Former constellations

Former Constellations

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Former constellations

Former constellations are constellation

Constellation

A constellation is a group of stars that appear to have a physical proximity in the sky. The stars in a constellation are often vastly distant from each other, but they appear close to each other from the perspective of Earth....
s that are no longer recognized by the International Astronomical Union

International Astronomical Union

The International Astronomical Union is a collection of professional astronomers, at the Ph.D. level and beyond, active in professional research and education in astronomy....
for various reasons. Many of these constellations existed for long periods of time, even centuries in many cases, which means they still have a large historical value and can be found on older star charts.

lass="link1" onMouseover='showByLink("m6071923",this)' onMouseout='hide("m6071923")'href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Argo_Navis">Argo Navis

Argo Navis

Argo Navis was a large constellation in the southern sky that has since been divided into three separate constellations. It represented the Argo, the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology....
is the only constellation from Ptolemy's

Ptolemy

Claudius Ptolemaeus , known in English as Ptolemy , was a Roman Greek mathematics, Greek astronomy, geographer and astrologer. He lived in History of Roman Egypt, and was probably born there in a town in the Thebaid called Ptolemais Hermiou; he died in Alexandria around 168 AD....
original list of 48 constellations that is no longer officially recognized.

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Noteworthy Former Constellations

Argo Navis

Ptolemy

Nicolas Louis de Lacaille

Abb? Nicolas Louis de Lacaille was a France astronomer.He is noted for his catalogue of nearly 10,000 southern stars, including 42 nebulous objects....
: Carina

Carina (constellation)

Carina , is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was formerly part of the larger constellation of Argo Navis until that constellation was divided in three....
(the keel), Puppis

Puppis

Puppis is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the poop deck of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Vela ; Puppis is the largest of the three....
(the poop deck), Pyxis

Pyxis

Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass . Pyxis is completely visible in latitudes south of 53rd parallel north from January through March....
, the compass, and Vela

Vela (constellation)

Vela is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the sails of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Puppis....
(the sails). This new version was introduced in the star catalog Coelum Australe Stelliferum in 1763, which was published after de Lacaille's death.

Quadrans Muralis

Quadrans Muralis was a constellation created by J?r?me Lalande in 1795. It was located between the constellations of Bo?tes and Ursa Major. It is no longer in use, but the Quadrantid meteor shower is named after it....
was originally created in 1795, but has since been merged into the constellations Boötes

Boötes

Bo?tes Bo?tes was one of the 48 constellations described by the 1st century astronomer Ptolemy and is now one of the 88 modern constellations. It contains the List of brightest stars in the night sky, Arcturus....
and Ursa Major

Ursa Major

Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. Its name means the Great Bear in Latin. It is dominated by the widely recognized asterism known as the Big Dipper or Plough, which is a useful pointer toward north, and which has mythological significance in numerous world cultures....
. However the Quadrantids meteor shower

Meteor shower

Meteor showers, some of which are known as "meteor storms" , "meteor outbursts,"or "star storm are celestial events in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the sky....
is still named after the former constellation.

Other Reminiscences

53 Eridani

53 Eridani is a star in the constellation Eridanus . It also has the traditional name Sceptrum . 53 Eridani was one of the brighter stars, denoted p Sceptri , in the obsolete constellation Sceptrum Brandenburgicum....
retains the name Sceptrum from the former constellation Sceptrum Brandenburgicum

Sceptrum Brandenburgicum

Sceptrum Brandenburgicum was a constellation created in 1688 by Gottfried Kirch, astronomer of the Prussian Royal Society of Sciences. It represented the scepter used by the royal family of the Elector of Brandenburg....
.

