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IAU designated constellations in equirectangular projection (epoch B1875.0) In contemporary astronomy, 88 constellations are recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). [1] Each constellation is a region of the sky bordered by arcs of right ascension and declination, together covering the entire celestial sphere. Their boundaries ...
Abbé Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille (French: [nikɔla lwi də lakaj]; 15 March 1713 – 21 March 1762), [3] formerly sometimes spelled de la Caille, was a French astronomer and geodesist who named 14 out of the 88 constellations. From 1750 to 1754, he studied the sky at the Cape of Good Hope in present-day South Africa.
The 88 constellations recognized by the IAU as well as those by cultures throughout history are imagined figures and shapes derived from the patterns of stars in the observable sky. [18] Many officially recognized constellations are based on the imaginations of ancient, Near Eastern and Mediterranean mythologies.
These former constellations are often found in older books, star charts, or star catalogues. The 88 modern constellation names and boundaries were standardised by Eugene Delporte for the IAU in 1930, under an international agreement, removing any possible astronomical ambiguities between astronomers from different countries. [3]
The following lists of constellations are available: IAU designated constellations – a list of the current, or "modern", constellations; Former constellations – a list of former constellations; Chinese constellations – traditional Chinese astronomy constellations; List of Nakshatras – sectors along the Moon's ecliptic
Hydra is the largest constellation, covering more than 1 ⁄ 32 of the night sky and 19 times the area of Crux, the smallest constellation. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) designates 88 constellations of stars.
Caelum / ˈ s iː l əm / is a faint constellation in the southern sky, introduced in the 1750s by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille and counted among the 88 modern constellations.Its name means "chisel" in Latin, and it was formerly known as Caelum Sculptorium ("Engraver's Chisel"); it is a rare word, unrelated to the far more common Latin caelum, meaning "sky", "heaven", or "atmosphere". [3]
Octans is a generally inconspicuous constellation with only one star brighter than magnitude 4; its brightest member is Nu Octantis, a spectral class K1 III giant star with an apparent magnitude 3.73. It is 63.3 ± 0.8 light-years distant from Earth. [4] Beta Octantis is the second brightest star in the constellation.