What are the Chinese and Indian constellations?

The 88 Western constellations recognised by astronomers today are one way of dividing the sky. Chinese astronomy grouped the same stars into many smaller asterisms, organised around three enclosures near the pole and 28 lunar mansions gathered into the Four Symbols. Indian astronomy divides the Moon’s path into the nakshatras, usually counted as 27. The stars are the same; the patterns and stories are different.

I build Sky Map, the app mentioned below, so weigh my suggestions with that in mind.

The Chinese sky

• Three enclosures (垣) around the north celestial pole, imagined as walled precincts of a heavenly court.
• 28 mansions (宿), segments of the sky along the path of the Moon. They worked as markers for tracking the Moon and planets through the year.
• Four Symbols (四象): the mansions are grouped seven to a direction, as the Azure Dragon of the east, the Vermilion Bird of the south, the White Tiger of the west and the Black Tortoise of the north.

Chinese asterisms tend to be smaller than Western constellations, often a few stars each, and many are named after officials, buildings and objects of the court.

The Indian sky

The nakshatras are lunar mansions: the Moon passes through roughly one a day. Each is named after a prominent star or group, such as Krittika, the Pleiades, and Rohini, the bright star the West calls Aldebaran. They remain part of traditional calendars today.

Why compare them

Looking at one patch of sky through different cultures is a good way to learn it. You notice the stars, not just the outline you were taught, and the stories give you more hooks to remember them by. It also shows that constellations are human choices, while the stars themselves are shared.

Where an app helps

Sky Map lets you view the sky with Western, Chinese and Indian sky cultures. Point your iPhone at the sky and the stars, planets and constellations appear over the camera view. All 88 Western constellations include artwork, myths and finding tips, and the core sky map works without internet. Sky Map is free to download, the AR view is free, and some features are paid.

Read next: how to find constellations and your zodiac constellation in the real sky.