Former constellation
Topic: Astronomy
From HandWiki - Reading time: 8 min
Short description: Constellations that are no longer widely recognised
Former constellations are old historical western constellations that for various reasons are no longer widely recognised or are not officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).[1] Prior to 1930, many of these defunct constellations were traditional in one or more countries or cultures. Some only lasted decades but others were referred to over many centuries. All are now recognised only for having classical or historical value.[2] Many former constellations had complex Latinised names after objects, people, or mythological or zoological creatures.[2] Others with unwieldy names were shortened for convenience. For example, Scutum Sobiescianum was reduced to Scutum, Mons Mensae to Mensa, and Apparatus Sculptoris to Sculptor.
Some of the northern sky's former constellations were placed in the less populated regions between the traditional brighter constellations just to fill gaps. In the southern skies, new constellations were often created from about the 15th century by voyagers who began journeying south of the equator. European countries like England, France, the Netherlands, German or Italian states, etc., often supported and popularised their own constellation outlines. In some cases, different constellations occupied overlapping areas and included the same stars. These former constellations are often found in older books, star charts or star catalogues.
The eighty-eight modern constellation names and boundaries were standardised by Eugene Delporte for the IAU in 1930, under an international agreement, removing any possible astronomical ambiguities between astronomers from different countries.[3] Nearly all former or defunct constellations differ in their designated boundaries inasmuch as they have outlines that do not follow the exact lines of right ascension and declination.[4]
Noteworthy former constellations
Argo Navis is the only constellation from Ptolemy's original list of 48 constellations that is no longer officially recognized. Due to its large size, it was split into three constellations by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille: Carina (the keel), Puppis (the poop deck), and Vela (the sails).[5] The new constellations were introduced in the 1763 star catalog Coelum Australe Stelliferum, which was published soon after de Lacaille's death.
Quadrans Muralis
Quadrans Muralis was originally created in 1795, placed in the northern skies between the still-accepted constellations Boötes and Draco. The Quadrantids meteor shower is named after this former constellation.
Remnant nomenclature
- 53 Eridani retains the name Sceptrum from the former constellation Sceptrum Brandenburgicum.[6]
List of former constellations
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning | Date created | Created by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | /æŋˈɡwɪlə/ | Eel | 1754 | John Hill |
| Antinous | /ænˈtɪnoʊəs/ | Antinous | 0132 132 | Emperor Hadrian[7] |
| Apes | Bees (renamed to Vespa, then Lilium, then to Musca Borealis) | 1612 | Petrus Plancius | |
| Apis | /ˈeɪpɪs/ | Bee (obsolete name and renamed to Musca Australis, and then shortened to Musca) | 1598 | Petrus Plancius |
| Aranea | /əˈreɪniə/ | Long-Legged Spider | 1754 | John Hill |
| Argo Navis | /ˈɑːrɡoʊ ˈneɪvɪs/ | The Ship Argo (now divided into Carina, Puppis, and Vela) | 0160 2nd century | Claudius Ptolemy |
| Asselli and Praesepe | Dionysus's Asses (Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis) and Manger (Beehive Cluster) | -300 3rd century BC | Aratus[8][9] | |
