Constellation Pavo (Peacock)
Properties
The constellation is located near the southern celestial pole between Telescopium and Octans. Its shape is not easy to understand. The most noticeable feature is the bright one Star Peacock in the north and the straight line of three stars further south. The constellation has an area of 378 square degrees and the centre culminates in each case around midnight on July 13th. [9, 15]
| α Pav | Peacock |
| IAU Name | Pavo |
| IAU Genitive | Pavonis |
| IAU Abbr. | Pav |
| English Name | Peacock |
| Culmination at local midnight | 13 July |
| Season (Latitude +46.8°) | [Not visible] |
| Right Ascension (J2000.0) | 17h 40m 40s … 21h 32m 44s |
| Declination (J2000.0) | -74° 58' 28" … -56° 35' 19" |
| Area | 378 deg2 |
| Neighbours (N↻) | Tel, Ara, Aps, Oct, Ind |
Deep-Sky Object Descriptions
Catalogues
Mythology and History
Pavo is a constellation that first appeared on a star map by Johann Bayer in 1603. He probably took it over from the seafarers of the 16th century. The constellation belongs together with Apus, Tucana, Grus and Phoenix to the "heavenly" birds.
In Greek mythology, the peacock was dedicated to the goddess of the sky (Hera). According to legend, Hera had commissioned the hundred-eyed Argus to watch out for a white cow, in whose shape she assumed one of the countless lovers of her godly husband Zeus: the nymph Io. Zeus sent Hermes, who cut off Argus' head and thus freed the cow. To do this, Hera moved Argus' hundred eyes to the peacock's tail. [7, 21]