Constellation Reticulum (Reticle)

Reticulum
Reticulum: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

The rhomboid shape of the small constellation is somewhat reminiscent of the dolphin constellation of the northern sky. Reticulum is easy to find because it is just northwest of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The area of Reticulum is 114 square degrees and the center culminates around midnight on November 19th. [9, 15]

Data for constellation Reticulum [150]
IAU NameReticulum
IAU GenitiveReticuli
IAU Abbr.Ret
English NameReticle
Season (47° N)Not visible
Right Ascension03h 13m 27s … 04h 37m 06s
Declination-67° 14' 53" … -52° 44' 49"
Area114 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)Hor, Hyi, Dor

Catalogues

History

Reticulum, the net, does not mean a fishing net, although it is not far from the Argo Navis, but a net engraved on glass in the telescope eyepiece, with which star positions were previously measured. This constellation was christened in 1624 by Bartsch Rhombus and later in 1752 by Lacaille Reticulum Rhomboidalis (Rhombic Network). It is intended to remind of this important astronomical measuring device. [7, 10, 21]

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
  • [10] «dtv-Atlas zur Astronomie» von Joachim Herrmann; Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag; ISBN 3-423-03006-2
  • [15] «Hartung's Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes» by David Malin and David J. Frew; Melbourne University Press 1995; ISBN 0-522-84553-3
  • [21] «Taschenatlas der Sternbilder» von Josef Klepesta und Antonin Rükl; Verlag Werner Dausien; ISBN 3-7684-2384-0
  • [150] IAU: The Constellations, 11. Oktober 2020; iau.org/public/themes/constellations