| Asterion and Chara | Northern and Southern Dogs in Canes Venatici | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius.[10] | |
| Battery of Volta | Battery | 1807 | Thomas Young | |
| Bufo | /ˈbjuːfoʊ/ | Toad | 1754 | John Hill |
| Cancer Minor | /ˈkænsərˈmaɪnər/ | Lesser Crab | 1613 | Petrus Plancius |
| Capra and Haedi | Goat Amalthea (stars surrounding Capella) and the Kids (Haedus I and Haedus II) | -300 3rd century BC | Aratus[11] | |
| Cerberus | /ˈsɜːrbərəs/ | Cerberus (guardian dog of Hades) | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius |
| Cor Caroli Regis Martyris | Charles's Heart | 1673 | Charles Scarborough[citation needed] | |
| Corona Firmiana | Corona Borealis renamed to honor Count Leopold Anton von Firmian | 1730 | Corbinianus Thomas | |
| Custos Messium | /ˈkʌstɒs ˈmɛʃiəm/ | Keeper of harvests | 1775 | Jérôme Lalande[12] |
| Deltoton | Delta (obsolete name for Triangulum Boreale) | 1540 | Petrus Apianus[13] | |
| Dentalium | /dɛnˈteɪliəm/ | Tooth Shell | 1754 | John Hill |
| Felis | /ˈfiːlɪs/ | Cat | 1799 | Jérôme Lalande |
| Frederici Honores | /frɛdəˈraɪsaɪ hɒˈnɔːriːz/ | Frederick's Honors | 1787 | Johann Elert Bode[14] |
| Gallus | /ˈɡæləs/ | Rooster | 1613 | Petrus Plancius |
| Gladii Electorales Saxonici | Crossed Swords of the Electorate of Saxony | 1684 | Gottfried Kirch | |
| Globus Aerostaticus | /ˈɡloʊbəs ˌɛərəˈstætɪkəs/ | Hot air balloon | 1798 | Jérôme Lalande[15] |
| Gryphites | /ɡrɪˈfaɪtiːz/ | Gryphaea shellfish | 1754 | John Hill |
| Hippocampus | /hɪpəˈkæmpəs/ | Sea Horse | 1754 | John Hill |
| Hirudo | /hɪˈruːdoʊ/ | Leech | 1754 | John Hill |
| Jordanus | /dʒɔːrˈdeɪnəs/ | River Jordan | 1613 | Petrus Plancius |
| Leo Palatinus | Lion to honor the Elector Palatine Charles Theodore and his wife Elisabeth Auguste | 1785 | Karl-Joseph König | |
| Lochium Funis | /ˈlɒkiəm ˈfjuːnɪs/ | Log line (renamed to Linea Nautica in 1888 by Eliza A. Bowen[16]) | 1801 | Johann Elert Bode[17] |
| Lilium | /ˈlɪliəm/ | Fleur de Lys (renamed Musca Borealis) | 1679 | Augustin Royer/P. Anthelme |
| Limax | /ˈlaɪmæks/ | Slug | 1754 | John Hill |
| Linum Piscium | The line connecting the fish (renamed from Linum Austrinum and Linum Boreum by Bode in 1801; known as Lineola too) | 1590 | Thomas Hood | |
| Lumbricus | /lʌmˈbraɪkəs/ | Earthworm | 1754 | John Hill |
| Machina Electrica | /ˈmækɪnə ɪˈlɛktrɪkə/ | Electricity generator | 1800 | Johann Elert Bode[18] |
| Malus | /ˈmeɪləs/ | Mast | 1844 | John Herschel |
| Manis | /ˈmeɪnɪs/ | Pangolin | 1754 | John Hill |
| Marmor Sculptile | Bust of Columbus | 1810 | William Croswell | |
| Mons Maenalus | /ˈmɒnz ˈmɛnələs/ | Mount Mainalo | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius[19] |
| Musca Borealis | /ˈmʌskə bɔːriˈeɪlɪs/ | Northern Fly | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius |
| Noctua | /ˈnɒktjuə/ | Owl | 1822 | Alexander Jamieson |
| Nubecula Major and Nubecula Minor[citation needed] | Magellanic Clouds | 1603 | Johann Bayer | |
| Officina Typographica | /ˌɒfɪˈsaɪnə taɪpəˈɡræfɪkə/ | Printshop | 1801 | Johann Elert Bode[20] |
| Patella | /pəˈtɛlə/ | Limpet | 1754 | John Hill |
| Phoenicopterus | /ˌfɛnəˈkɒptərəs/ | Flamingo (an obsolete name for Grus) | 1610 early 17th century
[21] || Petrus Plancius/Paul Merula | |
| Pinna Marina | /ˈpɪnə məˈraɪnə/ | Mussel | 1754 | John Hill |
| Piscis Notus | Southern Fish (obsolete name for Piscis Austrinus) | -300 3rd century BC | Aratus | |
| Polophylax | /pəˈlɒfɪlæks/ | Guardian of the Pole | 1592 | Petrus Plancius |
| Pomum Imperiale | Leopold's orb | 1688 | Gottfried Kirch | |
