As September nights cool and grow longer, the constellation of Pisces, the fish, appears in the eastern sky. The chart shows the view looking east from London at 21:30 BST on September 30, shortly after the full constellation rose above the horizon.
As autumn progresses, the constellation will rise earlier and earlier. Pisces is one of the constellations, meaning it crosses the sun’s annual path around the sky.
Pisces is made up of faint stars, so finding them requires a little patience and a clear, dark sky. The constellation forms a V shape with a loop at the end of each arm, representing each of the two fish. Its most notable feature is the “Circlet” asterism, a small ring of stars that forms the head of the western fish.
Representing two fish tied together by a cord, this symbolism comes from the classical Greco-Roman era when the constellation was associated with the legend of Aphrodite (Venus to the Romans) and her son Eros (Cupid). According to the Greek version, the pair changed shape into fish to escape the serpent monster Typhon. In the Roman narrative, the pair were carried to safety on the backs of two fish.
The constellation can also be seen in the northeastern evening sky from the southern hemisphere.
