Apus
Apus is a rather inconspicuous constellation in the southern sky.
| Apus | |
|---|---|
| Latin name | Apus |
| Latin genitive | Apodis |
| International abbreviation | Aps |
| Number of stars | 67 |
| Symbology | Swallow |
Remarkable objects
Only two stars within the boundaries of this constellation are brighter than magnitude +4, α Apodis and γ Apodis. There are no bright deep sky objects of note in Apus.
History and mythology
As Apus is located in the far southern celestial hemisphere it was not known to the ancient cultures in Mesopotamia or Greece and therefore there are no myths associated with it. Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman first named this constellation in the late 16th century and it was first mapped by Johann Beyer in his classical work Uranometria in 1603.
References
| 88 Official Constellations by IAU |
|
Andromeda • Antlia • Apus • Aquarius • Aquila • Ara • Aries • Auriga • Boötes • Caelum • Camelopardalis • Cancer • Canes Venatici • Canis Major • Canis Minor • Capricornus • Carina • Cassiopeia • Centaurus • Cepheus • Cetus • Chamaeleon • Circinus • Columba • Coma Berenices • Corona Australis • Corona Borealis • Corvus • Crater • Crux • Cygnus • Delphinus • Dorado • Draco • Equuleus • Eridanus • Fornax • Gemini • Grus • Hercules • Horologium • Hydra • Hydrus • Indus • Lacerta • Leo • Leo Minor • Lepus • Libra • Lupus • Lynx • Lyra • Mensa • Microscopium • Monoceros • Musca • Norma • Octans • Ophiuchus • Orion • Pavo • Pegasus • Perseus • Phoenix • Pictor • Pisces • Piscis Austrinus • Puppis • Pyxis • Reticulum • Sagitta • Sagittarius • Scorpius • Sculptor • Scutum • Serpens • Sextans • Taurus • Telescopium • Triangulum • Triangulum Australe • Tucana • Ursa Major • Ursa Minor • Vela • Virgo • Volans • Vulpecula |