Centaurus facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Centaurus
|
|
| Abbreviation | Cen |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Centauri |
| Pronunciation | genitive |
| Symbolism | the Centaur |
| Right ascension | 13 |
| Declination | −50 |
| Quadrant | SQ3 |
| Area | 1060 sq. deg. (9th) |
| Main stars | 11 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
69 |
| Stars with planets | 14 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 10 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 8 |
| Brightest star | α Cen (−0.27m) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | Alpha Centaurids Omicron Centaurids Theta Centaurids |
| Bordering constellations |
Antlia Carina Circinus Crux Hydra Libra (corner) Lupus Musca Vela |
| Visible at latitudes between +25° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of May. |
|
Centaurus is a constellation in the southern hemisphere of the night sky. It is named after a centaur, which is a creature that is half man and half horse. The astronomer named Ptolemy listed Centaurus when he made a list of 48 constellations. Centaurus is also one of the 88 constellations that were made by the International Astronomical Union.
In the direction of Centaurus is the Shapley Supercluster or Shapley Concentration (SCl 124). This is the largest concentration of galaxies in our nearby universe.
Images for kids
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Centaurus in the southwestern sky, shortly after sunset.
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The two bright stars are (left) Alpha Centauri and (right) Beta Centauri. The faint red star in the center of the red circle is Proxima Centauri.
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Centaurus in the Firmamentum Sobiescianum of Johannes Hevelius. N.B. This image is reversed from what one sees looking at the sky — it is as though one is looking at the "celestial sphere" from the outside.
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See also
In Spanish: Centaurus para niños
