Canis Minor is a minor constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It was included in Claudius Ptolemy's 48 constellations as an asterism, or pattern, of two stars in the second century, and it is now considered among the 88 modern constellations. Its name means "lesser dog" in Latin, as opposed to Canis Major, which means "larger dog" in English; both figures are frequently depicted as following the hunting constellation, Orion.
Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris), with a magnitude of 0.34, and Gomeisa (Beta Canis Minoris), with a brightness of 2.9, are the only stars brighter than fourth magnitude in Canis Minor. Johann Bayer, who identified eight stars in the constellation, including Alpha and Beta, and John Flamsteed, who named fourteen, both highlighted the constellation's fainter stars. Procyon is the fifth brightest and one of the nearest stars in the night sky. It has a white dwarf companion and is a yellow-white main sequence star. Gomeisa is a main sequence blue-white star. After Procyon, Luyten's Star is the Solar System's next nearest star neighbour in the constellation. It is a ninth-magnitude red dwarf. Furthermore, Procyon and Luyten's Star are only 1.12 light-years apart, with Procyon being the brightest star in Luyten's Star's sky. In 2012, a planet was identified orbiting the fourth-magnitude HD 66141, which has evolved into an orange giant near the end of its life cycle. Within the constellation's boundaries, there are two faint deep-sky objects. Early in December, the 11 Canis-Minorids meteor showers can be seen. |
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Mythology
Canis Minor is an ancient Mesopotamian city that is strongly related to the Classical Greek uranographic tradition. In the Three Stars Each tablet, dating from circa 1100 BC, Procyon and Gomeisa were referred to as MASH.TAB.BA or "twins." This term was also given to the pairs of Pi3 and Pi4 Orionis, as well as Zeta and Xi Orionis, in subsequent MUL.APIN. In Babylonian mythology, the meaning of MASH.TAB.BA evolved into the twin deities Lulal and Latarak, who are on the opposite side of the sky from Papsukal, the True Shepherd of Heaven. Canis Minor was also given the name DAR.LUGAL because of its position in the MUL.APIN, which was defined as "the star that stands behind it [Orion]"; the constellation resembles a rooster. It's also possible that this name related to the constellation Lepus. (Rogers 1998) In Babylonia, DAR.LUGAL was also known as DAR.MUŠEN and DAR.LUGAL.MUŠEN. In Akkadian astronomy, Canis Minor was known as tarlugallu. (Reiner 1995) Canis Minor was one of the original 48 constellations named by Claudius Ptolemy in his second-century Almagest as a distinctive pattern (asterism) of stars; Ptolemy only identified two stars; therefore, no picture was possible. The constellation v/Procyon, which means "coming before the dog" in Greek, was transliterated into Latin as Antecanis, Praecanis, or variations thereof by Cicero and others. The descriptors parvus, minor, or minusculus ("little" or "lesser," for its faintness), septentrionalis ("northerly," for its position regarding Canis Major), primus (rising "first"), or sinister (rising "left") was also added to its name Canis by Roman writers. (Allen 1963) |
Canis Minor was sometimes associated with the Teumessian Fox, a beast cast to stone by Zeus, along with its hunter Laelaps, and deposited in heaven as Canis Major (Laelaps) and Canis Minor (Teumessian Fox). Eratosthenes associated the Little Dog with Orion, whereas Hyginus associated it with Maera, an Athens-based dog owned by Icarius. (Klepesta et al., 1974) When the dog and Icarius' daughter Erigone learned of the latter's death, they both committed suicide, and all three were placed in the sky—Erigone as Virgo and Icarius as Boötes. The dog was placed along the "banks" of the Milky Way, which the ancients believed to be a heavenly river, as a reward for his loyalty, where he would never go thirsty. (Chartrand 1982)
Canis Minor (al-Kalb al-Asghar in Arabic) was depicted as a dog by mediaeval Arabic astronomers; in his Book of the Fixed Stars, Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi published a graphic of the constellation with a canine form superimposed. (Upton 1933) The Ptolemaic and Arabic visions of Canis Minor differed slightly in that al-Sufi claimed Mirzam, currently assigned to Orion, as part of both Canis Minor—the dog's collar—and its modern home. Procyon was called ash-Shi'ra ash-Shamiya, the "Syrian Sirius," and Gomeisa was dubbed ash-Shira al-Ghamisa, the Sirius with weary eyes, albeit their Arabic names were not literal translations of the Greek. (Upton 1933) Shepherds in Tunisia's Merazig watch for six constellations that signal the end of the dry, hot season. Merzem, one of them, is the herald of two weeks of hot weather and includes the stars of Canis Minor and Canis Major. (Oxby 1999)
This constellation was associated with Anubis, the jackal god, by the ancient Egyptians.
