It's the shape of a ship's sails.
Vela is Latin for "sail", specifically the sail of a wind-powered ship. Vela is named this because it was once part of a larger constellation, Argo Navis, that resembled a ship. Argo Navis was later divided into three constellations, and Vela is one of them.
Vela in Latin means "sails" as in the sails of a ship. The constellation Vela was once included in the constellation Argo Navis which is Latin for "the ship Argo" or the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology. The constellation Argo Navis (so named by Ptolemy in the 2nd century) was considered to be too large by modern astronomers and so has been divided into three parts, Vela (the sails), Carina (the hull or keel) and Puppis (the upper deck).
Carina is near Vela.
Puppis--The Stern: It's the back part of the ship of the argonauts, the Argos. It was once part of a larger constellation called the "Argo Navis", now it's broken into four: Puppis--The Stern Vela--The Sails Carina--The Keel Pyxis--The Compass
The Best Time To See Vela Would Be In the summer months.
Vela is Latin for "sail", specifically the sail of a wind-powered ship. Vela is named this because it was once part of a larger constellation, Argo Navis, that resembled a ship. Argo Navis was later divided into three constellations, and Vela is one of them.
Vela in Latin means "sails" as in the sails of a ship. The constellation Vela was once included in the constellation Argo Navis which is Latin for "the ship Argo" or the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in Greek mythology. The constellation Argo Navis (so named by Ptolemy in the 2nd century) was considered to be too large by modern astronomers and so has been divided into three parts, Vela (the sails), Carina (the hull or keel) and Puppis (the upper deck).
Carina is near Vela.
Puppis--The Stern: It's the back part of the ship of the argonauts, the Argos. It was once part of a larger constellation called the "Argo Navis", now it's broken into four: Puppis--The Stern Vela--The Sails Carina--The Keel Pyxis--The Compass
The Best Time To See Vela Would Be In the summer months.
The Pencil Nebula (or NGC2736) is part of the Vela Supernova Remnant, located near the Vela Pulsar in the constellation Vela.It is called "pencil" because of it's linear appearance.See related link for a picture.
ANTLIA
1: Hydro 2: Virgo There used to be an ancient constellation called "The Argo Navis"--The Argos (The ship of the argonauts.). This was so big they broke it into four smaller ones which are more manageable: "Carina"--The Keel, "Puppis"--The Stern, "Vela"--The Sails and "Pyxis"--The compass.
The name of the ship which carried Jason and his fifty-four companions to Colchis, in quest of the Golden Fleece., A large constellation in the southern hemisphere, called also Argo Navis. In modern astronomy it is replaced by its three divisions, Carina, Puppis, and Vela.
Probably the Vela supernova in the southern constellation Vela. Its source supernova exploded approximately 11,000-12,300 years ago (and was about 800 light years away).
The Cross of Carrine is part of a southern cross constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near Volans and Vela that contains the star Canopus. Canopus is the second-brightest star in the night sky, after Sirius.
It is part of the Orion constellation.