Canes Venatici

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Canes venatici
Image:Canes venatici constellation map.png click for larger image
Abbreviation	CVn
Genitive	Canum Venaticorum
Symbology	the Hunting Dogs
Right ascension	13 h
Declination	+40°
Area	465 sq. deg. Ranked 38th
Number of stars (magnitude < 3)	1
Brightest star	Cor Caroli (α CVn) (App. magnitude 2.90)
Meteor showers	Canes Venaticids
Bordering constellations	Ursa Major Boötes Coma Berenices
Visible at latitudes between +90° and −40° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of May

Canes Venatici (Latin for hunting dogs) is a small northern constellation that was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. It is supposed to represent the dogs Chara and Asterion held on a leash by Boötes.

Contents 1 Notable features 2 Notable deep sky objects 3 Table of leading stars 4 Stars 5 External links

Notable features

Canes Venatici is one of three constellations that represent dogs, along with Canis Major and Canis Minor. The constellation's brightest star is α CVn, whose proper name is Cor Caroli, named by Edmund Halley in memory of the English King Charles I. It is of magnitude 2.90.

Y CVn, sometimes known as "La Superba", is a semiregular variable star that varies between magnitudes 4.7 and 6.2 over a period of around 158 days. It is a very red star.

Notable deep sky objects

Canes Venatici contains five Messier objects, including five galaxies. One of the more significant galaxies in Canes Venatici is the Whirlpool Galaxy, M51 (NGC 5194 and NGC 5195), a spiral galaxy that is seen face on. This was the first galaxy recognised as having a spiral structure, this structure being first observed by Lord Rosse in 1845.

Other galaxies in Canes Venatici include the Sunflower Galaxy (M63 or NGC 5055), Spiral Galaxy M94, and Spiral Galaxy M106,

Messier 3 (M3, or NGC 5272) is a globular cluster. It is 18′ in diameter, and at magnitude 6.3 is bright enough to be seen in binoculars.

Table of leading stars

This table lists all stars in Canes Venatici with either a Bayer designation or a Flamsteed designation.

Common name	Bayer designation	Flamsteed designation	Variable designation	Other designations	Right ascension	Declination	Magnitude
		2		ADS 8489	12h 16m 07.6s	+40° 39′ 37″	5.66
		3			12h 19m 48.7s	+48° 59′ 03″	5.29
		4	AI		12h 23m 47.0s	+42° 32′ 34″	6.06v
		5	Var		12h 24m 01.5s	+51° 33′ 44″	4.80v
		6			12h 25m 50.9s	+39° 01′ 07″	5.02
		7			12h 30m 02.9s	+51° 32′ 08″	6.21
	β	8			12h 33m 44.5s	+41° 21′ 27″	4.26
		9			12h 38m 46.3s	+40° 52′ 28″	6.37
		10			12h 44m 59.5s	+39° 16′ 44″	5.95
		11			12h 48m 41.8s	+48° 28′ 01″	6.27
Cor Caroli	α	12		ADS 8706	12h 56m 01.7s	+38° 19′ 06″	2.90
		14			13h 05m 44.5s	+35° 47′ 56″	5.25
		15		ADS 8805	13h 09m 42.0s	+38° 32′ 02″	6.28
		17		ADS 8805	13h 10m 03.2s	+38° 29′ 56″	5.91
		19			13h 15m 32.0s	+40° 51′ 19″	5.79
		20	AO		13h 17m 32.5s	+40° 34′ 21″	4.73v
		21	BK		13h 18m 14.5s	+49° 40′ 55″	5.15v
		23			13h 20m 19.0s	+40° 09′ 02″	5.60
		24			13h 34m 27.3s	+49° 00′ 58″	4.70
		25		ADS 8974	13h 37m 27.6s	+36° 17′ 42″	4.82

Source: The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.

Stars

Stars with proper names:

• (12/α CVn) 2.89 (α²), 5.61 (α¹) Cor Caroli or Chara?

  = The heart of Charles II [the star brightened after his coronation]

• The brighter star α² CVn is the prototype of α² CVn variable stars (magnetic spectrum stars)

• (8/β CVn) 4.26 Chara or Asterion? – nearby star

  < χαρά Joy, dear

• (Y CVn) 4.99 La Superba – carbon star

Stars with Bayer designations:

Stars with Flamsteed designations:

1 CVn 6.18; 2 CVn 5.69; 3 CVn 5.28; 4 CVn 6.03; 5 CVn 4.76; 6 CVn 5.01; 7 CVn 6.21; 9 CVn 6.35; 10 CVn 5.95; 11 CVn 6.25; 14 CVn 5.20; 15 CVn 6.25; 17 CVn 5.91; 19 CVn 5.77; 20 CVn 4.72; 21 CVn 5.14; 23 CVn 5.60; 24 CVn 4.68; 25 CVn 4.82

Constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 1690 text Firmamentum Sobiescianum

Canes Venatici | Lacerta | Leo Minor | Lynx | Scutum | Sextans | Vulpecula

The 88 modern Constellations

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

External links

• The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Canes Venatici