Pegasus

The Winged Horse

An autumn constellation whose Great Square is one of the easiest patterns to find, with the horse's neck and head extending toward Enif.

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: September through November, high in the south on autumn evenings
Visibility: Visible from everywhere in the United States
Abbreviation: Peg

How to find it

Look high in the south on an autumn evening for a large square of four stars, each about the same brightness. That is the Great Square.
The horse's neck and head extend from one corner toward the southwest, ending at Enif.

Brightest stars

Enif (orange, the horse's nose)
Markab
Scheat
Algenib

What to look for

How empty the inside of the Square looks. Counting the faint stars inside it is a classic test of sky darkness.
Enif, the horse's orange nose.

Binocular and telescope targets

M15: a bright globular cluster near Enif, visible in binoculars

Using it to find other things

One corner of the Great Square, Alpheratz, is shared with Andromeda and leads toward the Andromeda Galaxy.

About this constellation

The Great Square is a beginner's signpost for the whole autumn sky. From it you can reach Andromeda, Pisces, and Aquarius.

Pegasus appears upside-down in the sky: the horse's body is the Square, and its neck and head extend below it.

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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