constellation whose name is latin for lizard

The constellation whose name is Latin for “lizard” is Lacerta.

Quick Scoop

• Answer: Lacerta is the constellation whose name means “lizard” in Latin.

• Location in the sky: It lies in the northern sky, roughly between Cygnus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia.

• How it looks: Its brightest stars form a zigzag or small “W” shape, which is why it’s sometimes nicknamed “Little Cassiopeia.”

A Tiny Story in the Stars

In the late 17th century, the astronomer Johannes Hevelius introduced a handful of new constellations to fill in relatively empty patches of the northern sky. Among them was a small pattern he imagined as a lizard, which he named Lacerta from the Latin word for lizard.

Though it sits near well-known constellations like Cygnus the Swan and Cassiopeia the Queen, Lacerta is much fainter, so many casual skywatchers pass right over it without noticing. On a dark autumn night in the Northern Hemisphere, if you trace a small, crooked line of modest stars between those brighter constellations, you’re likely looking at the quiet little “lizard” of the sky.

TL;DR: If a crossword or quiz asks for a “constellation whose name is Latin for lizard,” fill in LACERTA.

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