Polophylax
Encyclopedia
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. It is also shown on his smaller world map of 1594 and on wall maps copied from Plancius.
It was superseded by the twelve constellations which Petrus Plancius
formed in late 1597 or early 1598 from the southern star observations of Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman.
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
that laid where Tucana
Tucana
Tucana is a constellation in the southern sky, created in the late sixteenth century. Its name is Latin for the toucan, a South American bird.-History:...
and Grus
Grus (constellation)
Grus is a constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for the crane, a species of bird. It was introduced in the late sixteenth century.-History:The stars that form Grus were originally considered part of Piscis Austrinus...
now are.
It was introduced by Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius was a Dutch astronomer, cartographer and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders. He studied theology in Germany and England...
in the small celestial planispheres on his large wall map of 1592. It is also shown on his smaller world map of 1594 and on wall maps copied from Plancius.
It was superseded by the twelve constellations which Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius was a Dutch astronomer, cartographer and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders. He studied theology in Germany and England...
formed in late 1597 or early 1598 from the southern star observations of Pieter Dircksz Keyser and Frederik de Houtman.