation · night sky · stars

The Big Dog. Canis Major is a constellation that looks like a large dog. Its name is Latin, which means 'greater dog,' because there's also a smaller dog constellation called Canis Minor nearby.

Following Orion. In the sky, Canis Major appears to follow the constellation Orion, the hunter, as they both move across the heavens. Ancient people saw these constellations as a hunter and his faithful companion traveling together through the stars.

Path of the Milky Way. The Milky Way, that glowing river of stars you can see on dark nights, passes right through Canis Major. This means the constellation contains many interesting star clusters and nebulae to explore.

Ancient Star Pattern. Canis Major was one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy, a famous astronomer from about 2,000 years ago. Today it's one of the 88 official constellations recognized by astronomers around the world.

Open Star Clusters. Inside Canis Major lies a beautiful open cluster of stars called M41, where hundreds of stars are grouped together in space. These clusters formed from the same cloud of gas and dust, so they're like star families.