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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Lyn |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Lynx |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | LINKS |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | LIN-sis |
| Best Month | March |
| Visibility | Northern |
| Origin | ModernAdded between the 17th and 18th centuries by astronomers like Hevelius or Plancius to define faint star clusters ignored by the ancients. |
| Author | HeveliusA Polish astronomer known as the "founder of lunar topography" who added several "filler" constellations using high-precision instruments. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Expert |
| Description | The Lynx was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1687 to fill the large blank space between Ursa Major and Auriga, and he gave it its name with characteristic humor — stating that the region's stars were so faint that 'only those with the eyes of a lynx' could see them. It is one of the faintest constellations in the sky. The constellation contains an unusual object — the Intergalactic Tramp (NGC 2419), a globular cluster so extraordinarily far from the Milky Way's center at 300,000 light-years that astronomers once debated whether it was gravitationally bound to our galaxy at all, earning it the nickname 'the intergalactic wanderer.' |
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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.
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