Sextans, the Sextant, is a faint constellation on the celestial equator south of Leo, named by Hevelius after the instrument he measured the stars with.
At a glance
| stars in the figure | 4 |
|---|---|
| nearest star of the figure | Gamma Sextantis, 278 light-years (85.1 pc) |
| farthest star of the figure | Beta Sextantis, 405 light-years (124 pc) |
| depth | the farthest is 1.5 × farther than the nearest |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Sextans
Sextans was introduced by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in honour of the large astronomical sextant he used, without a telescope, to measure the positions of stars. It occupies a dim gap between Leo and Hydra, just south of Regulus, and its stars are barely visible from towns.
Its stars may be faint, but the direction is interesting. Sextans lies well away from the Milky Way, and beyond it are galaxies: a small dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way lies in this part of the sky, as does the Spindle Galaxy, a lens-shaped galaxy seen edge-on.
Lying on the celestial equator, Sextans is visible from both hemispheres, best on evenings in the northern spring, the southern autumn.
What you see in the piece
Fly out with CONSTELLATIONS (N) on, leaving the HUMAN EYE view (E): the sextant’s stars lie at fairly similar distances, so the figure stretches rather than shatters, holding a loose version of its shape for a while.
Questions
Where is Sextans?
Sextans lies on the celestial equator, just south of Regulus in Leo and north of Hydra. It is faint and needs a dark sky.
How far away are the stars of Sextans?
The nearest star of the figure is Gamma Sextantis, 278 light-years (85.1 pc); the farthest is Beta Sextantis, 405 light-years (124 pc). The farthest is 1.5 × farther than the nearest.