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31.12: The Constellations (Appendix L)

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    Table L1: The Constellations
    Constellation (Latin name) Genitive Case Ending English Name or Description Abbreviation Approximate Position: α (h) Approximate Position: δ (°)
    Andromeda Andromedae Princess of Ethiopia And 1 +40
    Antila Antilae Air pump Ant 10 −35
    Apus Apodis Bird of Paradise Aps 16 −75
    Aquarius Aquarii Water bearer Aqr 23 −15
    Aquila Aquilae Eagle Aql 20 +5
    Ara Arae Altar Ara 17 −55
    Aries Arietis Ram Ari 3 +20
    Auriga Aurigae Charioteer Aur 6 +40
    Boötes Boötis Herdsman Boo 15 +30
    Caelum Cael Graving tool Cae 5 −40
    Camelopardus Camelopardis Giraffe Cam 6 +70
    Cancer Cancri Crab Cnc 9 +20
    Canes Venatici Canum Venaticorum Hunting dogs CVn 13 +40
    Canis Major Canis Majoris Big dog CMa 7 −20
    Canis Minor Canis Minoris Little dog CMi 8 +5
    Capricornus Capricorni Sea goat Cap 21 −20
    Carina1 Carinae Keel of Argonauts’ ship Car 9 −60
    Cassiopeia Cassiopeiae Queen of Ethiopia Cas 1 +60
    Centaurus Centauri Centaur Cen 13 −50
    Cepheus Cephei King of Ethiopia Cep 22 +70
    Cetus Ceti Sea monster (whale) Cet 2 −10
    Chamaeleon Chamaeleontis Chameleon Cha 11 −80
    Circinus Circini Compasses Cir 15 −60
    Columba Columbae Dove Col 6 −35
    Coma Berenices Comae Berenices Berenice’s hair Com 13 +20
    Corona Australis Coronae Australis Southern crown CrA 19 −40
    Corona Borealis Coronae Borealis Northern crown CrB 16 +30
    Corvus Corvi Crow Crv 12 −20
    Crater Crateris Cup Crt 11 −15
    Crux Crucis Cross (southern) Cru 12 −60
    Cygnus Cygni Swan Cyg 21 +40
    Delphinus Delphini Porpoise Del 21 +10
    Dorado Doradus Swordfish Dor 5 −65
    Draco Draconis Dragon Dra 17 +65
    Equuleus Equulei Little horse Equ 21 +10
    Eridanus Eridani River Eri 3 −20
    Fornax Fornacis Furnace For 3 −30
    Gemini Geminorum Twins Gem 7 +20
    Grus Gruis Crane Gru 22 −45
    Hercules Herculis Hercules, son of Zeus Her 17 +30
    Horologium Horologii Clock Hor 3 −60
    Hydra Hydrae Sea serpent Hya 10 −20
    Hydrus Hydri Water snake Hyi 2 −75
    Indus Indi Indian Ind 21 −55
    Lacerta Lacertae Lizard Lac 22 +45
    Leo Leonis Lion Leo 11 +15
    Leo Minor Leonis Minoris Little lion LMi 10 +35
    Lepus Leporis Hare Lep 6 −20
    Libra Librae Balance Lib 15 −15
    Lupus Lupi Wolf Lup 15 −45
    Lynx Lyncis Lynx Lyn 8 +45
    Lyra Lyrae Lyre or harp Lyr 19 +40
    Mensa Mensae Table Mountain Men 5 −80
    Microscopium Microscopii Microscope Mic 21 −35
    Monoceros Monocerotis Unicorn Mon 7 −5
    Musca Muscae Fly Mus 12 −70
    Norma Normae Carpenter’s level Nor 16 −50
    Octans Octantis Octant Oct 22 −85
    Ophiuchus Ophiuchi Holder of serpent Oph 17 0
    Orion Orionis Orion, the hunter Ori 5 +5
    Pavo Pavonis Peacock Pav 20 −65
    Pegasus Pegasi Pegasus, the winged horse Peg 22 +20
    Perseus Persei Perseus, hero who saved Andromeda Per 3 +45
    Phoenix Phoenicis Phoenix Phe 1 −50
    Pictor Pictoris Easel Pic 6 −55
    Pisces Piscium Fishes Psc 1 +15
    Piscis Austrinus Piscis Austrini Southern fish PsA 22 −30
    Puppis2 Puppis Stern of the Argonauts’ ship Pup 8 −40
    Pyxis3 (=Malus) Pyxidus Compass of the Argonauts’ ship Pyx 9 −30
    Reticulum Reticuli Net Ret 4 −60
    Sagitta Sagittae Arrow Sge 20 +10
    Sagittarius Sagittarii Archer Sgr 19 −25
    Scorpius Scorpii Scorpion Sco 17 −40
    Sculptor Sculptoris Sculptor’s tools Scl 0 −30
    Scutum Scuti Shield Sct 19 −10
    Serpens Serpentis Serpent Ser 17 0
    Sextans Sextantis Sextant Sex 10 0
    Taurus Tauri Bull Tau 4 +15
    Telescopium Telescopii Telescope Tel 19 −50
    Triangulum Trianguli Triangle Tri 2 +30
    Triangulum Australe Trianguli Australis Southern triangle TrA 16 −65
    Tucana Tucanae Toucan Tuc 0 −65
    Ursa Major Ursae Majoris Big bear UMa 11 +50
    Ursa Minor Ursae Minoris Little bear UMi 15 +70
    Vela4 Velorum Sail of the Argonauts’ ship Vel 9 −50
    Virgo Virginis Virgin Vir 13 0
    Volans Volantis Flying fish Vol 8 −70
    Vulpecula Vulpeculae Fox Vul 20 +25

    Footnotes

    • 1The four constellations Carina, Puppis, Pyxis, and Vela originally formed the single constellation Argo Navis.
    • 2The four constellations Carina, Puppis, Pyxis, and Vela originally formed the single constellation Argo Navis.
    • 3The four constellations Carina, Puppis, Pyxis, and Vela originally formed the single constellation Argo Navis.
    • 4The four constellations Carina, Puppis, Pyxis, and Vela originally formed the single constellation Argo Navis.

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