
Abbreviation: Â Pyx
English Name: Â The Compass
Genitive:Â Al Sumut
Hemisphere:Â Southern Hemisphere
Location:Â Between the constellations of Antia and Puppis.
Visible between latitudes: Â +50 and -90 degrees
Best season: Spring
Seen in three seasons:Â Winter, Spring and Summer.
Best seen in:Â March
Seen between:Â February and April
Right Ascension (RA):Â 09 hour
Declination (DEC):Â -30 degrees
Area (square degrees): Â 221 (65th)
Pyxis  (The Compass)
- This constellation lies on the edge of the Milky-Way.
- Pyxis was originally part of the large constellation Argo Navis. When the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially defined the 88 constellations and their boundaries, they split Argo Navis into 4 parts: Carina (The Keel), Vela (The Sail), Puppis (The Stern), and Pyxis (The Compass).
Messier Objects
- No Messier Objects in Pyxis
Features of Interest
- T Pyxidis  –  Re-current Nova with a faint magnitude at +16.0 minimum, sometimes reaches magnitude at +7.0 during its outbursts, which occur at between 12 and 25 years.
Named Stars
- Al Sumut
Others
- Photo of the constellation;Â Pyxis, as it appears to the naked eye. (Lines have been added for clarity.)
- Sky Chart  – Pyxis
- List of stars in Pyxis.
Back to The 88 Constellations Lists page.