Auriga (constellation)

constellation in the northern celestial hemisphere

Auriga is a constellation in the northern sky. It is the Latin word for "charioteer" - someone who drives a vehicle that is pulled by an animal. The astronomer Ptolemy listed Auriga in the 2nd century when he was writing a list of 48 constellations.

Auriga
Constellation
Auriga
AbbreviationAur[1]
GenitiveAurigae
Pronunciation
Symbolismthe Charioteer
Right ascension6
Declination+40
QuadrantNQ1
Area657[3] sq. deg. (21st)
Main stars5, 8
Bayer/Flamsteed
stars
65
Stars with planets7
Stars brighter than 3.00m4
Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly)2
Brightest starCapella (α Aur) (0.08m)
Messier objects3[4]
Meteor showers
Bordering
constellations
Visible at latitudes between +90° and −40°.
Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of late February to early March.
Ara Constellation chart

References

change

Citations

References

  • Bakich, Michael E. (1995). The Cambridge Guide to the Constellations. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-44921-2.
  • Pasachoff, Jay M. (2006). Stars and Planets. Maps and charts by Wil Tirion (4th ed.). Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-395-93432-6.
  • Ridpath, Ian. "Constellations". Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  • "The 100 Nearest Star Systems". Research Consortium on Nearby Stars. 1 January 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  • Ridpath, Ian; Tirion, Wil (2009). The Monthly Sky Guide (8th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-13369-2.
  • Russell, Henry Norris (October 1922). "The New International Symbols for the Constellations". Popular Astronomy. 30: 469. Bibcode:1922PA.....30..469R.