Former constellations

Former constellations are old historical Western constellations that for various reasons are no longer widely recognised or are not officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).^[1] Prior to 1930, many of these defunct constellations were traditional in one or more countries or cultures. Some only lasted decades but others were referred to over many centuries. All are now recognised only for having classical or historical value.^[2] Many former constellations had complex Latinised names after objects, people, or mythological or zoological creatures.^[2] Others with unwieldy names were shortened for convenience. For example, Scutum Sobiescianum was reduced to Scutum, Mons Mensae to Mensa, and Apparatus Sculptoris to Sculptor.

The former constellation Argo Navis

Gladii Saxonici from 1684 Acta Eruditorum

Some of the Northern Sky's former constellations were placed in the less populated regions between the traditional brighter constellations just to fill gaps. In the Southern Sky, new constellations were often created from about the 15th century by voyagers who began journeying south of the Equator. European countries like England, France, the Netherlands, German or Italian states, etc., often supported and popularised their own constellation outlines. In some cases, different constellations occupied overlapping areas and included the same stars. These former constellations are often found in older books, star charts, or star catalogues.

The 88 modern constellation names and boundaries were standardised by Eugene Delporte for the IAU in 1930, under an international agreement, removing any possible astronomical ambiguities between astronomers from different countries.^[3] Nearly all former or defunct constellations differ in their designated boundaries in as much as they have outlines that do not follow the exact lines of right ascension and declination.^[4]

Noteworthy former constellations

Argo Navis

Argo Navis is the only constellation from Ptolemy's original list of 48 constellations that is no longer officially recognized. Due to its large size, it was split into three constellations by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille: Carina (the keel), Puppis (the poop deck), and Vela (the sails).^[5] The new constellations were introduced in the 1763 star catalog Coelum Australe Stelliferum, which was published soon after de Lacaille's death.

Quadrans Muralis

Quadrans Muralis was originally created in 1795, placed in the northern skies between the still-accepted constellations Boötes and Draco. The Quadrantids meteor shower is named after this former constellation.

Remnant nomenclature

• 53 Eridani is named Sceptrum from the former constellation Sceptrum Brandenburgicum.^[6]
• HD 85951 is named Felis from the former constellation Felis.^[7]