| Phaethon | Phaethon | 1300 Middle Ages | Aratus/Hyginus | |
| Pluteum | Parapet (obsolete for Pictor) | 1881 | Richard Andree | |
| Psalterium Georgii | /sælˈtɪəriəm ˈdʒɔːrdʒiaɪ/ | George's Psaltery (renamed to Harp Georgii by Lalande) | 1781 | Maximilian Hell[22] |
| Quadrans Muralis | /ˈkweɪdrænz mjʊəˈreɪlɪs/ | Mural Quadrant | 1795 | Jérôme Lalande[23] |
| Quadratum | Rhombus (obsolete name for Reticulum Rhomboidalis) | 1706 | Carel Allard | |
| Ramus Pomifer | /ˈreɪməs ˈpɒmɪfər/ | Apple-bearing Branch | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius[24] |
| Robur Carolinum | /ˈroʊbər kærəˈlaɪnəm/ | Charles' Oak | 1679 | Edmund Halley[25] |
| Rosa | Rose | 1536 | Petrus Apianus | |
| Sagitta Australis | Southern Arrow | 1613 | Petrus Plancius | |
| Scarabaeus | /skærəˈbiːəs/ | Rhinoceros Beetle | 1754 | John Hill |
| Sceptrum Brandenburgicum | /ˈsɛptrəm ˌbrændənˈbɜːrdʒɪkəm/ | Scepter of Brandenburg | 1688 | Gottfried Kirch[26] |
| Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae | /ˈsɛptrəm ɛt ˈmeɪnəs dʒəˈstɪʃii/ | Scepter and Hand of Justice | 1679 | Augustin Royer |
| Sciurus Volans | Flying Squirrel (now part of Camelopardalis) | 1810 | William Croswell[27] | |
| Sextants Uraniae | Urania's Sextant (obsolete name for Sextans) | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius | |
| Siren, Ceneus and Lang | Siren, Lapith Caeneus and Toucan | 1600 early 17th century
[28] || Unknown/Willem Jansz Blaeu | ||
| Solarium | /səˈlɛəriəm/ | Sundial | 1822 | Alexander Jamieson |
| Sudarium Veronicae | Sudarium of Veronica | 1643 | Antoine Marie Schyrle de Rheita[29] | |
| Tarandus or Rangifer | /təˈrændəs, ˈrændʒɪfər/ | Reindeer | 1736 | Pierre Charles Lemonnier[30] |
| Taurus Poniatovii | /ˈtɔːrəs pɒniəˈtoʊviaɪ/ | Poniatowski's Bull | 1777 | Martin Poczobut[31] |
| Tarabellum and Vexillum | Drill and flag-like Standard | 1100 12th century | Michael Scot[32] | |
| Telescopium Herschelii | /tɛlɪˈskoʊpiəm hərˈʃiːliaɪ/ | Herschel's Telescope (renamed from Tubus Herschelii Major by Bode in 1801) | 1781 | Maximilian Hell[33] |
| Tubus Herschelii Minor | Herschel's Reflector | 1781 | Maximilian Hell | |
| Testudo | /tɛsˈtjuːdoʊ/ | Tortoise | 1754 | John Hill |
| Tigris | /ˈtaɪɡrɪs/ | Tigris River | 1613 | Petrus Plancius |
| Triangulus Antarcticus | Obsolete name for Triangulum Australe | 1589 | Peter Plancius | |
| Triangulum Majus | Large Triangle (obsolete name for Triangulum) | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius | |
| Triangulum Minus | /traɪˈæŋɡjʊləm ˈmaɪnəs/ | Small Triangle | 1690 | Johannes Hevelius[34] |
| Turdus Solitarius | /ˈtɜːrdəs sɒlɪˈtɛəriəs/ | Solitary Thrush (renamed to Mocking Bird and then to Noctua). Named in honor of the Rodrigues solitaire, an extinct flightless bird related to the dodo. | 1776 | Pierre Charles Lemonnier[35] |
| Uranoscopus | /jʊərəˈnɒskəpəs/ | Star-Gazer fish | 1754 | John Hill |
| Urna | Urn of Aquarius | 1596 | Zacharias Bornmann | |
| Vespa | /ˈvɛspə/ | Wasp (an obsolete name for Musca Borealis) | 1624 | Jakob Bartsch[36] |
| Triangula, Triangulum, Catuli, Corona, Corolla, Piscis, Camelus, Vulpes, Equus, Delphin, Ursa Minor, Canis, Felis, Leaena and Cervus | Obsolete names for Triangulum Boreale, Triangulum Australe, Canes Venatici, Corona Borealis, Corona Australis, Piscis Australis, Cameleopardalis, Vulpecula et Anser, Equuleus, Delphinus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Leo Minor and Monoceros | 1873 | Richard Proctor[37] |
See also
- Asterism
- List of Constellations
- Julius Schiller's Coelum Stellatum Christianum (1627, "Christian Starry Sky") renamed the pagan constellations with new names after Christian figures.
