Pavo, the Peacock, is a southern constellation led by the bright blue-white star Peacock, and home to Delta Pavonis, one of the nearest Sun-like stars.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 11 |
|---|---|
| nearest star of the figure | Delta Pavonis, 19.9 light-years (6.11 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Lambda Pavonis, 1,430 light-years (439 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 72 × farther than the nearest |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Pavo
Pavo is one of the southern figures drawn up from the observations of the Dutch navigators Pieter Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and published by Petrus Plancius. Its name recalls the peacocks that astonished European travellers in the East, and the bird whose tail the Greeks said carried the eyes of the hundred-eyed Argus.
Its leading star, Alpha Pavonis, received the name Peacock when it was given one for a navigation almanac. It is a hot blue-white star, bright and conspicuous in a sparse part of the sky. Delta Pavonis is quieter but closer: a yellow star a little older than the Sun and very like it, often counted among the most Sun-like stars in the solar neighbourhood.
Pavo lies far to the south, near the south celestial pole. It is best seen on winter and spring evenings from the southern hemisphere, and from most northern latitudes it never rises.
What you see in the piece
Fly out with CONSTELLATIONS (N) on, away from the HUMAN EYE view (E), and the peacock splits wider than almost any figure: Delta Pavonis lies near the Sun, while the farthest drawn star sits far back, many times deeper.
Questions
What is the brightest star in Pavo?
The brightest star in Pavo is Alpha Pavonis, called Peacock, a hot blue-white star.
How far away are the stars of Pavo?
The nearest star of the figure is Delta Pavonis, 19.9 light-years (6.11 pc); the farthest is Lambda Pavonis, 1,430 light-years (439 pc). The farthest is 72 × farther than the nearest.