List of former constellations

Name	Genitive	Meaning	Date created	Created by	Notable stars	Position
Anguilla	Anguillae	Eel	1754	John Hill	ε Equulei, ε, κ Delphini, 66 Aquilae, υ Sagittarii, α, δ, ε Scuti	between Equuleus, Delphinus, Aquila and Serpens
Antinous	Antinoi	Antinous	132	Emperor Hadrian[8]	δ, η, θ, ι, κ, λ and ν Aquilae	Southern Aquila
Apes	Apium	Bees (renamed to Vespa, then Lilium, then to Musca Borealis)	1612	Petrus Plancius	33, 35 Arietis, Lilli Borea and Bharani	between Perseus and Aries
Apis	Apis	Bee (obsolete name and renamed to Musca Australis, and then shortened to Musca)	1598	Petrus Plancius	List	where Musca is now
Aranea	Araneae	Long-Legged Spider	1754	John Hill	53, 55, 57, 61, 63, 68, 69, 75, 83, 87, y Virginis and HD 120544	between Virgo and Corvus
Argo Navis	Argus Navis	The Ship Argo (now divided into Carina, Puppis, and Vela)	2nd century	Claudius Ptolemy	List (Carina, Puppis, Vela)	where Carina, Puppis and Vela reside now
Asselli and Praesepe	Assellorum, Praesepis	Dionysus's Asses (Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis) and Manger (Beehive Cluster)	3rd century BC	Aratus[9][10]	Asellus Borealis and Asellus Australis	middle part of Cancer
Asterion and Chara		Northern and Southern Dogs in Canes Venatici	1690	Johannes Hevelius.[11]	Cor Caroli and β Canum Venaticorum	where Canes Venatici is now
Battery of Volta		Battery	1807	Thomas Young	1 and 9 Pegasi	between Delphinus and Pegasus
Bufo	Bufonis	Toad	1754	John Hill	58 Hydrae, Sigma Librae	tail of Hydra
Cancer Minor	Cancri Minoris	Lesser Crab	1613	Petrus Plancius	68, 74, 81, 85 Geminorum and HIP 36616	south-western Gemini
Capra and Haedi	Caprae, Haedorum	Goat Amalthea (stars surrounding Capella) and the Kids (Haedus I and Haedus II)	3rd century BC	Aratus[12]	ζ and η Aurigae	eastern Auriga
Cerberus	Cerberi	Cerberus (guardian dog of Hades)	1690	Johannes Hevelius	93, 95, 102 ‍and ‍109 ‍Herculis	eastern Hercules
Cor Caroli Regis Martyris	Cordis Caroli	Charles's Heart	1673	Charles Scarborough[13]	Cor Caroli	central Canes Venatici
Corona Firmiana	Coronae Firmianae	Corona Borealis renamed to honor Count Leopold Anton von Firmian	1730	Corbinianus Thomas	List	where Corona Borealis is now
Custos Messium	Custodis Messium	Keeper of harvests	1775	Jérôme Lalande[14]	23, 47, 49, 50 Cassiopeiae, γ, CS Camelopardalis	between Cassiopeia and Camelopardalis
Deltoton		Delta (obsolete name for Triangulum Boreale)	1540	Petrus Apianus[15]	Mothallah, β and γ Trianguli	Triangulum
Dentalium	Dentalii	Tooth Shell	1754	John Hill	69, 71 Aquilae, 4, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 21 Aquarii	between Aquila and Aquarius
Felis	Felis	Cat	1799	Jérôme Lalande	G, I Hydrae, Felis, HD 82573 and HD 78702	southern Hydra
Frederici Honores	Frederici Honorum	Frederick's Honors	1787	Johann Elert Bode[16]
Gallus	Galli	Rooster	1613	Petrus Plancius
Gladii Electorales Saxonici	Gladiorum Electoralium Saxonicorum	Crossed Swords of the Electorate of Saxony	1684	Gottfried Kirch
Globus Aerostaticus	Globi Aerostatici	Hot air balloon	1798	Jérôme Lalande[17]
Gryphites	Gryphitis	Gryphaea shellfish	1754	John Hill
Hippocampus	Hippocampi	Sea Horse	1754	John Hill
Hirudo	Hirudinis	Leech	1754	John Hill
Jordanus	Jordani	River Jordan	1613	Petrus Plancius
Leo Palatinus	Leonis Palatini	Lion to honor the Elector Palatine Charles Theodore and his wife Elisabeth Auguste	1785	Karl-Joseph König
Lilium	Lilii	Fleur de Lys (renamed Musca Borealis)	1679	Augustin Royer/P. Anthelme
Limax	Limacis	Slug	1754	John Hill
Linum Piscium	Lini Piscium	The line connecting the fish (renamed by Bode in 1801 from Hevelius's Linum Austrinum and Linum Boreum; known as Lineola too)	1590	Thomas Hood
Lochium Funis	Lochii Funis	Log line (renamed Linea Nautica in 1888 by Eliza A. Bowen[18])	1801	Johann Elert Bode[19]
Lumbricus	Lumbrici	Earthworm	1754	John Hill
Machina Electrica	Machinae Electricae	Electricity generator	1800	Johann Elert Bode[20]
Malus	Mali	Mast	1844	John Herschel
Manis	Manis	Pangolin	1754	John Hill
Marmor Sculptile	Marmoris Sculptilis	Bust of Columbus	1810	William Croswell
