Apus

Apus

Constellation
List of stars in Apus
Abbreviation	Aps
Genitive	Apodis
Pronunciation	/ˈeɪpəs/, genitive /ˈæpədɨs/
Symbolism	the bird of paradise
Right ascension	16
Declination	−75
Area	206 sq. deg. (67th)
Main stars	4
Bayer/Flamsteed stars	12
Stars with known planets	0
Bright stars	0
Nearby stars	0
Brightest star	α Aps (3.83m)
Nearest star	HD 122862 (93.5 ly)
Messier objects	None
Meteor showers	None
Bordering constellations	Triangulum Australe Circinus Musca Chamaeleon Octans Pavo Ara
Visible at latitudes between +5° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of July.

Apus is a faint constellation in the southern sky, first defined in the late sixteenth century. Its name means "no feet" in Greek, and it represents a bird of paradise (which were once believed to lack feet). It is bordered by Triangulum Australe, Circinus, Musca, Chamaeleon, Octans, Pavo and Ara. Its genitive is "Apodis".

History

Apus was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman and it first appeared on a 35 cm diameter celestial globe published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius with Jodocus Hondius. Plancius called the constellation Paradysvogel Apis Indica; the first word is Dutch for 'bird of paradise', but the others are Latin for "Indian Bee"; "apis" (Latin for "bee") is presumably an error for "avis" or "bird". [1] This confusion seems to have prompted a rename of two constellations: "Avis Indica" to "Apus" and the constellation of the bee, Apis, to Musca the fly.^{[citation needed]}

After its introduction on Plancius's globe, the first known depiction of the constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603.

Notable features

See also: List of stars in Apus

Apus includes two weak globular clusters, NGC 6101 and IC 4499, as well as a very unusual nebular structure that surrounds the spiral galaxy IC 4633. This nebula is known as integrated flux and is actually inside our Milky Way galaxy.

References

• Ridpath, Ian; Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide. London: Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-725120-9. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691135564. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Apus

• The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Apus
• Peoria Astronomical Society - Apus
• NightSkyInfo.com: Constellation Apus
• WIKISKY.ORG: Apus on WIKISKY
• Star Tales – Apus

Coordinates: 16^h 00^m 00^s, +75° 00′ 00″

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