Constellation Hydrus (Male Water Snake)

Hydrus
Hydrus: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

The constellation does not have any prominent star groupings. However, it is located between the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, south of the star Achenar at the end of the river Eridanus, making it easy to find. The constellation is significantly smaller than the Great Water Snake, with an area of 243 square degrees. The centre culminates around midnight on October 26 each year. It is not visible from Europe.[9, 15]

Stars with Proper Names [154]
α Hyi Head Of Hydrus
Data for constellation Hydrus [150]
IAU NameHydrus
IAU GenitiveHydri
IAU Abbr.Hyi
English NameMale Water Snake
Culmination at local midnight31 October
Season (Latitude +46.8°)[Not visible]
Right Ascension (J2000.0)00h 06m 08s … 04h 35m 11s
Declination (J2000.0)-82° 03' 52" … -57° 50' 54"
Area243 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)Eri, Phe, Tuc, Oct, Men, Dor, Ret, Hor

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 German sky cartographer Johann Bayer introduced this constellation in 1603 as a small counterpart to the Hydra. It first appeared in his Uranometria. [7]

References

  • [7] Der grosse Kosmos-Himmelsführer; Ian Ridpath; Wil Tirion; Kosmos Verlag; ISBN 3-440-05787-9
  • [9] Drehbare Sternkarte SIRIUS; H. Suter-Haug; Hallwag-Verlag, Bern
  • [15] Hartung's Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes; 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; tdc-www.harvard.edu/catalogs/bsc5.html; 2020-10-15