Aquarius (constellation)
| Constellation | |
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| Abbreviation | Aqr |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Aquarii |
| Pronunciation | /əˈkwɛəriəs/, genitive /əˈkwɛəriaɪ/ |
| Symbolism | the Water-Bearer |
| Right ascension | 20h 38m 19.1706s–23h 56m 23.5355s |
| Declination | 03.3256676°–−24.9040413° |
| Family | Zodiac |
| Area | 980 sq. deg. (10th) |
| Main stars | 10, 22 |
|
Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
97 |
| Stars with planets | 12 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 2 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 7 |
| Brightest star | β Aqr (Sadalsuud) (2.91m) |
| Nearest star |
EZ Aqr (11.27 ly, 3.45 pc) |
| Messier objects | 3 |
| Meteor showers | March Aquariids Eta Aquariids Delta Aquariids Iota Aquariids |
| Bordering constellations |
Pisces Pegasus Equuleus Delphinus Aquila Capricornus Piscis Austrinus Sculptor Cetus |
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Visible at latitudes between +65° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of October. |
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Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-carrier" or "cup-carrier", and its symbol is 
(Unicode ♒), a representation of water. Aquarius is one of the oldest of the recognized constellations along the zodiac (the Sun's apparent path). It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century AD astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is found in a region often called the Sea due to its profusion of constellations with watery associations such as Cetus the whale, Pisces the fish, and Eridanus the river.
At apparent magnitude 2.9, Beta Aquarii is the brightest star in the constellation.
Aquarius is identified as GU.LA "The Great One" in the Babylonian star catalogues and represents the god Ea himself, who is commonly depicted holding an overflowing vase. The Babylonian star-figure appears on entitlement stones and cylinder seals from the second millennium. It contained the winter solstice in the Early Bronze Age. In Old Babylonian astronomy, Ea was the ruler of the southernmost quarter of the Sun's path, the "Way of Ea", corresponding to the period of 45 days on either side of winter solstice. Aquarius was also associated with the destructive floods that the Babylonians regularly experienced, and thus was negatively connoted. In Ancient Egypt astronomy, Aquarius was associated with the annual flood of the Nile; the banks were said to flood when Aquarius put his jar into the river, beginning spring.
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