Did you know the largest constellation in the sky occupies around 3.16% of the sky and its size makes it easier for people to locate it unlike smaller constellations like Caelum? Located in the southern hemisphere, Caelum is the 8th smallest constellation.
Because of its tiny size, Caelum has no eminent deep-sky objects. This constellation has only two stars which are brighter than the 5th magnitude. Caelum has been home to the RR Caeli; the fainted eclipsing binary star and HE0450-2958, the rare quasar.
History of Caelum Constellation
Caelum was first called Caela Sculptoris or the chisel of the sculptor. This constellation was created in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille who was a French astronomer together with 13 other constellations.
Lacaille had named Caelum “Burin” which was a French name. Afterwards, it was Latinized to the “Caelum Scalptorium” which translated to the Chisel of Engravers. Later, the name was shortened to Caelum by two English astronomers Francis Baily and his fellow astronomer named John Herschel.
In the original chart of Lacaille, this constellation was presented as two kinds of chisels; the first one was a burin which was a steel-engraving chisel while the other was an échoppe which was an etching chisel. Later, it was simply recognized as a single chisel.
What is the English Name for Caelum Constellation?
The English name for the constellation of Caelum is “Chisel“.
What is the Greek Mythological Significance of Caelum Constellation?
Caelum has no Greek mythology attached to it. It is simply one among the 14 constellations in the southern hemisphere which were discovered by the famous French astronomer named Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
Lacaille had named all the 14 constellations after tools and instruments, unlike other ancient constellations which had a myth behind it.
How to Find Caelum Constellation?
Follow the steps discussed below to locate Caelum:
- Look for the first southern hemisphere through stellar coordinates.
- Trace between +40° and -90°lattitude. You can also pick out Canopus, which is the brightest star of Carina.
- When you find Canopus, you can easily spot Caelum among its neighbours Dorado, Pictor, Horologium, Eridanus, Lepus, and Columba.
What is the Area of Caelum Constellation?
Caelum has a total area of 124.865 square degrees.
What Quadrant is Caelum Constellation in?
Caelum is located in SQ1, the first quadrant of the southern hemisphere.
What Latitudes is Caelum Constellation Visible in?
This constellation is visible at the latitude of +40° and -90°. It has borders with:
- Columba
- Dorado
- Eridanus
- Horologium
- Lepus
- Pictor
What Type of Telescope if best for Viewing Caelum Constellation?
The Caelum constellation is among those tiny constellations which cannot be seen with naked eyes, binoculars or small ordinary telescopes. To locate constellations as little as Caelum, you will need more advanced and larger telescopes.
You should use an eyepiece of broader angle and a Dobsonian Telescope of 5-inch. Moreover, to get a clearer image and detailed view, you can also use the Hubble Space Telescope (if available).
Sources
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