Fovea has been dubbed "The Pit" by Johann Bayer in the early 17th century, and Morus has been dubbed "Sycamine Tree" by others. Philippus Caesius, a seventeenth-century German poet and author, linked it to Tobias' dog from the Apocrypha. (Hinckley 1963) In 1870, Richard A. Proctor renamed the constellation Felis "the Cat" (in contrast to Canis Major, which he shortened to Canis "the Dog"), claiming that he wanted to make constellation names easier to remember on celestial charts. (Proctor 1870) Canis Minor is occasionally mistaken for Canis Major and given the name Canis Orionis ("Orion's Dog"). (Jobes & Jobes 1964)
Canis Minor (al-Kalb al-Asghar in Arabic) was depicted as a dog by mediaeval Arabic astronomers; in his Book of the Fixed Stars, Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi published a graphic of the constellation with a canine form superimposed. (Upton 1933) The Ptolemaic and Arabic visions of Canis Minor differed slightly in that al-Sufi claimed Mirzam, currently assigned to Orion, as part of both Canis Minor—the dog's collar—and its modern home. Procyon was called ash-Shi'ra ash-Shamiya, the "Syrian Sirius," and Gomeisa was dubbed ash-Shira al-Ghamisa, the Sirius with weary eyes, albeit their Arabic names were not literal translations of the Greek. (Upton 1933) Shepherds in Tunisia's Merazig watch for six constellations that signal the end of the dry, hot season. Merzem, one of them, is the herald of two weeks of hot weather and includes the stars of Canis Minor and Canis Major. (Oxby 1999)
This constellation was associated with Anubis, the jackal god, by the ancient Egyptians.
Fovea has been dubbed "The Pit" by Johann Bayer in the early 17th century, and Morus has been dubbed "Sycamine Tree" by others. Philippus Caesius, a seventeenth-century German poet and author, linked it to Tobias' dog from the Apocrypha. (Hinckley 1963) In 1870, Richard A. Proctor renamed the constellation Felis "the Cat" (in contrast to Canis Major, which he shortened to Canis "the Dog"), claiming that he wanted to make constellation names easier to remember on celestial charts. (Proctor 1870) Canis Minor is occasionally mistaken for Canis Major and given the name Canis Orionis ("Orion's Dog"). (Jobes & Jobes 1964)
Non-western astronomy
The stars that correlate to Canis Minor in Chinese astronomy are found in the Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què). Nánhé, the Southern River, is formed by Procyon, Gomeisa, and Eta Canis Minoris. (Guanzhong & Huihua 2006) Nánhé (Castor and Pollux) and its counterpart, the Northern River Beihe (Castor and Pollux), were both connected with a gate or sentry. The asterism Shuiwei, which literally means "water level," was produced by Zeta and 8 Cancri, as well as 6 Canis Minoris and 11 Canis Minoris. Shuiwei represented an authority who oversaw flooding or a water level marker when combined with additional stars in Gemini. Four stars in Canis Minor were identified by neighbouring Korea as belonging to a distinct constellation, "the position of the water." This constellation was found in the constellation of the Red Bird, the southern portion of the sky. (Rufus et al., 1944)
Canis Minor was not always recognised as a constellation, but Polynesians saw Procyon as significant and gave it names; in the Tuamotu Archipelago, it was known as Hiro, which meant "twist as a thread of coconut fibre," and Kopu-nui-o-Hiro, which was either a name for the modern figure of Canis Minor or an alternative name for Procyon. Vena (after a deity) on Mangaia and Puanga-hori (false Puanga, the name for Rigel) in New Zealand were among the other names. Procyon was known in the Society Islands as Ana-tahua-vahine-o-toa-te-manava, which meant "Aster the priestess of brave heart" and figuratively "pillar for elocution." (Henry 1907) Procyon and Gomeisa were given the names Magum and Gurumana by the Wardaman people of Australia's Northern Territory, who described them as humans who were converted into gum trees in the dreamtime. Even though their skin had turned to bark, they were still able to communicate with humans by rustling their leaves. (Harney et al., 2004)
