Constellation Chamaeleon (Chameleon)

Chamaeleon
Chamaeleon: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

Chameleon is in inconspicuous constellation near the South Pole, south of the bright star Miaplacidus (beta Carinae). The stars are faint and hardly reach 4th magnitude. They roughly form the figure of an elongated diamond. The constellation covers an area of only 132 square degrees. The center culminates around midnight on February 28th. [9, 15]

Data for constellation Chamaeleon [150]
IAU NameChamaeleon
IAU GenitiveChamaeleontis
IAU Abbr.Cha
English NameChameleon
Opposition24 February
Season (47° N)
Right Ascension07h 26m 37s … 13h 56m 27s
Declination-83° 07' 12" … -75° 17' 24"
Area132 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)Car, Vol, Men, Oct, Aps, Mus

Deep-Sky Object Descriptions

NGC 3195

Catalogues

Southern Constellations: Phoenix, Grus, Indus, Toucan, Hydrus, Pavo, Apus Indica, Triangulum Australe, Chameleon, Apis, Piscis Volans, Dorado
Southern Constellations: Phoenix, Grus, Indus, Toucan, Hydrus, Pavo, Apus Indica, Triangulum Australe, Chameleon, Apis, Piscis Volans, Dorado: Illustration from «Uranometria» by Johann Bayer, copper engraving by Alexander Mair, 1603 [28]

History

This constellation was introduced in 1603 by Johann Bayer in his Uranometria, the atlas of the entire starry sky. It represents the reptile of the same name, which is known for its ability to adapt the skin color to its surroundings. [7]

References

  • [7] «Der grosse Kosmos-Himmelsführer» von Ian Ridpath und Wil Tirion; Kosmos Verlag; ISBN 3-440-05787-9
  • [9] «Drehbare Sternkarte SIRIUS» von H. Suter-Haug; Hallwag-Verlag, Bern
  • [15] «Hartung's Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes» by David Malin and David J. Frew; Melbourne University Press 1995; ISBN 0-522-84553-3
  • [28] «Uranometria omnium asterismorum continens schemata, nova methodo delineata aereis laminis expressa» Johann Bayer, Augsburg, 1603; DOI:10.3931/e-rara-309
  • [150] IAU: The Constellations, 11. Oktober 2020; iau.org/public/themes/constellations