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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Cir |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Compasses |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | SUR-sih-nuss |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | SUR-sih-nye |
| Best Month | June |
| Visibility | Southern |
| 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 | The Compass is one of the smallest constellations, tucked between the Southern Triangle and the front legs of the Centaur. Lacaille created it in the 1750s to represent the precision drawing tools of the Enlightenment. Despite its small size it contains a remarkable object — the Circinus Galaxy, one of the closest active Seyfert galaxies to the Milky Way at just 13 million light-years, with a supermassive black hole actively consuming matter at its core. The brightest star, Alpha Circini, is the brightest rapidly oscillating Ap star known — a magnetic, chemically peculiar star that pulsates in just 6.8 minutes. |
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Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →