Octans, mythology, history, characteristics and observations by telescope

	Octans represented the octante, navigation instrument created by John Hadley in 1730. It was Nicolas Louis Lacaille that in 1752 created or designed the constellation of Octans.

Octans, is a small constellation that is located in the celestial South Pole, therefore is visible solely in the South hemisphere. It is a weak star constellation and nothing showy, to be solely in this location. The polestar of the South hemisphere corresponds to star s Octantis of magnitude 5.45 call Polaris Australis that dista more of 1º of the true South Pole.

Octans updte the date, I have not been able to locate it to less be in very austral latitudes nothing than in the celestial South Pole from the island of Majorca where alive, although I do not discard to someday make a trip to the seas of the south, and to lose to me in an island of the desert Pacific to be able to contemplate and to locate the constellations that I have left to discover.

Constellation of Octans

Main stars

Alpha, a; of 5.13 magnitude and white color near Pavus, dista 148 years Earth light.

Beta, b; of 4.14 magnitude and yellow color, dista 140 years light, one is in the center of the constellation.

Gamma, g; of 5.11 magnitude and yellow color, dista 267 years light, one is closely together of the constellation of Hydrus.

Sigma, s; denominated Polaris Australis, it is the polestar of the South hemisphere, of magnitude 5.45 and therefore, observable in very dark nights far from the lights of the cities and yellow, dista color 270 years light, one is to 1º and 3' of arc of the celestial South Pole.

Other objects

To date observations by telescope have not been made since it is located in the South hemisphere, next to the celestial and invisible South Pole from where I write these lines to you, Majorca, Spain, although I do not discard to someday make a trip to the seas of the south, and to lose to me in an island of the Pacific to be able to contemplate and to locate the constellations that still I have left to discover.

Next in the following window you can select the constellation that you want to locate, to observe and to discover following with the thematic one of the Web of Masm.