The stars that correlate to Canis Minor in Chinese astronomy are found in the Vermilion Bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què). Nánhé, the Southern River, is formed by Procyon, Gomeisa, and Eta Canis Minoris. (Guanzhong & Huihua 2006) Nánhé (Castor and Pollux) and its counterpart, the Northern River Beihe (Castor and Pollux), were both connected with a gate or sentry. The asterism Shuiwei, which literally means "water level," was produced by Zeta and 8 Cancri, as well as 6 Canis Minoris and 11 Canis Minoris. Shuiwei represented an authority who oversaw flooding or a water level marker when combined with additional stars in Gemini. Four stars in Canis Minor were identified by neighbouring Korea as belonging to a distinct constellation, "the position of the water." This constellation was found in the constellation of the Red Bird, the southern portion of the sky. (Rufus et al., 1944)
Canis Minor was not always recognised as a constellation, but Polynesians saw Procyon as significant and gave it names; in the Tuamotu Archipelago, it was known as Hiro, which meant "twist as a thread of coconut fibre," and Kopu-nui-o-Hiro, which was either a name for the modern figure of Canis Minor or an alternative name for Procyon. Vena (after a deity) on Mangaia and Puanga-hori (false Puanga, the name for Rigel) in New Zealand were among the other names. Procyon was known in the Society Islands as Ana-tahua-vahine-o-toa-te-manava, which meant "Aster the priestess of brave heart" and figuratively "pillar for elocution." (Henry 1907) Procyon and Gomeisa were given the names Magum and Gurumana by the Wardaman people of Australia's Northern Territory, who described them as humans who were converted into gum trees in the dreamtime. Even though their skin had turned to bark, they were still able to communicate with humans by rustling their leaves. (Harney et al., 2004)
Characteristics
Canis Minor is a minor constellation bounded to the south by Monoceros, to the north by Gemini, to the northeast by Cancer, and to the east by Hydra. It is located exactly south of Gemini's prominent stars Castor and Pollux. It does not share a border with Canis Major; Monoceros lies between them. Canis Minor is the seventh largest of the 88 constellations, covering 183 square degrees. During the Northern Hemisphere's winter, it shines brightly in the southern sky. (Garfinkle 1997) A polygon with 14 sides defines the constellation borders, as determined by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930. The right ascension coordinates of these borders are between 07h 06.4m and 08h 11.4m in the equatorial coordinate system, while the declination coordinates are between 13.22° and 0.36°. From January through March, it is most visible in the evening sky. Canis Minor shines brightest at 10 p.m. in mid-February. (Ellyard & Tirion 2008)(Ellyard 2008)
It is then seen earlier in the evening until July when it is only visible after sunset before setting and rising before dawn in the morning sky. (Rodmell 2013) The International Astronomical Union established the three-letter designation "CMi" for the constellation in 1922.
Deepsky Objects
NGC 2459 – A group of 5 stars which are unrelated but appear to be close together
NGC 2394 – Group of 15 unrelated stars
NGC 2508 – Lenticular Galaxy
NGC 2402 – A pair of galaxies which appears to be interacting with each other but are not.
Abel 24 – Faint Planetary Nebula
Main stars – 2
Bayer stars – 14
Stars with planets – 1
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.0 – 2
Stars closer than 32ly – 4
Meteor showers – Canis minorids – Early – Mid-December with a peak between 10-11 December
Bordering
constellations
- Monoceros
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Hydra