Twenty-eight constellations
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<poem> Twenty eight lunar constellations (Wyl. rgyu skar nyi shu rtsa brgyad), sometimes referred to as Twenty eight lunar mansions / 28 lunar mansions (Skt. nakshatra) — the 28 nakshatras comprise a lunar zodiac marking the passage of the moon around the night sky, and are alluded to in the Vedas. In ancient Indian culture each nakshatra was considered to be the sacred abode of a particular deity and this also continued in the Tibetan tradition.
- Eta Tauri (Tib. min drug; Wyl. smin drug; Skt. Krittika)
- Aldeberan (Tib. narma; Wyl. snar ma; Skt. Rohini)
- Lambda Orionis (Tib. go; Wyl. mgo; Skt. Mrigashira)
- Alpha Orionis (Tib. lagpa; Wyl. lag pa; Skt. Ardra)
- Beta Geminorum (Tib. nabso; Wyl. nabs so; Skt. Punarvasu)
- Delta Cancri (Tib. gyal; Wyl. rgyal; Skt. Pushya)
- Alpha Hydrae (Tib. kag; Wyl. skag; Skt. Ashlesha)
- Regulus (Tib. tapa; Wyl. rta pa; Skt. Magha)
- Delta Leonis (Tib. dré; Wyl. bre; Skt. Purva-Phalguni)
- Beta Leonis (Tib. wo; Wyl. dbo; Skt. Uttara-Phalguni)
- Delta Corvi (Tib. mé shi; Wyl. me zhi; Skt. Hasta)
- Spica Virginis (Tib. nagpa; Wyl. nag pa; Skt. Chitra)
- Arc turus (Tib. sari; Wyl. sa ri; Skt. Svati)
- Alpha Librae (Tib. saga; Wyl. sa ga; Skt. Vishakha)
- Delta Scorpio (Tib. hla tsam; Wyl. lha tshams; Skt. Anuradha)
- Antares (Tib. nön; Wyl. snron; Skt. Jyeshtha)
- Lambda Scorpii (Tib. nub; Wyl. snrubs; Skt. Mula)
- Delta Sagittarii (Tib. chu tö; Wyl. chu stod, Sk. Purvashadha)
- Sigma Sagittarii (Tib. chu mä; Wyl. chu smad; Skt. Uttara-Ashadha)
- Alpha Aquilae (Tib. dro shin, Wyl. gro bzhin; Skt. Abhijit)
- Lyra (Tib. ji shin; Wyl. byi bzhin; Skt. Shravana)
- Lamda Aquarius (Tib. mön dré; Wyl. mon gre; Skt. Dhaniastha)
- Beta Delphinium (Tib. mön dru; Wyl. mon gru; Skt. Shatabhishaj)
- Alpha Pegasi (Tib. trum tö; Wyl. ‘khrum stod, Skt. Purvabhadrapada)
- Gamma Pegasi (Tib. trum mä; Wyl. ‘khrum smad; Skt. Uttarabhadrapada)
- Zeta Piscum (Tib. nam dru; Wyl. nam gru; Skt. Revati)
- Beta Arietis (Tib. ta kar; Wyl. tha skar; Skt. Ashvini)
- 35 Arietis (Tib. dra nyé; Wyl. bra nye; Skt. Bharani)
Sometimes there is mention of only 27 lunar constellations or nakshatras as, after the introduction of the zodiac into India, probably in the second century AD, the nakshatras became redefined. Asvini, with marking stars Beta and Gamma Arietis, became the premier nakshatra, and one of the nakshatras became discarded, leaving 27 nakshatra.