From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Centaurus, the centaur, was one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy, and counts also among the 88 modern constellations. This southern constellation is one of the largest on the sky.
| Centaurus | |
 larger image | |
| Abbreviation | Cen |
| Genitive | Centauri |
| Meaning in English | the Centaur |
| Right ascension | 13 h |
| Declination | -50° |
| Visible to latitude | Between 30° and -90° |
| On meridian | 9 p.m., May 20 |
| Area - Total | Ranked 9th 1060 sq. deg. |
| Number of stars with apparent magnitude < 3 | 10 |
| Brightest star - Apparent magnitude | Rigil Kentaurus (α Cen) -0.01 |
| Meteor showers | |
| Bordering constellations | |
It contains Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf that is the nearest known star (other than the Sun) to Earth, as well as Alpha Centauri, which is a triple star to which Proxima Centauri is apparently gravitationally bound.
It also contains BPM 37093, which is estimated to be a degenerate star, consisting of crystalline carbon.
One of the deep-sky objects in Centaurus is the Boomerang nebula, the coldest location (1 kelvin, -272°C) known to science.
Notable features
Centaurus is a bright constellation of the southern hemisphere.Notable deep sky objects
It also contains Omega Centauri, the brightest globular cluster in the sky.History
It was mentioned by Eudoxus (4th century B.C.) and Aratus (3rd century B.C.), Ptolemy catalogued thirty-seven stars in it.Mythology
According to Greek mythology, the constellation is Chiron who was a wise Centaur (half-man, half-horse) known as a tutor to Jason (the leader of the Argonauts), and tutor to Hercules (a demi-god).
Centaurus is a scientific journal.
