The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
The Constellation
Octans - The Octant
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Octans is
the constellation that marks the South Celestial Pole. In that sense, it is
exactly opposite Ursa Minor, which marks the
North Celestial Pole. Unfortunately, there is no bright star like Polaris to
mark the SCP, although the faint star Sigma Octanis, at magnitude 5.5 and offset
by about 2 degrees, might be considered the Polaris of the South. Octans is one of the 15 circumpolar constellations in the southern hemisphere.
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South Celestial Pole: Octans,
Dorado, Tucana and Magellanic Clouds
Photo copyright Ed Flaspoehler
- La Serena, Chile, 1986
Click on images for a larger view.
This wide angle, 28-mm
photographic image of the South Celestial Pole covers a lot of territory.
In the upper center is the
constellation Octans and the pole itself. To the upper left of
Octans, you can
make out the stars in the constellation Apus.
Just below and left of center is
the Small Magellanic Cloud in Tucana. Look carefully, and you can easily see the
bright globular cluster, 47 Tucanae.
Right of center is the much
larger and brighter Large Magellanic Cloud in Dorado and Mensa. You can easily
make out NGC 2070, the Tarantula Nebula, in the LMC.
Both the LMC and the SMC are
elliptical galaxies which are satellite companions to our own Milky Way Galaxy.
The bright triangle of
Hydrus can
be found nestled between the two Magellanic clouds.
Above the LMC is the
constellation Volans. On the far right you will find the bright star
Canopus in
the constellation Carina. Directly above
Volans, you can make out the
constellation Chamealeon.
Click on the image to get an
enlarged view, and refer to a good star chart to help you pick out these various
constellations and features of the beautiful area surrounding the South
Celestial Pole.
Deep Sky Objects in Octans
The following objects are on the Astronomical League's Southern Sky Binocular List
Click
HERE to
download PDF
There are no Deep Sky Objects in Octans
Photos and Text © Copyright Edward P. Flaspoehler, Jr.
The Constellation Home Page
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EDITOR: Edward P. Flaspoehler, Jr.
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