Constellation Grus (Crane)

Grus
Grus: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

The constellation is south of Piscis Austrinus. Only the northern parts of the constellation can be observed from Central Europe. The most striking feature is a curved star line which is concave to the star Al Nair (α Gruis). The area of the constellation is 366 square and the center culminates around midnight on August 29th. The northernmost part then makes it into Central Europe just above the southern horizon. [9, 15]

Stars with Proper Names [154]
α Gru Alnair, Al Nair
Data for constellation Grus [150]
IAU NameGrus
IAU GenitiveGruis
IAU Abbr.Gru
English NameCrane
Opposition28 August
Season (47° N)August … September
Right Ascension21h 27m 43s … 23h 27m 04s
Declination-56° 23' 27" … -36° 18' 46"
Area366 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)PsA, Mic, Ind, Tuc, Phe, Scl

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

The constellation was introduced in 1603 by Johann Bayer in his Uranometria. It represents a water bird, usually a crane, but is also seen by some as a flamingo. [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
  • [154] Yale Bright Star Catalog, 15. Oktober 2020; tdc-www.harvard.edu/catalogs/bsc5.html