Cancer Minor (constellation)

Short description: Former constellation

Four 5th magnitude stars in Gemini represent the constellation.

Cancer Minor (Latin for "lesser crab") was a constellation composed from a few stars in Gemini adjacent to Cancer. The constellation was introduced in 1612 (or 1613) by Petrus Plancius.[1]

The 5th-magnitude stars constituting Cancer Minor were HIP 36616, and 68, 74, 81 and 85 Geminorum, forming a faint natural arrow-shaped asterism.

Detail from Atlas Coelestis, 1681 (Map shown in mirror image, from outside celestial sphere)

It is only found on a few 17th-century Dutch celestial globes and in the atlas of Andreas Cellarius. It was no longer used after the 18th century.

## See also

* Obsolete constellations

## References

1. ↑ atlascoelestis.com, Felice Stoppa: Le costellazioni di Petrus Plancius

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Obsolete constellations (including Ptolemy's Argo Navis)

* Anser
* Antinous
* Apes
* Argo Navis
* Asterion
* Cancer Minor
* Cerberus
* Chara
* Custos Messium
* Felis
* Frederici Honores/Gloria Frederici
* Gallus
* Globus Aerostaticus
* Jordanus
* Lilium
* Lochium Funis
* Machina Electrica
* Malus
* Mons Maenalus
* Musca Borealis
* Noctua
* Officina Typographica
* Polophylax
* Psalterium Georgianum/Harpa Georgii
* Quadrans Muralis
* Ramus Pomifer
* Robur Carolinum
* Sceptrum Brandenburgicum
* Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae
* Solarium
* Rangifer/Tarandus
* Taurus Poniatovii
* Telescopium Herschelii
* Testudo
* Tigris
* Triangulum Minus
* Turdus Solitarius
* Vespa
* Vultur cadens
* Vultur volans

* obsolete constellation names

* Apis
* Phoenicopterus
* Serpentarius
* Xiphias

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