Volans, mythology, history, characteristics and observations by telescope

	One is the flying fish. The constellation of Volans was designed by the Dutch navigator Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederik de Houtman at the end of century XVI. The original name was Piscis Volans that represents the animal at issue.

Volans, comprises of a group of constellations of the located South hemisphere near the celestial South Pole whose parallel of South 70º crosses it by half. One is to 30º to the south of the celestial equator and as so we can observe stellar accumulations and stars not very shining but if stellar rich fields.

Volans limits the north with the constellation of Carina, to the east with the constellations of Doradus and Mensa, to the south with Mensa and Chamaleon and to the west again with Carina.

Volans is observable in the South hemisphere during great part of the year since it is possible to be considered circumpolar, however, is invisible from the North hemisphere.

To date, I have not been able to locate it to be in very austral latitudes 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 Volans

Main stars

Alpha, a; of 4.0 magnitude and white color it is located already in the western sector of the constellation closely together of Carina. Earth light is to 124 years, is a star 30 times more luminous than our Sun.

Beta, b; of 3.77 magnitude and orange color, one is to 4º to the east of a and to 108 years Earth light, it is a star 28 times more luminous than our Sun.

Gamma, g; of 3.76 magnitude and color orange, Earth light is to 141 years comprises of an optical pair with secondary of 5.62 magnitude and a yellow color located to 147 years light.

Delta, d; located in the center of the constellation it has a magnitude of 3.97 is of white color. Earth light is to 660 years and is a white giant 880 times more luminous than our Sun.

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.