Octans

Octans
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Octans is a constellation in the southern hemisphere, first introduced by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century.

Octans, the Octant (a forerunner of the sextant) is an Enlightenment-period instrument whose outline was constructed on the sky by the vivid imagination of the Abbé Lacaille. The constellation is quite large but totally undistinguished.

Octans
Abbreviation: Oct
Genitive: Octantis
Translation: The Octant
Peoria Astronomical Society Octans Page
Interactive star chart (Java applet) ...

Octans, the octant:
Created by Nicolas Louis de La Caille in 1752. Originally called Octans Hadleianus, Hadley's Octant, to honor the invention created by John Hadley used by both astronomers and navigators.

Since Octans was introduced in the 17th century, and lies near the southern pole, it was not known to classical or early cultures, and so they produced no mythology concerning it.
Stars
:Stars with proper names::* (σ Oct) 5.

Octans
Abbreviation: Oct English name: Octant Coordinates see Stellar data ...

Octans was one of 14 new constellations introduced in the 1750s by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It represents a navigational instrument known as a reflecting octant, invented in 1730 by the Englishman John Hadley (1682-1744).

Octans (Octant)
No Saint given
Origin of the constellation: 1752, Lacaille ...

Octans
About this Java applet / Instructions Constellations is written using Java. You must have a Java enabled browser such as Netscape Navigator to be able to see this applet. Back to Constellations Home Page ...

Octans
Alpha Oct = Alpha Octantis
Nu Oct = Nu Octantis
Polaris Australis = Sigma Octantis ...

Oct, Octn International Astronomical Union abbreviations for Octans. See constellation. octal notation Notation of numbers in the scale of eight. The octal digits can be represented by the eight possible combinations of three binary digits.

Today the equinoxes are in Pisces and Virgo, and the celestial poles in Ursa Minor and Octans. In the Pyramid Age, the equinoxes were in Taurus, not far from the border with Aries, and Scorpius, along the border with Libra (Figure 9).

Observable only in the southern hemisphere, Constellation Pavo is located between Telescopium to the north and Octans to the south. For more information about the stars and objects in this constellation, go to Christine Kronberg's Pavo.

Microscopium(microscope), Monoceros(unicorn), Musca(fly), Norma(level), Octans(octant),
Ophiuchus(serpent holder), Orion the Hunter, Pavo(peacock), Pegasus the winged horse, Perseus, ...

Coalsack Nebula (in part, overlap from Crux)
Norma (Normae) Octans (Octanis) Ophiuchus (Ophiuchi)
Ophiucus system (misspelling of Ophiuchus)
Ophiucus ...

For Southern Hemisphere residents, the Pole Star is sigma Octantis, which isn't quite as easy to locate. I include instructions here (under Octans), but viewers of the southern stars have other, more obvious, points of repair -- the Southern Cross, ...

Octans, the octant
Pavo, the peacock
Phoenix, the phoenix
Pictor, the easel
Reticulum, the net
Triangulum Australe, the southern triangle
Tucana, the toucan
Vela, the ship's sails
Volans, the flying fish ...

See also: Constellation, Star, Constellations, Sky, Pavo

Topic: Astronomy