Circinus is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Its genitive form is Circini, its standard abbreviation is Cir, it is traditionally shown as Compass. The constellation covers about 93 square degrees of sky, ranking 85th in size among the 88. Its brightest star is α Cir (Xami) at apparent magnitude 3.19. It borders Centaurus, Musca, Apus, Triangulum Australe, Norma and Lupus. In this atlas the entity is the shared sky reference for astronomical objects catalogued by constellation, so every star, nebula or galaxy located within Circinus resolves to one identity.
Facts
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, Circinus, lead section and infoboxQuote, Wikipedia, Circinus, lead section and infobox
Circinus is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky, first defined in 1756 by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.