Aquarius

Water Jar

Aquarius water jar

common observer pattern · high confidence

A small Y-shaped jar near the celestial equator marks the water-bearer's stream. It is subtle but satisfying once the bright summer stars have moved west.

Central RA: 22^h 26^m 07.9^s
Central Dec: −01° 19′ 30″
Brightest member: V 3.84
Best months from 50°N: September–December evenings
Suggested instrument: naked-eye
Approx. span: 9.4°

Finder context

This wider chart is deliberately schematic: it uses nearby bright-star context and boxes the asterism’s member-star footprint, but it does not draw official constellation boundaries or promise horizon/season precision.

Framing: Approximate member-star span: 9.4°; use at least 13.2° field for context.

Observing and imaging

Naked eye

Primary naked-eye pattern; suburban skies should show the main stars unless the description notes a low horizon or dark-sky need.

Binoculars

Binoculars are optional: use them to check colours, nearby doubles, or richer Milky Way background.

Small scope

A telescope is usually too narrow for the whole shape; use it after the pattern has guided you to a target.

Imaging

Frame as a wide-field scene in/near Aquarius; a field of view around 13° keeps context without claiming exact constellation boundaries.

Observability from your latitude

Uses this asterism’s centroid RA/Dec: transit altitude, hours above 20°, and a month-scale evening window. Default is Edmonton-ish 50°N.

Latitude 50°NMonth

Naked-eye visibility by sky class

Approximate limiting magnitudes: Bortle 3 ≈ V 6.6, Bortle 5 ≈ V 5.6, Bortle 7 ≈ V 4.6. The shape is counted recognisable when at least 70% of defining stars clear the limit.

Bortle 3: 6/6 stars — fully visibleBortle 5: 6/6 stars — fully visibleBortle 7: 5/6 stars — partial

Member stars

Name	Bayer / Flamsteed	HR	RA J2000	Dec J2000	V mag
48Gam Aqr	48Gam Aqr	HR 8518	22^h 21^m 39.4^s	−01° 23′ 14″	3.84
Eta Aquarii	62Eta Aqr	HR 8597	22^h 35^m 21.4^s	−00° 07′ 03″	4.02
43The Aqr	43The Aqr	HR 8499	22^h 16^m 50.0^s	−07° 46′ 60″	4.16
Zeta² Aquarii	55Zet2Aqr	HR 8559	22^h 28^m 50.1^s	−00° 01′ 12″	4.42
Zeta¹ Aquarii	55Zet1Aqr	HR 8558	22^h 28^m 49.7^s	−00° 01′ 13″	4.59
52Pi Aqr	52Pi Aqr	HR 8539	22^h 25^m 16.6^s	+01° 22′ 39″	4.66

Source and confidence

common observer pattern; high confidence. Commonly used constellation-part or seasonal guide-pattern name, with member-star positions plotted from BSC5.

Citations

Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.: Hoffleit, D. & Warren, W.H. Jr. (1991). Positions, V magnitudes, Bayer/Flamsteed identifiers. source
Star Tales: Ridpath, I. Constellation and asterism notes used to cross-check common sky-pattern names. source
The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues: ESA SP-1200 (1997). Used as the modern astrometric reference named by the atlas; the MVP pages expose BSC5 J2000 fields for the plotted bright-star members.