Eridanus

Abbreviation: Â Eri
English Name: Â The River
Genitive:Â Achernar
Hemisphere:  Southern Hemisphere (Parts visible from the UK.)
Location:Â Between the constellations of Lepus and Cetus.
Visible between latitudes: Â +60 and -90 degrees
Best season: Winter
Seen in three seasons:Â Autumn, Winter and Spring
Best seen in:  December
Seen between:Â November and January
Right Ascension (RA):  03 hour
Declination (DEC):  -20 degrees
Area (square degrees): Â 1,138 (6th)

Eridanus (The River)

• Long rambling constellation extends for nearly 60 degrees from north to south – the greatest range in declination (DEC) of any constellation that starts Cursa star in Eridanus; from the left foot of Orion in the north then eventually ends far to the south, at the border with Hydrus, where is the brightest star of Eridanus (Achernar) there.

Messier Objects

• No Messier objects in Eridanus.

Features of Interest

• NGC 1535 – planetary nebula; very similar to Eskimo Nebula in Gemini (NGC 2392), bluish double-shell structure.

Named Stars

• Achernar (Alpha Eri)
• Cursa (Beta Eri)
• Zaurak (Gamma Eri)
• Rana (Delta Eri)
• Zibal (Zeta Eri)
• Azha (Eta Eri)
• Acamar (Theta 1 Eri)
• Beid (Omicron 1 Eri)
• Keid (Omicron 2 Eri)
• Angetenar (Tau 2 Eri)
• Theemim (Upsilon 2 Eri)
• Sceptrum (53 Eri)

Others

• Photo of the constellation;Â Eridanus, as it appears to the naked eye. (Lines have been added for clarity.)
• Sky Chart  –  Eridanus
• List of stars in Eridanus.

Back to The 88 Constellations Lists  page.