Monoceros

The Unicorn

A faint winter constellation that fills the middle of the Winter Triangle, rich in star clusters and nebulae along the winter Milky Way.

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: Winter
Best months: December through March, high in the south on winter evenings
Visibility: Visible from everywhere in the United States, best from dark sites
Abbreviation: Mon

How to find it

Find the Winter Triangle of Betelgeuse, Sirius, and Procyon. Monoceros is the faint region in the middle.

Brightest stars

Beta Monocerotis (a striking triple star in small telescopes)
Alpha Monocerotis

What to look for

The Christmas Tree Cluster in binoculars as a triangular group of stars.

Binocular and telescope targets

Rosette Nebula: a large glowing cloud around a star cluster, best in a dark sky with binoculars or a wide-field telescope
Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula: a cluster shaped like a tree, in binoculars
M50: a heart-shaped open cluster
Beta Monocerotis: a beautiful triple star in a small telescope

Using it to find other things

Monoceros sits inside the Winter Triangle, between Orion and Canis Major.

About this constellation

Monoceros has no bright stars, but it lies along the winter Milky Way and holds many clusters and glowing clouds of gas.

On a dark night, sweep binoculars across the middle of the Winter Triangle.

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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