References
- ↑ "The Constellations". IAU—International Astronomical Union. http://www.iau.org/public/constellations/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ian Ridpath. "Constellation names, abbreviations and sizes". http://www.ianridpath.com/constellations1.htm.
- ↑ Marc Lachièze-Rey; Jean-Pierre Luminet; Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Paris (16 July 2001). Celestial Treasury: From the Music of the Spheres to the Conquest of Space. Cambridge University Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-521-80040-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZFXiNn62ZEC&pg=PA80.
- ↑ "Constellation boundaries.". http://www.ianridpath.com/boundaries.htm.
- ↑ "Star Tales – Argo Navis". http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/argo.htm.
- ↑ Barentine, John C. (2015). The Lost Constellations: A History of Obsolete, Extinct, or Forgotten Star Lore. New York, New York: Springer. p. 365. ISBN 9783319227955. https://books.google.com/books?id=u_7NCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA365.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 40.
- ↑ "Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 30.djvu/774 - Wikisource, the free online library". http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Popular_Science_Monthly_Volume_30.djvu/774.
- ↑ "Star Tales – Cancer". http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/cancer.htm.
- ↑ Ridpath, Ian. "Canes Venatici". Star Tales. http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canesvenatici.htm.
- ↑ "AMALTHEA (Amaltheia) - Goat Nurse of Zeus in Greek Mythology". http://www.theoi.com/Ther/AixAmaltheia.html.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 191.
- ↑ "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". http://astrocultura.uai.it/mitologia/antiche/costellazioniperdute.htm.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 221.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 237.
- ↑ "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". http://astrocultura.uai.it/mitologia/antiche/costellazioniperdute3.htm.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 65.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 289.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 290.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 297.
- ↑ "Star Tales – Grus". http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/grus.htm.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 347.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 348.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 242.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 349.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 360.
- ↑ Kanas, Nick (2007). Star maps: history, artistry, and cartography. New York, New York: Springer. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-387-71668-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=bae3LP4tfP4C&pg=PA131.
- ↑ Gent, R.H. van. "A Pair of Puzzling Star Maps and Two Unknown Constellations". https://webspace.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/celestia/puzzlingstarmaps.htm.
- ↑ "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". http://astrocultura.uai.it/mitologia/antiche/costellazioniperdute1.htm.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 377.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 413.
- ↑ "Nuova pagina 1". Atlascoelestis.com. http://www.atlascoelestis.com/Scot%20base.htm.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 414.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 417.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 418.
- ↑ Allen 1963, p. 292.
- ↑ "Nuova pagina 1". Atlascoelestis.com. http://www.atlascoelestis.com/Proctor%20base%20nuove.htm.
Further reading
- Allen, Richard Hinckley (1963). Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning New York: Dover. (Original work published 1899)
- Nick Kanas. Star Maps: History, Artistry, and Cartography. Springer; 5 June 2012. ISBN:978-1-4614-0917-5.
External links
- Former Constellations
- Obsolete Constellations
- Felice Stoppa: Le costellazioni scomparse dal cielo (in Italian)
- Les Constellations Disparues (in French)
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