Constellation Data

Name: PHOENIX Translation: Phoenix Abbreviation: Phe Genitive: Phoenicis Size: 37 Regions: Southern RA: 1hour Decl: -50 degrees Season: Fall Midnight Culmination: October 4

What is the Genitive form? What is Right Ascension (RA)? Is this constellation ever visible from my latitude? What is Declination? Where should I look for a constellation on a date before or after its midnight culmination? What is Midnight Culmination?

Skylore

The mythical Phoenix would end its life in a burning conflagration, only to rise once more from its ashes and live again.

Description

Phoenix is one of four birds in the southern skies (cf. Pavo the Peacock, Grus the Crane, and Tucana the Toucan). Partially visible during early October low in the south from 35 degrees north latitude.

Legend: In the constellation chart above...
• Star colors represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
• Bright star labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
• The size of each star indicates its relative magnitude.
• Constellation names are light blue.
• Grid lines represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator, or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the equator).
• Messier object numbers are pink.
• Galaxies are ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
• Globular clusters are gold starbursts.
• Open clusters are dotted white circles.
• Planetary nebula are green diamonds.
• Bright nebula are magenta squares.
• Dark nebula are grey rectangles.
• Green x's are x-ray sources.
• Purple O's with a diagonal slash through them are quasars.

Special Stars

Ankaa (Alpha-Phoenicis), halfway between Achernar (Eridanus) and Formalhaut (Southern Fish). Orange, 78 LY. Magnitude 2.4.

Table of 25 Brightest Stars.
What is apparent stellar magnitude?

Origin

Bayer, 1603.

©1997 Welcome to the Basic Celestial Phenomena web site. To provide explanations of basic observational astronomy to students, teachers, families, and visitors to planetariums these pages have been written by an ex-OBU Planetarium Director, Kerry Magruder; the OBU Natural Sciences Coordinator, Mike Keas; and some of the students who work in the OBU planetarium.

The source for the logo is not a medieval woodcut!

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