Pyxis

Constellation

Represents a mariner's compass, a small constellation once considered part of the ship Argo Navis.

Facts

TypeConstellation
Area of sky221 sq°
Brightest starAlpha Pyxidis
Brightest star magnitudemag 3.67
HemisphereSouthern
Zodiac constellationNo
Discovered1756

Pyxis in context

A constellation is a pattern drawn on the sky rather than a physical grouping: its stars are usually unrelated and sit at wildly different distances, just lined up as seen from Earth.

Pyxis covers 221 square degrees of sky, which is 0.5 percent of the whole celestial sphere.

That makes it the 65th largest of the 88 constellations the International Astronomical Union recognises.

It sits in the southern sky.

Its brightest star reaches magnitude 3.67, bright enough to pick out with the naked eye under a dark sky.

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