Phoenix (constellation)

Phoenix is a minor southern constellation, introduced by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, and popularized by Johann Bayer's Uranometria in 1603.

There are only eleven stars in the whole constellation which clear magnitude 5.0.

The constellation stretches from roughly -41° to -57° declination, and from 23.5h to 2h of right ascension. This means it is generally invisible to anyone living north of the 40th parallel in the Northern Hemisphere, and remains low in the sky for anyone living north of the equator. It is easily visible from locations such as Australia and South Africa during Southern Hemisphere summer.

Phoenix is associated with the minor Phoenicids meteor shower of December 5th.

History

Since it was introduced in the early 17th century, there is no classical, or earlier, mythology surrounding the Phoenix constellation.

See Also