Constellation of Volans
DMI image reference Vol.    « Previous || Next » Constellations A » H || Constellations I » V
Volans
Roll mouse over picture to see constellation outlines
Image and text ©2008 Akira Fujii/David Malin Images.

In the picture above north is at the top and the image covers 18.7 x 23.4 degrees.
Image centre is located at 07:41:49.4, -68:11:06 (H:M:S, D:M:S, J2000) Astrometric data from Astrometry.net.

Volans
Best seen in the early evening in March

Volans was introduced by Johann Bayer in 1603 as Piscis Volans, the Flying Fish and in old star atlases is seen flying alongside the ancient sailing ship Argo Navis. However, the fish has flown and only the adjective Volans (flying) remains. The stars form a distinctive pattern but at magnitudes between 3.7 and 4.0 they are not bright. On the other hand the constellation is easily found between the bright stars Avior (epsilon Carinae) and Miaplacidus (beta Carinae) with the fish apparently flying towards the LMC (see Carina for a wide angle view).

Named stars in this image are : Avior (ε Car), Miaplacidus (β Car), Turais (ι Car),

Adjoining constellations:   Carina, Chamaeleon, Dorado, Mensa, Pictor.

Milky Way & Crux | constellations, wide field | the constellations | planets & stars | binocular views
| star trails | solar eclipses | moon & lunar eclipses | comets & aurorae | Contact DMI

David Malin, 2017 April 29.