Mons Maenalus	Montis Maenali	Mount Mainalo	1690	Johannes Hevelius[21]
Musca Borealis	Muscae Borealis	Northern Fly	1690	Johannes Hevelius
Noctua	Noctuae	Owl	1822	Alexander Jamieson
Nubecula Major and Nubecula Minor[citation needed]	Nubeculae Majoris, Nubeculae Minoris	Magellanic Clouds	1603	Johann Bayer
Officina Typographica	Officinae Typographicae	Printshop	1801	Johann Elert Bode[22]
Patella	Patellae	Limpet	1754	John Hill
Phaethon	Phaethontis	Phaethon	Middle Ages	Aratus/Hyginus
Phoenicopterus	Phoenicopteri	Flamingo (an obsolete name for Grus)	early 17th century[23]	Petrus Plancius/Paul Merula
Pinna Marina	Pinnae Marinae	Mussel	1754	John Hill
Piscis Notus	Piscis Noti	Southern Fish (obsolete name for Piscis Austrinus)	3rd century BC	Aratus
Pluteum	Plutei	Parapet (obsolete for Pictor)	1881	Richard Andree
Polophylax	Polophylacis	Guardian of the Pole	1592	Petrus Plancius
Pomum Imperiale	Pomi Imperialis	Leopold's orb	1688	Gottfried Kirch
Psalterium Georgii	Psalterii Georgii	George's Psaltery (renamed to Harp Georgii by Lalande)	1781	Maximilian Hell[24]
Quadrans Muralis	Quadrantis Muralis	Mural Quadrant	1795	Jérôme Lalande[25]
Quadratum	Quadrati	Rhombus (obsolete name for Reticulum Rhomboidalis)	1706	Carel Allard
Ramus Pomifer	Rami Pomiferi	Apple-bearing Branch	1690	Johannes Hevelius[26]
Robur Carolinum	Roboris Carolini	Charles' Oak	1679	Edmund Halley[27]
Rosa	Rosae	Rose	1536	Petrus Apianus
Sagitta Australis	Sagittae Australis	Southern Arrow	1613	Petrus Plancius
Scarabaeus	Scarabaei	Rhinoceros Beetle	1754	John Hill
Sceptrum Brandenburgicum	Sceptri Brandenburgici	Scepter of Brandenburg	1688	Gottfried Kirch[28]
Sceptrum et Manus Iustitiae	Sceptri et Manus Iustitiae	Scepter and Hand of Justice	1679	Augustin Royer
Sciurus Volans	Sciuri Volantis	Flying Squirrel (now part of Camelopardalis)	1810	William Croswell[29]
Sextans Uraniae	Sextantis Uraniae	Urania's Sextant (obsolete name for Sextans)	1690	Johannes Hevelius
Siren, Ceneus and Lang		Siren, Lapith Caeneus and Toucan	early 17th century[30]	Unknown/Willem Jansz Blaeu
Solarium	Solarii	Sundial	1822	Alexander Jamieson
Sudarium Veronicae	Sudarii Veronicae	Sudarium of Veronica	1643	Antoine Marie Schyrle de Rheita[31]
Tarabellum and Vexillum	Tarabelli, Vexilli	Drill and flag-like Standard	12th century	Michael Scot[32]
Tarandus or Rangifer	Tarandi, Rangiferi	Reindeer	1736	Pierre Charles Lemonnier[33]
Taurus Poniatovii	Tauri Poniatovii	Poniatowski's Bull	1777	Marcin Poczobut[34]
Telescopium Herschelii	Telescopii Herschelii	Herschel's Telescope (renamed from Tubus Herschelii Major by Bode in 1801)	1781	Maximilian Hell[35]
Testudo	Testudinis	Tortoise	1754	John Hill
Tigris	Tigridis	Tigris River	1613	Petrus Plancius
Triangulum Majus	Trianguli Majoris	Large Triangle (obsolete name for Triangulum)	1690	Johannes Hevelius
Triangulum Minus	Trianguli Minoris	Small Triangle	1690	Johannes Hevelius[36]
Triangulus Antarcticus	Trianguli Antarctici	Obsolete name for Triangulum Australe	1589	Petrus Plancius
Tubus Herschelii Minor	Tubi Herschelii Minoris	Herschel's Reflector	1781	Maximilian Hell
Turdus Solitarius	Turdi Solitarii	Solitary Thrush (renamed to Mocking Bird and then to Noctua). Named in honor of the Rodrigues solitaire, an extinct flightless bird related to the dodo.	1776	Pierre Charles Lemonnier[37]
Uranoscopus	Uranoscopi	Star-Gazer fish	1754	John Hill
Urna	Urnae	Urn of Aquarius	1596	Zacharias Bornmann
Vespa	Vespae	Wasp (an obsolete name for Musca Borealis)	1624	Jakob Bartsch[38]
Triangula, Triangulum, Catuli, Corona, Corolla, Piscis, Camelus, Vulpes, Equus, Delphin, Ursa Minor, Canis, Felis, Leaena and Cervus	Triangulae, Trianguli, Catulorum, Coronae, Corollae, Piscis, Cameli, Vulpis, Equi, Delphinis, Ursae Minoris, Canis, Felis, Leaenae, Cervi	Obsolete names for Triangulum Boreale, Triangulum Australe, Canes Venatici, Corona Borealis, Corona Australis, Piscis Australis, Cameleopardalis, Vulpecula et Anser, Equuleus, Delphinus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Leo Minor and Monoceros	1873	Richard Proctor[39]

