Hydrus

Hydrus
Constellation

List of stars in Hydrus
Abbreviation Hyi
Genitive Hydri
Pronunciation /ˈhdrəs/, genitive /ˈhdr/
Symbolism the water snake
Right ascension 0.08 h ~ 4.66 h
Declination −58° ~ −82°
Quadrant SQ1
Area 243 sq. deg. (61st)
Main stars 3
Bayer/Flamsteed
stars
19
Stars with planets 4
Stars brighter than 3.00m 2
Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) 1
Brightest star β Hyi (2.82m)
Nearest star β Hyi
(24.38 ly, 7.47 pc)
Messier objects none
Meteor showers none
Bordering
constellations
Dorado
Eridanus
Horologium
Mensa
Octans
Phoenix (corner)
Reticulum
Tucana
Visible at latitudes between +8° and −90°.
Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of November.

Hydrus ( /ˈhdrəs/) is a small constellation in the southern sky, created in the sixteenth century. Its name means "male water snake", and it should not be confused with Hydra, a much larger constellation which represents a female water snake.

Contents

History

Hydrus was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius with Jodocus Hondius. The first depiction of this constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603.[1]

Notable features

The only star in Hydrus that anyone seems to have named is γ Hyi, which in China is known as Foo Pih. The constellation contains IC 1717. In August 2010, a European astronomical team working at the La Silla Observatory in Chile announced that they had confirmed the presence of at least five planets orbiting the star HD 10180 in Hydrus.[2]

See also

Citations

  1. ^ "Hydrus (Water Snake)". Chandra X-ray Observatory.
  2. ^ "New solar system has up to seven planets". news.com.au. 25 August 2010.

References

External links


Coordinates: 02h 00m 00s, −70° 00′ 00″