In today’s article, we’re discussing Caelum constellation facts to help you identify, locate, and understand it.
Caelum Constellation Facts, Myth, Location and Stars
What is the Caelum Constellation?
The Caelum constellation is one of the 88 modern constellations that were officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.
It is located in the southern celestial hemisphere and its name means “chisel” in Latin.
The Caelum constellation was first introduced in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
The constellation is relatively faint and its brightest star, Gamma Caeli, has a magnitude of only 3.84.
It is bordered by the constellations Columba, Eridanus, Fornax, Horologium, Hydrus, Reticulum, and Sculptor.
Caelum Constellation Mythology
There are no myths associated with the Caelum constellation.
Stars in the Caelum Constellation
There are 9 stars that make up the Caelum constellation. These stars are:
Alpha Caeli
Alpha Caeli is the brightest star in the Caelum constellation with a magnitude of 3.23. It is an orange giant star that is around 290 light years away from Earth.
Beta Caeli
Beta Caeli is a white star with a magnitude of 4.27. It is around 145 light years away from Earth.
Gamma Caeli
Gamma Caeli is the second brightest star in the constellation with a magnitude of 3.84. It is a yellow giant star that is around 280 light years away from Earth.
Delta Caeli
Delta Caeli is a red dwarf star with a magnitude of 5.21. It is around 33 light years away from Earth.
Epsilon Caeli
Epsilon Caeli is an orange giant star with a magnitude of 4.72. It is around 340 light years away from Earth.
Zeta Caeli
Zeta Caeli is a white star with a magnitude of 4.74. It is around 97 light years away from Earth.
Eta Caeli
Eta Caeli is a white star with a magnitude of 4.82. It is around 111 light years away from Earth.
Theta Caeli
Theta Caeli is a yellow-white dwarf star with a magnitude of 5.04. It is around 42 light years away from Earth.
Iota Caeli
Iota Caeli is a white star with a magnitude of 5.37. It is around 310 light years away from Earth.
What are the Mythological Associations of the Caelum Constellation?
The Caelum constellation is not associated with any myths.
How Do I Find the Caelum Constellation?
The Caelum constellation can be found in the southern celestial hemisphere.
It is located between the constellations Columba, Eridanus, Fornax, Horologium, Hydrus, Reticulum, and Sculptor.
The best time to see the Caelum constellation is in September.
History of the Caelum Constellation
It is one of the constellations that was created in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
Lacaille originally named it Caelum Sculptoris, or “the engraver’s chisel.”
The constellation was later renamed to just Caelum by the International Astronomical Union.
Lacaille also named many other constellations after scientific instruments, including Microscopium, Telescopium, and Norma.
Can the Caelum Constellation Be Viewed Without a Telescope?
The Caelum constellation is relatively faint and its brightest star, Gamma Caeli, has a magnitude of only 3.84.
This makes it difficult to see without a telescope.
Caelum Constellation’s Meteor Showers
There are no known meteor showers associated with the Caelum constellation.
Caelum Constellation’s Deep Sky Objects
There are no notable deep sky objects in the Caelum constellation. It does have one Messier object, however:
The Caelum Dwarf Galaxy (M77)
The Caelum Dwarf Galaxy is a spiral galaxy that was discovered in 1780 by French astronomer Charles Messier. It is around 47 million light years away from Earth.
It is also home to a confirmed exoplanet, HD 114729 b. This exoplanet is a giant gas planet that is around 1.4 times the size of Jupiter and has a mass of 2.5 Jupiter masses. It was discovered in 1999.
Wrap Up
Have you had any luck locating the Caelum constellation? Let us know in the comments section below.
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