See also

• Asterism
• Lists of constellations
• Julius Schiller's Coelum Stellatum Christianum (1627, "Christian Starry Sky") renamed the pagan constellations with new names after Christian figures.

References

1. "The Constellations". International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
2. Ian Ridpath. "Constellation names, abbreviations and sizes". Retrieved 1 April 2018.
3. Marc Lachièze-Rey; Jean-Pierre Luminet; Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Paris (16 July 2001). Celestial Treasury: From the Music of the Spheres to the Conquest of Space. Cambridge University Press. p. 80. ISBN 978-0-521-80040-2.
4. "Constellation boundaries". Retrieved 1 April 2018.
5. "Star Tales – Argo Navis". www.ianridpath.com.
6. "Star Tales – Sceptrum Brandenburgicum".
7. "Star Tales – Felis".
8. Allen 1963, p. 40.
9. "Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 30.djvu/774 - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org.
10. "Star Tales – Cancer". www.ianridpath.com.
11. Ridpath, Ian. "Canes Venatici". Star Tales. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
12. "AMALTHEA (Amaltheia) - Goat Nurse of Zeus in Greek Mythology". www.theoi.com.
13. Ridpath, Ian. "Canes Venatici". Star Tales.
14. Allen 1963, p. 191.
15. "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". astrocultura.uai.it.
16. Allen 1963, p. 221.
17. Allen 1963, p. 237.
18. "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". astrocultura.uai.it.
19. Allen 1963, p. 65.
20. Allen 1963, p. 289.
21. Allen 1963, p. 290.
22. Allen 1963, p. 297.
23. "Star Tales – Grus". www.ianridpath.com.
24. Allen 1963, p. 347.
25. Allen 1963, p. 348.
26. Allen 1963, p. 242.
27. Allen 1963, p. 349.
28. Allen 1963, p. 360.
29. Kanas, Nick (2007). Star maps: history, artistry, and cartography. New York, New York: Springer. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-387-71668-8.
30. Gent, R.H. van. "A Pair of Puzzling Star Maps and Two Unknown Constellations". webspace.science.uu.nl.
31. "Astrocultura UAI - Unione Astrofili Italiani- Sezione Mitologia Costellazioni estinte obsolete". astrocultura.uai.it.
32. "Nuova pagina 1". Atlascoelestis.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
33. Allen 1963, p. 377.
34. Allen 1963, p. 413.
35. Allen 1963, p. 414.
36. Allen 1963, p. 417.
37. Allen 1963, p. 418.
38. Allen 1963, p. 292.
39. "Nuova pagina 1". Atlascoelestis.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.

Further reading

• Allen, Richard Hinckley (1963) [1899, New York: G. E. Stechert]. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning. New York: Dover.
• Kanas, Nick (5 June 2012). Star Maps: History, Artistry, and Cartography. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4614-0917-5.

External links

• Obsolete Constellations – Shane Horvatin
• Obsolete Constellations
• Felice Stoppa: Le costellazioni scomparse dal cielo (in Italian)
• Les Constellations Disparues (in French)