Constellation
Represents a flying fish, one of twelve constellations introduced by Dutch navigators.
| Type | Constellation |
|---|---|
| Area of sky | 141 sq° |
| Brightest star | Gamma2 Volantis |
| Brightest star magnitude | mag 3.61 |
| Hemisphere | Southern |
| Zodiac constellation | No |
| Discovered | 1597 |
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.
Volans covers 141 square degrees of sky, which is 0.3 percent of the whole celestial sphere.
That makes it the 76th largest of the 88 constellations the International Astronomical Union recognises.
It sits in the southern sky.
Its brightest star reaches magnitude 3.61, bright enough to pick out with the naked eye under a dark sky.
Play today's Cosmodle