Lacerta

The Lizard

A small, faint zigzag of stars between Cygnus and Andromeda, sometimes called Little Cassiopeia because it looks like a dim copy of her W.

Chart drawn as the sky looks when you face the constellation: north is up and east is to the left. Dot size shows brightness, and color hints at temperature. The connecting lines are one common stick figure; other traditions draw them differently.

Best season: Autumn
Best months: August through November, high overhead on late summer and autumn evenings
Visibility: Visible from everywhere in the United States, best from dark sites
Abbreviation: Lac

How to find it

Look between Cygnus and Cassiopeia for a small zigzag of faint stars.
It looks like a smaller, dimmer W.

Brightest stars

Alpha Lacertae (a modestly bright white star)

What to look for

The zigzag: it takes a dark sky to see it clearly.

Using it to find other things

Lacerta lies between Cygnus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Andromeda.

About this constellation

Lacerta has no bright stars, so it is easy to overlook. Its zigzag shape is a fun challenge for dark nights, especially if you are already looking at the Milky Way between Cygnus and Cassiopeia.

Related guides

Visibility depends on your latitude, the date, and the time of night. The months above assume a typical evening from the contiguous United States, so use a planetarium app to confirm what is up tonight. Never look at the Sun through binoculars or a telescope without a proper solar filter.

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