Octans

octans

Abbreviation: Â Oct
English Name: Â The Octant
Genitive:Â Nu Octantis
Hemisphere:  Southern Hemisphere.
Location:Â Between the constellations of Hydrus and Apus.
Visible between latitudes: Â +05 and -90 degrees
Best season: Autumn
Seen in three seasons:Â Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Best seen in:  October
Seen between:Â Only October.
Right Ascension (RA):  22 hour
Declination (DEC):  -85 degrees
Area (square degrees): Â 291 (50th)

Octans  (The Octant)

  • A faint circumpolar constellation, notable only because it contains the South Celestial Pole (SCP) – Unlike, Ursa Minor’s Polaris, there is no bright star near the South Pole.

Messier Objects

  • No Messier objects in Octans.

Features of Interest

  • Melotte 227 Â – Â Open Cluster; small containing about 40 stars; not far from the Southern Celestial Pole (SCP).

Named Stars

  • Nu Octantis – the brightest star in  Octans is a magnitude +3.7.
  • Polaris Australis (Sigma Oct); this is the nearest naked-eye to the South Celestial Pole (SCP), lying about one degree away, although at magnitude +5.5 so hardly.

Others

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

Back to The 88 Constellations Lists  page.

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