An extremely weak constellation in the northern sky is called Vulpecula. Although it is more frequently referred to as the fox, its name is Latin for "small fox." It is situated in the centre of the Summer Triangle and was discovered in the seventeenth century (an asterism consisting of the bright stars Deneb, Vega, and Altair).
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History
Vulpecula was made by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius in the late 17th century. The illustration for "the small fox and the goose," also known as "Vulpecula cum ansere" or "Vulpecula et Anser," showed a fox holding a goose in its mouth. The fox and the goose were not considered to be two distinct constellations by Hevelius, but later the stars were separated into an Anser and a Vulpecula. The goose is recalled by the name of the star, Vulpeculae: Anser, while they have been amalgamated once more today under the name of the fox. |
Deep-sky Objects
Main stars - 20
Bayer stars - 33
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 0
Stars within 32 Ly - 0
Messier objects - 1
Bordering
constellations
- Messier 27 (M27) – Dumbbell Nebula – Planetary Nebula
- NGC 7052 – Elliptical Galaxy
- NGC 6823 – Open Cluster associated with NGC 6820
- NGC 6830 – Open Cluster
- NGC 6885 – Open Cluster
- NGC 6802 – Open Cluster
- NGC 6820 – HII Region
Main stars - 20
Bayer stars - 33
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 0
Stars within 32 Ly - 0
Messier objects - 1
Bordering
constellations
- Cygnus
- Lyra
- Hercules
- Sagitta
- Delphinus
- Pegasus