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What Constellations are Close to Orion's Constellation?

The constellation Orion is also known as the Hunter after the story of Orion the hunter from Greek mythology. The Orion constellation includes the stars Betelgeuse, Rigel, and Bellatrix, as well three other stars that form a distinct line, known as Orion's belt. This line is often used to spot the constellation. Some other constellations, many of which belong to the Orion family, surround Orion and can be seen at the same time on winter nights and autumn mornings.

Auriga
- Auriga translates to charioteer in Latin. The constellation is associated with many different mythological people, such as Hephaestus, the god of craftsmen; his son, Erichthonius; Myrtilus, son of Hermes; and Theseus, son of Hippolytus. The Auriga constellation includes the star Capella, the sixth brightest star. Auriga is directly north of Orion.
Canis Major
- Canis Major means the greater dog in Latin. Canis Major includes Sirius, the brightest star visible from Earth. Canis Major is often said to represent the mythological dog Laelaps, who outran all prey. Other stories associate it as one of two dogs that followed Orion. Canis Major is made up of seven bright stars and looks somewhat like a curved line. It is near the southwest corner of Orion.
Canis Minor
- Canis Minor translates to smaller dog. In addition to being thought of as one of Orion's dogs, Canis Minor is associated with the mythological dog Maera, Icarius's dog. Canis Minor is a small constellation in the shape of a line. Procyon and Gomeisa are the only bright stars in the constellation. Canis Minor is located directly to the right of Orion.
Eridanus
- Eridanus is the ancient name for the River Po in Italy, and the constellation resembles a long river. It is associated with the mythological character Phaeton, whom Zeus killed when Phaeton could not control his father's chariot. Phaeton fell into the River Eridanus. Eridanus is one of the largest constellations, but it contains few bright stars. Eridanus can be seen at the southeast corner of Orion.
Gemini
- The Gemini constellation is a zodiac constellation. It is known as the Twins. The constellation's identifier, Ptolemy, associated the star with the mythological brothers Heracles and Apollo. At Gemini's top are two stars, Castor and Pollux, which represent the twins. Gemini is located near the northwest corner of Orion.
Lepus
- Lepus means hare, and the constellation represents a hare that Orion and his two dogs are chasing. The Lepus constellation includes eight bright stars, many of which are named after the constellation, such as Alpha, Beta and Dlta Leporis. Alpha Leporis is the brightest in the constellation, but is thought to be dying. Lepus is directly south of Orion.
Monoceros
- Monoceros translates to unicorn in Greek. It has three branches and contains the Cone Nebula and the Fox Fur Nebula. It also contains one of the largest known binary star units, Plaskett's Star. Monoceros is located directly west of Orion.
Taurus
- Taurus, the bull, is another zodiac constellation. It is thought to have been associated with the bull since as far back 15,000 B.C. Taurus contains several bright stars, as well as three stars that have planets. Taurus can be seen at the northeast corner of Orion.

Astronomy