Information AboutCentaurus |
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| centaurus constellation | |
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Centaurus ( Latin for '' Centaur '') was one of the 48 Constellation s listed by Ptolemy , and counts also among the 88 modern constellations. This Southern constellation is One Of The Largest in the sky. NOTABLE FEATURES Centaurus is a bright constellation of the southern hemisphere. 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 Binary Star to which Proxima Centauri is apparently gravitationally bound to form a Triple Star System . It also contains BPM 37093 , which is estimated to be a degenerate Star , consisting of crystalline carbon. NOTABLE DEEP SKY OBJECTS It also contains Omega Centauri , the brightest Globular Cluster in the sky and Centaurus A , an elliptical galaxy. One of the deep-sky objects in Centaurus is the Boomerang Nebula , the coldest location (1 Kelvin , −272°C) known to science. HISTORY It was mentioned by Eudoxus (4th century B.C.) and Aratus (3rd century B.C.), Ptolemy catalogued thirty-seven stars in it. MYTHOLOGY The constellation, when including fainter stars visible to the naked eye, resembles a stick man with the back end of a horse attached {Link without Title} . 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 Herakles (a demi-god). Centaurus is sometimes associated with the constellation Sagitta , an arrow which Centaurus appears to have fired towards the constellation Aquila . As such, together with the constellation Lupus , and the fact that Centaurus is below the ecliptic, this may have formed the basis of the myth of the Erymanthian Boar , one of The Twelve Labours of Herakles . When the sun is in the sign of Virgo , it sits directly above the constellation Centaurus . The Greeks considered that the Centaur Chiron , who was accidentally poisoned and died due to Herakles, while Herakles took a detour from hunting the Erymanthian Boar, was put in the sky as a mark of pity. The constellation Lupus is next after Centaurus in the sun's transit, and was to the Greeks an arbitrary hunted animal (''Therion'')- it became a wolf under the Romans . Centaurus appears to have fired an arrow, the constellation Sagitta , towards Aquila , the eagle that tortured Prometheus , thus appearing to release Prometheus from his torment. Centaurus is also under the Ecliptic , and thus considered to be in the underworld. STARS :Stars with proper names:
:Stars with Bayer designations: :: δ Cen 2.58; ε Cen 2.29; η Cen 2.33; ι Cen 2.75; λ Cen 3.11; μ Cen 3.47; ν Cen 3.41; Ksi01 Cen 4.83; Ksi02 Cen 4.27; ο1 Cen 5.07; ο2 Cen 5.12; π Cen 3.90; ρ Cen 3.97; σ Cen 3.91; τ Cen 3.85; υ1 Cen 3.87; υ2 Cen 4.34; Chi Cen 4.36; Phi Cen 3.83; Psi Cen 4.05; ω Cen – actually a Globular Cluster ; A Cen 4.41; B Cen 4.01; C1 Cen 4.06; C2 Cen 4.92; D Cen 3.90; E Cen 4.33; F Cen 4.71; 2/g Cen 4.19; 4/h Cen 4.75; 1/i Cen 4.23; J Cen 4.30; 3/k Cen – double 4.32, 6.06; L Cen 4.63; M Cen 4.52; N Cen 4.25; P Cen 4.90; R Cen 5.10; U Cen 5.45; V Cen 4.30; W Cen 4.66; X1 Cen 5.32; X2 Cen 5.71; Y Cen 5.53; Z Cen 5.15; A Cen 4.62; B Cen 4.47; C1 Cen 5.64; C2 Cen 5.26; C3 Cen 5.46; D Cen 5.31; E Cen 5.34; F Cen 5.01; G Cen 4.82; H Cen 5.17; J Cen 4.52; K Cen 5.04; M Cen 4.64; N Cen 5.26; Q Cen 4.99 :Stars with Flamsteed designations: :: 89 Cen 6.51 :Other notable stars: EXTERNAL LINKS |
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