List of Former Constellations

Name	Meaning	Date created	Created by
Antinous Antinous (constellation) Antinous is an obsolete constellation no longer in use by astronomers, having been merged into Aquila, which it bordered to the North.The constellation was created by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in 132....	Antinous Antinous For the constellation, see Antinous ; for the asteroid, see 1863 Antinous; for the mythological figure, see Antinous son of EupeithesAntino?s or Antino?s , was a member of the Roman Emperor Hadrian's entourage, to whom he was beloved....	132	Claudius Ptolemy
Apis	Bee (renamed to Musca Australis and then simply to Musca)	1598	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Argo Navis Argo Navis Argo Navis was a large constellation in the southern sky that has since been divided into three separate constellations. It represented the Argo, the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology....	The ship Argo Argo In Greek mythology, the *Argo* was the ship on which Jason and the Argonauts sailed from Iolcus to retrieve the Golden Fleece.... (now divided into Carina Carina Carina may refer to:* Carina - smartass* Carina * Carina Dwarf, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way* Carina Nebula * Carinatae, a term within phylogenetic taxonomy referring to birds... , Puppis Puppis Puppis is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the poop deck of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Vela ; Puppis is the largest of the three.... and Vela Vela Vela may refer to:* Vela , a constellation * Vela Pulsar, a pulsar in the constellation of Vela* Project Vela, a system developed by the United States to monitor compliance with the Partial Test Ban Treaty... )	Ancient Greek	unknown
Cancer Minor Cancer Minor (constellation) Cancer , Latin: lesser crab, was a constellation composed from a stars in Gemini adjacent to Cancer . The 5th magnitude stars constituting Cancer Minor were HIP 36616, and 68, 74, 81 and 85 Geminorum, constituting a faint natural arrow formed asterism....	Lesser Crab	1613	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Cerberus Cerberus (constellation) Cerberus was a constellation created by Hevelius. It was depicted as a three-headed snake that Hercules is holding in his hand. The constellation is no longer in use....	Cerberus Cerberus Cerberus is the name given to the entity which, in Greek mythology and Roman mythology, is a multi-headed dog which guards the gates of Hades, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping.... , guardian dog of Hades Hades Hades refers both to the ancient Greek underworld, the abode of Hades, and to the god of the underworld. Hades in Homer referred just to the god; the genitive case , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades"....	1690	Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius , also called Johannes Hewel, Johann Hewelke, Johannes H?welcke in German language, or Jan Heweliusz , , was a Protestant councillor and mayor in History of Gdansk , As an astronomer he gained the reputation of "the founder of lunar topography" and invented ten new constellations, seven of which are still r...
Custos Messium Custos Messium Custos Messium was a constellation created by J?r?me Lalande in 1775. It was located between the constellations of Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia and Cepheus ....	Keeper of harvests	1775	Jérôme Lalande Jérôme Lalande Joseph J?r?me Lefran?ais de Lalande was a France astronomer and writer....
Felis Felis (constellation) Felis was a constellation created by J?r?me Lalande in 1805. He chose the name partially because, as a cat lover, he felt sorry that there was not yet a cat among the constellations ....	Cat	1805	Jérôme Lalande Jérôme Lalande Joseph J?r?me Lefran?ais de Lalande was a France astronomer and writer....
Frederici Honores Frederici Honores Frederici Honores or Honores Friderici or Gloria Frederica was a constellation created by Johann Bode in 1787 to honor Frederick II of Prussia, the king of Prussia who had died in the previous year....	Frederick Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II was a monarch of Kingdom of Prussia from the House of Hohenzollern. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was Frederick IV of Margraviate of Brandenburg.... 's Honors	1787	Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode was a Germany astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the Titius-Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name....
Gallus Gallus (constellation) Gallus was a constellation invented by Petrus Plancius in the early 17th century. It was in the northern part of what is now Puppis. It was not adopted in the atlases of Johann Bode and fell into disuse....	Rooster	1613	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Globus Aerostaticus Globus Aerostaticus Globus Aerostaticus was a constellation created by J?r?me Lalande in 1798. It was located east from the constellation Microscopium. It is no longer in use....	Hot air balloon Hot air balloon The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first manned flight was made by Jean-Fran?ois Pil?tre de Rozier and Fran?ois Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air balloon created by the Montgolfier brothers....	1798	Jérôme Lalande Jérôme Lalande Joseph J?r?me Lefran?ais de Lalande was a France astronomer and writer....
