Constellation Tucana (Toucan)

Tucana
Tucana: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

The constellation itself is relatively inconspicuous, but the toucan is easy to find because the Small Magellanic Cloud with the bright globular cluster 47 Tucanae is located in its southern part to the west like a blurred star. The area of this constellation is 295 square degrees and the center culminates around midnight on September 17th. [9, 15]

Data for constellation Tucana [150]
IAU NameTucana
IAU GenitiveTucanae
IAU Abbr.Tuc
English NameToucan
Opposition19 September
Season (47° N)
Right Ascension22h 08m 27s … 01h 24m 49s
Declination-75° 20' 50" … -56° 18' 46"
Area295 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)Phe, Gru, Ind, Oct, Hyi, Eri

Deep-Sky Object Descriptions

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 by Johann Bayer in 1603. It represents a toucan or pepper eater (Rhamphastidae), a bird native to the forest areas of Central and South America. These birds have a powerful, high and often very vividly colored beak. [6, 7]

References

  • [6] «Das neue Lexikon; Band 1-10»; Weltbild Verlag; © Bibliographisches Institut, Mannheim 1984
  • [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