Constellation Sextans

⁣ ‌ The constellation Sextans, or ‌”The Sextant,” is a faint constellation located in the southern celestial hemisphere. It ⁢was introduced by​ the Polish astronomer⁣ Johannes Hevelius in the late 17th century and ‌is named after the instrument used for measuring angles, particularly⁣ for celestial navigation.

​ Sextans is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized‌ by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It lies between⁤ the constellations Leo,⁢ Hydra, Crater, and Virgo. Due to its dimness, ‌it can be challenging to⁤ spot Sextans with the ⁣naked‍ eye from light-polluted​ areas, but it becomes ‌more⁤ visible under the pristine ⁤night sky.

‌ ⁤ ‌ ⁣ The main ⁣star in Sextans is Alpha Sextantis, also known as HD 88537. It is a yellow giant star with an apparent magnitude of ‍around 4.49.⁢ Other‍ notable stars in⁢ the constellation include Beta Sextantis, Gamma Sextantis, and Epsilon Sextantis.

⁤ ​ Sextans does not have any prominent ‌deep-sky objects within its boundaries. However, it ⁤does contain some notable galaxies, such as NGC 3115 ‍(also⁤ known as the⁣ Spindle Galaxy),‌ NGC 3166, and ​NGC ​3169.⁣ These⁣ galaxies‌ are ‌visible through small to moderate-sized telescopes.

⁤ ⁤ In ancient times, Sextans was not‍ recognized as a‌ separate⁤ constellation and​ was largely considered a part of Leo. Eventually, in the late 17th century, Hevelius ‌identified and defined it as an individual ⁤constellation to honor scientific instruments. Sextans serves as a reminder of ‌the significant role⁣ played by sextants in charting⁣ the night sky.

‌ Image Source: Wikipedia

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