Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Constellations of Grus and Piscis Austrinus

Constellations of Grus and Piscis Austrinus

author: A.Fujii/David Malin Images/Novapix

reference: a-cst39-00003

Image Size 300 DPI: 40 * 51 cm

Grus (the Crane) is meant to represent a water bird, which may be a crane or perhaps a flamingo. This stellar grouping was introduced by Johann Bayer in his star atlas of 1603. Because of its location in the southern sky it is not visible from north latitudes above 40 degrees. Even if it were visible, it would hardly be remarked upon. Piscis Austrinus (the Southern Fish) once included Grus, and nowadays represents the Southern Fish, drinking from the water poured by Aquarius, adjoining it to the north. Piscis Austrinus was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations and its brightest star is Fomalhaut, a name drived from the Arabic for fish's mouth.

Keywords for this photo:

ASTRONOMY - CONSTELLATION - FOMALHAUT - GRUS - NIGHT - PISCIS AUSTRINUS - POSTER - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - STAR - STARRY SKY -