Jordanus Jordanus (constellation) Jordanus was a constellation invented by Petrus Plancius in the early 17th century. One end was in Canes Venatici and then it flowed through Leo Minor and Lynx and ended near Camelopardalis....	River Jordan Jordan River The Jordan River is a river in Southwest Asia which flows into the Dead Sea. It is considered to be one of the world's most sacred rivers. It is 251 kilometers long....	1613	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Lochium Funis Lochium Funis Lochium Funis was a constellation created by Johann Bode from the stars which Nicolas Louis de Lacaille created the constellation Pyxis. It was never used by other astronomers....	Log Chip log A chip log, also called common log, ship log or just log, is a navigation tool used by mariners to estimate the speed of a vessel through water.... line		Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode was a Germany astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the Titius-Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name....
Machina Electrica Machina Electrica Machina Electrica was a constellation created by Johann Bode in 1800. He created it from a southern part of constellation Cetus. It was never popular and is no longer in use....	Electricity generator	1800	Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode was a Germany astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the Titius-Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name....
Malus Malus (constellation) Malus was a sectional asterism in the former constellation Argo Navis. Its stars were incorporated into the new constellation Pyxis by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille....	Mast
Mons Maenalus Mons Maenalus Mons Maenalus was a constellation created by Johannes Hevelius. It was located between the constellations of Bo?tes and Virgo , and depicts a mountain in Greece that the herdsman is stepping upon....	Mount Mainalo Mainalo The Mainalo or Menalo , older forms: Mainalon, Mainalos, Menalon, Menalos, rarely Menalus or Mainalos, Latin forms: Maenalos and Maenalus, rarely Maenalon is a mountain range that spans about 15 to 20 from north to south and from east to west from 5 to 10 km....		Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius , also called Johannes Hewel, Johann Hewelke, Johannes H?welcke in German language, or Jan Heweliusz , , was a Protestant councillor and mayor in History of Gdansk , As an astronomer he gained the reputation of "the founder of lunar topography" and invented ten new constellations, seven of which are still r...
Musca Borealis Musca Borealis Musca Borealis was a constellation located between the constellations of Aries and Perseus .It was first described as such by Hevelius in his catalogue of 1690, to distinguish it from the southern fly, Musca....	Northern Fly	1690	Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius Johannes Hevelius , also called Johannes Hewel, Johann Hewelke, Johannes H?welcke in German language, or Jan Heweliusz , , was a Protestant councillor and mayor in History of Gdansk , As an astronomer he gained the reputation of "the founder of lunar topography" and invented ten new constellations, seven of which are still r...
Noctua Noctua Noctua is a seldom mentioned constellation that was once placed between the end of the tail of Hydra, the sea-serpent and Libra. The origins of the constellation are unknown, but an image of it appears in the American astronomer Elijah Burritt's Atlas, part of his Geography of the Heavens....	Owl
Officina Typographica Officina Typographica Officina Typographica was a constellation located east of Sirius. It was created by Johann Bode in the late eighteenth century. It was used at least in one other star atlas, but quickly fell out of use....	Printshop		Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode Johann Elert Bode was a Germany astronomer known for his reformulation and popularization of the Titius-Bode law. Bode determined the orbit of Uranus and suggested the planet's name....
Phoenicopterus	Flamingo (an obsolete name for Grus Grus (constellation) Grus is constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the crane , a species of bird. It was introduced in the sixteenth century.... )
Polophylax Polophylax Polophylax was a southern constellation that laid where Tucana and Grus now are.It was introduced by Petrus Plancius in the small celestial planispheres on his large wall map of 1592....	Guardian of the Pole South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's rotation intersects the surface....	1592	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Psalterium Georgii Psalterium Georgii Psalterium Georgii was a constellation created by Maximilian Hell in 1789 to honor George III of Great Britain of Great Britain. It was created from parts of Eridanus and was located next to the constellations Taurus and Cetus....	George George II of Great Britain George II was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-L?neburg and Prince-elector#High Offices and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.... 's Psaltery Psaltery A psaltery is a stringed instrument musical instrument of the harp or the zither family. The of Ancient Greece dates from at least 2800 BC, when it was a harp-like instrument....
