Star Chart

astronomy · navigation · space

Sky Maps. Star charts are celestial maps that show where stars, constellations, nebulae, galaxies, and planets are located in the night sky. They use a grid system to help you pinpoint exactly where to look.

Ancient Navigation. Humans have used star charts for navigation since ancient times. Sailors and travelers used the positions of stars to find their way across oceans and deserts when they had no other guides.

Different From Catalogs. Star charts are not the same as astronomical catalogs. While a star chart is a visual map you can hold up to the sky, a catalog is just a list of stars and objects with their information.

Tools That Use Them. Special tools like the astrolabe and planisphere use star charts to help people identify constellations and understand how the sky changes throughout the year.