Phoenix (constellation)
Encyclopedia
Phoenix is a minor constellation
in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix
, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0. Alpha Phoenicis
is named Ankaa, an Arabic word meaning 'the boat'.
The constellation stretches from roughly −39° to −57° declination, and from 23.5h to 2.5h 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 was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius
from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser
and Frederick de Houtman
and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius with Jodocus Hondius
. The first depiction of this constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer
's Uranometria
of 1603.
Phoenix is associated with the minor Phoenicids
meteor shower of December 5.
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
in the southern sky. It is named after the Phoenix
Phoenix (mythology)
The phoenix or phenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians....
, a mythical bird. It is faint: there are only two stars in the whole constellation which are brighter than magnitude 5.0. Alpha Phoenicis
Alpha Phoenicis
Alpha Phoenicis is the brightest star in the constellation Phoenix. It has the traditional name Ankaa, from the Arabic العنقاء al-‘anqā’ "the phoenix"...
is named Ankaa, an Arabic word meaning 'the boat'.
The constellation stretches from roughly −39° to −57° declination, and from 23.5h to 2.5h of right ascension. This means it is generally invisible to anyone living north of the 40th parallel in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, and remains low in the sky for anyone living north of the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. It is easily visible from locations such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
summer.
Phoenix was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius
Petrus Plancius was a Dutch astronomer, cartographer and clergyman. He was born as Pieter Platevoet in Dranouter, now in Heuvelland, West Flanders. He studied theology in Germany and England...
from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser
Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser
Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser , a.k.a. Petrus Theodori, was a Dutch navigator who mapped the southern sky....
and Frederick de Houtman
Frederick de Houtman
Frederick de Houtman , or Frederik de Houtman, was a Dutch explorer who sailed along the Western coast of Australia en route to Batavia.-Biography:...
and it first appeared on a 35-cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius with Jodocus Hondius
Jodocus Hondius
Jodocus Hondius , sometimes called Jodocus Hondius the Elder to distinguish him from his son Henricus Hondius II, was a Flemish artist, engraver, and cartographer...
. The first depiction of this constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer
Johann Bayer
Johann Bayer was a German lawyer and uranographer . He was born in Rain, Bavaria, in 1572. He began his study of philosophy in Ingolstadt in 1592, and moved later to Augsburg to begin work as a lawyer. He grew interested in astronomy during his time in Augsburg...
's Uranometria
Uranometria
Uranometria is the short title of a star atlas produced by Johann Bayer.It was published in Augsburg, Germany, in 1603 by Christophorus Mangus under the full title Uranometria : omnium asterismorum continens schemata, nova methodo delineata, aereis laminis expressa. This translates to...
of 1603.
Phoenix is associated with the minor Phoenicids
Phoenicids
The Phoenicids are a minor meteor shower, first noticed by observers in New Zealand, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and South Africa during an outburst of approximately 100 meteors an hour that occurred during December 1956. Like other meteor showers, the Phoenicids get their name from the location...
meteor shower of December 5.