A constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere is called Piscis Austrinus. In contrast to the larger constellation Pisces, which depicts a pair of fishes, the name is Latin for "the southern fish." It had another name before the 20th century, Piscis Notius. Piscis Austrinus is one of the eighty-eight constellations that are still visible today. It was one of the forty-eight constellations that the second-century astronomer Claudius Ptolemy recorded. The "tail" of Piscis Austrinus was previously formed by the stars of the current constellation Grus. Petrus Plancius carved out a new constellation in 1597 or 1598 and gave it the name of the crane.
Only Fomalhaut, the 18th-brightest star in the night sky, is brighter than the fourth magnitude. It was stated in 2008 that it had a planet and was encircled by a circumstellar disc, but this discovery has since been disputed. The brightest red dwarf star in the night sky is Lacaille 9352, and two super-Earths were found to be orbiting it in 2020. One of the stars with the most brightness in the sky is the BL Lacertae object PKS 2155-304. |
Origins
Originating with the Babylonian constellation known simply as the Fish (MUL.KU). Bradley Schaefer, an astronomy professor, has suggested that to identify a pattern that resembled a fish, ancient viewers must have had the ability to see as far south as Mu Piscis Austrini. (Schaefer 2002) Around 500 BCE, Piscis Austrinus was brought to the Ancient Greeks along with the eagle Aquila, the crow Corvus, and the water snake Hydra; these constellations stood for the summer and winter solstices, respectively. (Roslyn 2015) This constellation, known as the Great Fish in Greek mythology, is seen as gulping down the water Aquarius, the water-bearer constellation, is spewing out. According to legend, the Great Fish's two progeny are the two fish that make up the constellation Pisces. According to Egyptian legend, Isis, the goddess of Egypt, was saved by this fish, and as a result, she threw this fish and its offspring into the heavens as constellations of stars. (Hyginus 1997) The fish was claimed to have resided in a lake close to Bambyce in Syria and had saved Derceto, the daughter of Aphrodite, and for this deed was placed in the skies, according to Greek historian Ctesias, who wrote this in the fifth century BC. Fish were considered sacrosanct as a result, and few Syrians ate them. (Condos 1997) |
Characteristics
Capricornus to the northwest, Microscopium to the southwest, Grus to the south, Sculptor to the east, and Aquarius to the north border the constellation Piscis Austrinus. Its preferred three-letter acronym is "PsA," which was approved by the International Astronomical Union in 1922. (Russell 1922) In his Almagest, Claudius Ptolemy referred to the constellation Ichthus Notios as the "Southern Fish." Johann Bayer and Johann Elert Bode, two German celestial cartographers, Latinized this to Piscis Notius. The French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille termed it Piscis Australis, although Bayer also referred to it as Piscis Meridanus and Piscis Austrinus. Piscis Austrinus was chosen by English astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, and most people did so subsequently. (Wagman 2003) Eugène Delporte, a Belgian astronomer, established the official constellation limits in 1930, which are represented by a polygon with four parts. These borders' right ascension values in the equatorial coordinate system range from 21h 27.3m to 23h 06.5m, while their declination coordinates fall between 24.83° and 36.46°. In the south of latitude 53°N, astronomers can see the entire constellation.
Capricornus to the northwest, Microscopium to the southwest, Grus to the south, Sculptor to the east, and Aquarius to the north border the constellation Piscis Austrinus. Its preferred three-letter acronym is "PsA," which was approved by the International Astronomical Union in 1922. (Russell 1922) In his Almagest, Claudius Ptolemy referred to the constellation Ichthus Notios as the "Southern Fish." Johann Bayer and Johann Elert Bode, two German celestial cartographers, Latinized this to Piscis Notius. The French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille termed it Piscis Australis, although Bayer also referred to it as Piscis Meridanus and Piscis Austrinus. Piscis Austrinus was chosen by English astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, and most people did so subsequently. (Wagman 2003) Eugène Delporte, a Belgian astronomer, established the official constellation limits in 1930, which are represented by a polygon with four parts. These borders' right ascension values in the equatorial coordinate system range from 21h 27.3m to 23h 06.5m, while their declination coordinates fall between 24.83° and 36.46°. In the south of latitude 53°N, astronomers can see the entire constellation.
Deep-sky Objects
Main stars - 7
Bayer stars - 21
Stars with planets - 6
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 1
Stars within 32 Ly - 3
Messier objects - 0
Meteor showers - 0
Bordering
constellations
- NGC 7172 – Seyfert Galaxy
- NGC 7174 – Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 7314 – Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 7259 – Spiral Galaxy
Main stars - 7
Bayer stars - 21
Stars with planets - 6
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 1
Stars within 32 Ly - 3
Messier objects - 0
Meteor showers - 0
Bordering
constellations
- Capricornus
- Microscopium
- Grus
- Sculptor
- Aquarius