Centaurus
Centaurus is a constellation in the southern hemisphere of the night sky. It is named after a centaur, which is a creature that is half man and half horse. The astronomer named Ptolemy listed Centaurus when he made a list of 48 constellations. Centaurus is also one of the 88 constellations that were made by the International Astronomical Union.
Constellation | |
![]() List of stars in Centaurus | |
Abbreviation | Cen |
---|---|
Genitive | Centauri |
Pronunciation | /sɛnˈtɔːrəs/, genitive /sɛnˈtɔːraɪ/ |
Symbolism | the Centaur |
Right ascension | 13 |
Declination | −50 |
Quadrant | SQ3 |
Area | 1060 sq. deg. (9th) |
Main stars | 11 |
Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 69 |
Stars with planets | 14 |
Stars brighter than 3.00m | 10 |
Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 8 |
Brightest star | α Cen (−0.27m) |
Messier objects | 0 |
Meteor showers | Alpha Centaurids Omicron Centaurids Theta Centaurids |
Bordering constellations | Antlia Carina Circinus Crux Hydra Libra (corner) Lupus Musca Vela |
Visible at latitudes between +25° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of May. |

Centaurus Constellation chart
In the direction of Centaurus is the Shapley Supercluster or Shapl (SCl 124). This is the largest concentration of galaxies in our nearby universe.
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