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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Ant |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Air Pump |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | ANT-lee-uh |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | ANT-lee-ee |
| Best Month | April |
| Visibility | Global |
| Origin | EnlightenmentNamed by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 1750s; these represent the scientific and artistic tools of the "Age of Reason". |
| Author | LacailleKnown as the "Father of Southern Astronomy," he mapped nearly 10,000 stars and created 14 new constellations in the southern hemisphere. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Expert |
| Description | This faint southern constellation was created by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille during his 1751–1752 survey of the southern skies from the Cape of Good Hope. He named it to honor the pneumatic air pump invented by French physicist Denis Papin — a device that proved pivotal to experiments on the nature of vacuums during the Enlightenment. It has no mythological heritage; it is purely a tribute to scientific progress. Antlia contains no stars brighter than magnitude 4, making it one of the most challenging constellations for observers; its brightest star, Alpha Antliae, is an orange giant about 365 light-years away. |
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Monthly sky charts courtesy of What's Out Tonight? — Copyright ©2026 Ken Graun. Star charts are optimized for mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Click a chart to view or download the PDF. For guidance on using the chart, or to purchase a planisphere and astronomy books, visit kenpress.com.
Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →
