Constellation Pictor
Introduction
Pictor is a southern constellation that was introduced by the astronomer Johann Elert Bode in
the late 18th century. The name “Pictor” means “the painter” in Latin, representing an easel or painter’s
table, not an artist as many constellations depict, but the tools used by the artist.
Stars
The Pictor constellation is not particularly bright, but it contains several notable stars. The
brightest star is Alpha Pictoris, also known as Alpha Pic, with an apparent magnitude of 3.27. Another
interesting star is Beta Pictoris, a young star surrounded by an extensive debris disk, which might
contain planets in the process of formation.
Deep-sky Objects
Pictor is home to a few interesting deep-sky objects as well. For instance, the Pictor A galaxy is
a radio galaxy, located about 450 million light years away. It is one of the brightest radio sources in
the sky, and its black hole is one of the largest known.
History and Mythology
Pictor was named after the artist’s easel by Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. This constellation
was one of the original 88 constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union in 1922.
Pictor is not associated with any specific mythological or historical significance.