Which constellation is the second smallest by area?

Equuleus is the second-smallest constellation by area, after Crux.

Its name is Latin for “little horse” or “foal.” Equuleus lies just north of the celestial equator and was one of the 48 constellations recorded by the second-century astronomer Ptolemy. It remains one of the 88 constellations officially recognized today.

The constellation covers roughly 72 square degrees, making it much smaller than most familiar sky regions. Its small size and faint stars make it easy to overlook, even though it sits between the more prominent constellations Pegasus, Delphinus, and Aquarius.

Equuleus is sometimes confused with Pegasus because of its equine name and neighboring position. It is not the smallest constellation: that distinction belongs to Crux, the Southern Cross. Equuleus is also unusually faint, with no star brighter than fourth magnitude; its brightest star, Alpha Equulei, is commonly called Kitalpha.