Quadrans Muralis Quadrans Muralis Quadrans Muralis was a constellation created by J?r?me Lalande in 1795. It was located between the constellations of Bo?tes and Ursa Major. It is no longer in use, but the Quadrantid meteor shower is named after it....	Mural Quadrant Quadrant Quadrant may refer to:* One of the four sections of the Cartesian coordinate system#Two-dimensional coordinate system* Quadrant , a measuring instrument capable of measuring angles up to 90°...
Ramus Pomifer Ramus Pomifer Ramus Pomifer was a constellation located between Hercules and Lyra.It was depicted in the form of three serpents wrapped around a branch held in Hercules' left hand....	Apple-bearing Branch
Robur Carolinum Robur Carolinum Robur Carolinum was a constellation created by the England astronomer Sir Edmund Halley in 1679. The name refers to the Royal Oak where Charles II of England was said to have hidden from the troops of Oliver Cromwell after the Battle of Worcester....	Charles' Oak Royal Oak The Royal Oak is the name given to the oak tree within which Charles II of England of England Escape of Charles II the Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651....		Edmund Halley
Sceptrum Brandenburgicum Sceptrum Brandenburgicum Sceptrum Brandenburgicum was a constellation created in 1688 by Gottfried Kirch, astronomer of the Prussian Royal Society of Sciences. It represented the scepter used by the royal family of the Elector of Brandenburg....	Scepter of Brandenburg Brandenburg Brandenburg is one of the sixteen states of Germany of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany....
Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae was a constellation created by Augustin Royer in 1679 to honor king Louis XIV of France of France. It was formed from stars of what is today the constellations Lacerta and western Andromeda ....	Scepter and Hand of Justice
Solarium Solarium (constellation) Solarium was a constellation located between the constellations of Horologium, Dorado and Hydrus. It occurred in the 1835 star map of Elijah Hinsdale Burritt ....	Sundial
Tarandus vel Rangifer Tarandus vel Rangifer Tarandus or Rangifer was a small constellation located between the constellations of Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis. It was created by the France astronomer Pierre Charles Lemonnier in 1736 to commemorate the expedition of Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis to S?pmi ....	Reindeer		Pierre Charles Lemonnier
Taurus Poniatovii Taurus Poniatovii Taurus Poniatovii was a constellation created by Marcin Poczobutt-Odlanicki in 1777 to honor Stanislaus II Augustus Poniatowski of Poland, king of Poland....	Poniatowski's Bull
Telescopium Herschelii Telescopium Herschelii Telescopium Herschelii was a constellation created by Maximilian Hell in 1789 to honor the famous England astronomer Sir William Herschel's discovery of the planet Uranus....	Herschel William Herschel Sir Frederick William Herschel, Fellow of the Royal Society Royal Guelphic Order was a German-born British astronomer and composer who became famous for discovering Uranus.... 's Telescope
Testudo Testudo (constellation) Testudo was a constellation located between the constellations of Cetus and Pisces , today constituting a natural but faint asterism composed from the stars 20, 27, 29, 30 and 33 Piscium, where the star 20 is intended to be the head of the turtle....	Tortoise
Tigris River Tigris (constellation) River Tigris or Tigris was a constellation, invented by Jakob Bartsch in the 17th century . One end was near the shoulder of Ophiuchus and the other was near Pegasus , and in between it passed through the area now occupied by Vulpecula, flowing between Cygnus and Aquila ....	Tigris Tigris The Tigris is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.... River	1613	Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius Petrus Plancius , was a Netherlands astronomer, Cartography and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders....
Triangulum Minor Triangulum Minor Triangulum Minus was a constellation created by Johannes Hevelius. It is often misspelt into Triangulum Minor. It was formed from the southern parts of his Triangulum , but is no longer in use....	Lesser Triangle
Turdus Solitarius Turdus Solitarius Turdus Solitarius was a constellation created by Pierre Charles Lemonnier in 1776 from stars of Hydra 's tail. It was replaced by another constellation, Noctua ....	Solitary Thrush
Vespa Vespa (constellation) Vespa was the name used by Jakob Bartsch in 1624 for a constellation, now obsolete, that was originally called Apes by Petrus Plancius when he created in 1612....	Wasp

Former constellations

Noteworthy Former Constellations

Argo Navis

Quadrans Muralis

Other Reminiscences

List of Former Constellations

See also

External links