Vela (constellation)

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Vela
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Abbreviation	Vel
Genitive	Velorum
Symbology	the Sails
Right ascension	9 h
Declination	−50°
Area	500 sq. deg. Ranked 32nd
Number of main stars	{{{numbermainstars}}}
Number of stars (Bayer-Flamsteed)	37
Number of stars with planets (BF, variable, other stars)	{{{numberstarsplanets}}}
Number of bright stars (magnitude < 3)	5
Number of nearby stars (Distance < 100 ly)	3
Brightest star	γ Vel (App. magnitude 1.6)
Nearest Star	ψ Vel (Distance: 60.5 ly)
Meteor showers	Delta Velids Gamma Velids Puppid-velids
Bordering constellations	Antlia Pyxis Puppis Carina Centaurus
Visible at latitudes between +30° and −90° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of March

Vela (IPA: /ˈviːlə/, Latin: sails) is a southern constellation, one of the four parts into which Argo Navis was split (the others being Carina, Puppis and Pyxis).

Of the deep sky objects of interest in Vela is a planetary nebula known as the Eight-Burst nebula. Also of interest within the constellation is the Vela Supernova Remnant. This is the nebula of a supernova explosion which is believed to have been visible from the Earth around 10000 years ago. The remnant contains a pulsar which was the first pulsar to be identified optically apart from that in the Crab Nebula.

1 Mythology
2 False Cross
3 Notable and named stars
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Mythology

Since Vela was originally part of the Argo Navis, it has no pre 17th century mythology associated with it independently. However, Vela is one of the three constellations that used to form the former constellation of Argo Navis, the ship of the Argonauts, of which Vela happens to be the sail.

[edit] False Cross

The False Cross is an asterism formed of the stars Delta Velorum and Kappa Velorum and Iota Carinae and Epsilon Carinae. It is sometimes mistaken for the Southern Cross, causing errors in astronavigation.

[edit] Notable and named stars

BD	F	Names and other designations	Mag.	Ly away	Comments
γ^1,2		Gamma Velorum, Regor, Suhail, Suhail al Muhlif, Muliphein	1.82	840	< Roger [backwards], honoring Roger Chaffee, one of the astronauts who died in the Apollo fire Suhail and Muliphein shared with λ Velorum double star; component magnitudes: 1.82, 4.27 Wolf-Rayet star
δ		Delta Velorum, Koo She	1.93	79.7	< Koo She Chinese for "Bow and Arrow" quadruple star; component magnitudes: 2.02, 5.00, 11.00, 13.50
λ		Lambda Velorum, Suhail, Suhail al Muhlif, Al Suhail, Alsuhail, Suhail Alwazn, Muliphein	2.21	573	< سهيل المحلف suhayl al-muħlif The glorious (star) of the oath. [سهيل suhayl "glorious" is a common name for bright stars.] Suhail and Muliphein shared with γ Velorum
κ		Kappa Velorum, Markab	2.47	539	< مركب markab The vehicle [boat etc.] Markab shared with α Pegasi and κ Puppis
μ		Mu Velorum, Peregrini, Alherem, Al Haram	2.69	116	< Peregrini means "wanderers" or "pilgrims" in Latin, and refers to the Argonauts aboard the Argo. < الحرام al-haram the sanctuary, or the sacred
N		N Velorum, Marut	3.16	238	< मरुत Marut the Hindu god Vayu or Pavan, god of air and wind
φ		Phi Velorum, Tseen Ke	3.52	1930	< 天紀 (Mandarin tiānjì) Heaven's record [= star chart]
ο		Omicron Velorum, Xestus	3.60	495	< Ξηστως Xestos Greek god of sea currents and ocean currents who helped to guide the Argo
ψ		Psi Velorum	3.60	60.5	double star; component magnitudes: 4.12, 4.65
c		c Velorum	3.75	309
b		b Velorum	3.77	3100
p		p Velorum	3.84	86.5
q		q Velorum	3.85	103
a		a Velorum	3.87	1550
d		d Velorum	4.05
e		e Velorum	4.11
x		x Velorum	4.29
M		M Velorum	4.34
i		i Velorum	4.37
w		w Velorum	4.45
J		J Velorum	4.50
m		m Velorum	4.58
H		H Velorum	4.68
n		n Velorum	4.74	1900
B		B Velorum	4.79	1510
r		r Velorum	4.82
Q		Q Velorum	4.85	1080
l		l Velorum	4.92
g		g Velorum	4.94
C		C Velorum	5.01	877
L		L Velorum	5.01
t		t Velorum	5.02
F		F Velorum	5.08
f		f Velorum	5.09
u		u Velorum	5.09
I		I Velorum	5.09
D		D Velorum	5.15
z		z Velorum	5.24
K		K Velorum	5.26
A		A Velorum	5.33	1640
h		h Velorum	5.47
y		y Velorum	5.51
	16	16 Velorum	5.52
O		O Velorum	5.56
s		s Velorum	5.76
E		E Velorum	5.79
k¹		k¹ Velorum	5.85
		HD 75289	6.36	94[1]	has a planet
		HD 83443	8.24	142[2]	has a planet