Centaurus

Centaurus, the centaur, was one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy, and counts also among the 88 modern constellations. This southern constellation is one of the largest on the sky.

Centaurus
Abbreviation	Cen
Genitive	Centauri
Meaning in English	the Centaur
Right ascension	13 h
Declination	-50°
Visible to latitude	Between 30° and -90°
On meridian	9 p.m., May 20
Area - Total	Ranked 9th 1060 sq. deg.
Number of stars with apparent magnitude < 3	10
Brightest star - Apparent magnitude	Rigil Kentaurus (α Cen) -0.01
Meteor showers	Alpha und Beta Centaurids
Bordering constellations	Antlia Carina Circinus Crux Hydra Lupus Musca Triangulum Australe Vela

Table of contents

1 Notable features 2 Notable deep sky objects 3 History 4 Mythology

Notable features

Centaurus is a bright constellation of the southern hemisphere.

It contains Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf that is the nearest known star (other than the Sun) to Earth, as well as Alpha Centauri, which is a triple star to which Proxima Centauri is apparently gravitationally bound.

Notable deep sky objects

It also contains Omega Centauri, the brightest globular cluster in the sky.

One of the deep-sky objects in Centaurus is the Boomerang nebula, the coldest location (1 kelvin, -272°C) known to science.

History

It was mentioned by Eudoxus (4th century B.C.) and Aratus (3rd century B.C.), Ptolemy catalogued thirty-seven stars in it.

Mythology

According to Greek mythology, the constellation is Chiron who was a wise Centaur (half-man, half-horse) known as a tutor to Jason (the leader of the Argonauts), and tutor to Hercules (a demi-god).

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Centaurus is a scientific journal.