This Zodiac constellation has few bright stars but one beautiful galaxy.
The constellation of Pisces can be found rising in the evening sky in fall. Located between the Zodiac constellations of Aquarius and Aries, it is separated from the Milky Way by the Great Square of Pegasus and lies in a rather poor area for viewing. Not much observable with a small to medium sized telescope lies within this constellation.
Mythology
In Roman mythology, the fish were Venus and her son Cupid. The two were fleeing from a fire monster known as Typhon. Venus turned herself and her son into fish and they tied themselves together with a rope as they swam so that they would not lose each other.
Stars
This slightly V-shaped constellation has few bright stars. One area of note is called the Circlet of Pisces. This marks the western fish and can be found south of the Great Square of Pegasus. The brightest star here is the 3.7-magnitude Gamma Piscium. Moving counterclockwise around the circle we next find Theta Piscium at magnitude 4.26. Then comes Iota Piscium at magnitude 4.13. Lastly is Lambda Piscium at magnitude 4.49.
Marking the bottom of the V-shape where the rope holding the fish together bends is a magnitude 3.82 star named Alrescha. Fourteen degrees northwest is magnitude 3.62 Eta Piscium. (Halfway in between is magnitude 4.26 Omicron Piscium.) Just over one degree east from Eta Piscium is the one Messier object in Pisces.
Galaxies
While there are many faint galaxies in Pisces, there is only one that makes a good observing target for the casual amateur astronomer. That galaxy is M74, just a little more than one degree east of Eta Piscium. The magnitude 9.19 galaxy is a challenge for small telescopes. It is a beautiful face-on spiral galaxy.
In 2002 and 2003, supernovae were found in M74 by amateurs. The first was a Type I supernova and the second was a Type II supernova.
On the Ecliptic
Because Pisces is a Zodiac constellation, that means that it lies on the ecliptic. Any constellation on the ecliptic lies in the direction of the plane of our solar system and therefore solar system objects, such as the sun, moon, and planets, will pass through this constellation.
In the fall of 2007, two asteroids are passing through Pisces. The first is 10 Hygiea. Approximately magnitude 11, Hygiea will be about 2.5 AU from Earth. The second asteroid is 12 Victoria. A bit brighter at magnitude 9.74, it is also closer to Earth at 1 AU.
