Birds, Fish and Creatures of the Deep Southern Sky

Start with the Peacock, the largest of the group at about 378 square degrees, ranking 44th among the 88 constellations. Its brightest star, Peacock (alpha Pavonis), shines at magnitude 1.91, and the constellation is one of four, with Grus, Phoenix and Tucana, collectively known as the Southern Birds.

The Crane holds Alnair, alpha Gruis, at magnitude 1.73, the brightest star in this path. Wikipedia describes it as one of twelve constellations conceived by Petrus Plancius from the observations of the navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman.

The Phoenix is a minor constellation that is still large, about 469 square degrees and 37th in size. Its brightest star is Ankaa, alpha Phoenicis, at magnitude 2.40, and it borders Grus and Tucana, so the Southern Birds sit side by side on the sky.

The Toucan first appeared on a 1598 celestial globe published in Amsterdam by Plancius and Jodocus Hondius, and was later depicted in Johann Bayer's star atlas. Its brightest star, alpha Tucanae, is named Lang-Exster and shines at magnitude 2.87.

The Bird-of-Paradise completes the birds in this path. It was first depicted on a celestial globe by Petrus Plancius in 1598 and charted on a star atlas by Johann Bayer in his 1603 Uranometria. It is small, about 206 square degrees, and its brightest star is Paradys at magnitude 3.83.

Indus, the Indian, was first professionally surveyed by Europeans in the 1590s and mapped on a globe by Petrus Plancius by early 1598. It covers about 294 square degrees, ranks 49th in size, and its brightest star, alpha Indi, is magnitude 3.11. It borders Grus and Tucana.

Turning to the water creatures, Dorado is the dolphinfish, named in the late sixteenth century and now one of the 88 modern constellations. It covers about 179 square degrees, and its brightest star, alpha Doradus, is magnitude 3.27. It borders Hydrus and Volans, the next two stops.

The Flying Fish is a constellation of about 141 square degrees, ranking 76th in size. Its brightest star is gamma-2 Volantis at magnitude 3.62, and it borders Dorado, Carina, Pictor, Mensa and Chamaeleon.

The Water Snake is a small constellation in the deep southern sky, about 243 square degrees and 61st in size. Its brightest star is beta Hydri at magnitude 2.82, and it borders Dorado, Phoenix and Tucana, linking the water creatures back to the birds.

The Fly is among the smallest here, about 138 square degrees and 77th in size. The first depiction of this constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603, and its brightest star, alpha Muscae, is magnitude 2.69.

The Chameleon is a small constellation in the deep southern sky, about 132 square degrees and 79th in size. Its brightest star, alpha Chamaeleontis, is magnitude 4.05, the dimmest lead star on this path, and it borders Musca, Apus and Volans.

End with the Southern Triangle, a small constellation in the far Southern Celestial Hemisphere. It was first depicted on a celestial globe as Triangulus Antarcticus by Petrus Plancius in 1589, and later with its current name by Johann Bayer in his 1603 Uranometria. Its brightest star, Atria, is magnitude 1.91.