Orion

Orion, the Hunter, is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. Straddling the celestial equator, it is visible from nearly everywhere on Earth. Its prominent belt of three stars — Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka — has been identified by civilizations worldwide for millennia. Orion contains two of the ten brightest stars, Rigel and Betelgeuse, and the famous Orion Nebula (M42), a stellar nursery visible to the naked eye.

The Orion family groups constellations associated with the legendary hunter Orion, one of the most spectacular and universally recognized figures in the sky. This family occupies a region rich in bright stars and nebulae, making it one of the most rewarding areas for observation. Orion itself contains two first-magnitude stars (Betelgeuse and Rigel), the iconic three-star Belt, and the Great Orion Nebula — a stellar nursery visible to the naked eye.

Mythology & History

Orion was a giant huntsman of extraordinary beauty and skill. In the most common version of the myth, he was killed by a scorpion sent by Gaia (or Artemis), which is why Orion and Scorpius are placed on opposite sides of the sky and never appear together. His two hunting dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, follow at his heels, with Canis Major containing Sirius — the brightest star in the entire night sky. Lepus the Hare crouches at his feet, and Monoceros the Unicorn was later placed in the gap between his dogs.

Observation Tips

Orion family constellations are best observed during northern hemisphere winter (December-February) and are visible from virtually every inhabited part of Earth. The Orion Nebula (M42) is the most photographed deep sky object and is visible to the naked eye as the middle 'star' of Orion's sword. Sirius in Canis Major, at magnitude -1.46, is unmistakable. Betelgeuse's distinctive red-orange color and semi-regular brightness variations (it is a red supergiant nearing the end of its life) make it a fascinating target for ongoing observation.

HIP 27151HIP 27157HIP 28564HIP 28567HIP 28576HIP 28624HIP 28700HIP 28815HIP 28968HIP 29006HIP 22266HIP 22526HIP 2671311 Ori13 Ori25Psi1Ori27 Ori28Eta Ori30Psi2Ori32 Ori33 Ori35 Ori36Ups Ori38 Ori55 Ori56 Ori57 Ori60 Ori62Chi2Ori63 Ori64 Ori66 Ori67Nu Ori68 OriHIP 29037HIP 29040HIP 29043HIP 29054HIP 29063HIP 29132HIP 29133HIP 29138HIP 29146HIP 29147HIP 29149HIP 29151HIP 29154HIP 29189

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Orion constellation?
Orion (Ori) is one of the 88 IAU-recognized constellations in the Northern hemisphere. Orion, the Hunter, is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. Straddling the celestial equator, it is visible from nearly everywhere on Earth. Its prominent belt of three stars —
How many stars are cataloged in Orion?
StarFYI currently catalogs 1,975 stars in the constellation Orion.
What is the brightest star in Orion?
The brightest star in Orion is Rigel.
How large is the Orion constellation?
Orion covers 594.12 square degrees of the sky.
What family does Orion belong to?
Orion belongs to the Orion Family of constellations.