Carina, Puppis and Vela?

__________________
- Learn a lot teaching others.

You're welcome.

__________________
- Learn a lot teaching others.

I found this in the wilkipedia. According to this Crux wasn't given constellation status until 1930.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterism_%28astronomy%29
The Southern Cross is not an asterism, but merely a variation on the meaning of Crux. Crux was an asterism when Bayer created it in Uranometria (1603) from stars in the hind legs of Centaurus. It was given constellation status in 1930, thereby mutilating the Centaur.

The problem is that all 88 constellations were made official in 1930. I take the point that Crux was an asterism when first proposed in 1501. However the line between constellation and asterism is not firm.

However the constellations Vela, Puppis and Carina were only invented in 1763 by Lacaille. His dim southern constellations were invented in 1750-54. This makes three of the more noticeable constellations the youngest in the sky.

Anyone got an answer for the defunct constellation yet?

Any clues

Actually Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille separated the constellation that was invented by Ptolemy which was called Argo Navis and Lacaille made it into 3 different constellations. Carina, Puppis and Vela. If he hadn't separated them Argo would have been the largest constellation.

Bode lists a constellation noctua (the night owl) in his 1801 Uranometria. It was very small and comprised stars now listed in Hydra.

That would mean it's Eroica's turn again, wouldn't it?

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

No it means its your turn!

Actually the link is to a picture of the Urania's Mirror (1825) after Jamieson (1822). http://www.ianridpath.com/atlases/urania.htm

Bode shows Turdus Solitarius http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/solitaire.htm in 1801.

This makes noctua (and norma nilotica) the last of the major obsolete constellations.

I wish there was an easy question

Ah, I thought the obsolete constellation question was just an extra...

Hmmm, have to think of something. Hang on a little

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

Come on Arneb!

A question to get everyone thinking in the meantime - when does Polaris rise in Johannesburg?

Right now, since Johannesburg is 26 degrees south of the equator, Polaris is not visible at all. Let's see, Vega is visible though, and in 12000 years, Vega will be the pole star, and Polaris will be circumpolar, so sometime between now and then...

Yes, exactly right.

Similarly wait long enough and Crux and Alpha Centauri will rise even from London.

Apologies to everyone! I spent the weekend working at the hospital more or less all the time; and went home sick afterwards.

Please hhEb09'1, carry on!

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

Since hhEb09'1 hasn't come up with a question, I'll try to make up for my missed question of last week. Let's see how much you'll have to bludgeon me for this haiku:

Comets, and the Moon
Beer - good to make a living
Star-castle my home.

Says who?

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

Tycho?

He has a comet, 1577; a crater of course on the moon. He has a castle built called "castle of the heavens". And he had a pet elk which died after stumbling down the stairs after have to much beer.

Plausible explanation, but it's not Tycho. As you say, the beer is a bit off...

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.

Tycho was my first guess too.


William Lassell

__________________
"I will do my best to understand and explain the universe from big to small without invoking miracles, unrepeatable events, or divine intervention. In place of those things I will use observations, mathematics, and science."


-Cross
My travel blog

Some of my Astrophotography


Those that lack education have a hard time understanding its value. - Cross

Johannes Hevelius.

Discovered four comets (including Ikeya-Zhang), father of lunar topography - Selenographia sive Lunae Descriptio (1647), born into a family of brewers and head of the Danzig Brewing Guild 1643 - 1687. His observatory was "Sternenburg" after Tycho's 'Stjerneborg' - Starry Castle. It was built on top of his house.

I'd like to add that he also published a book named "Cometographie", which justified cramming comets and the Moon into one line.

Very neat, ozark - congratulations, and your turn.

__________________
Non sunt multiplicanda entia praeter necessitatem.