Lupus (constellation)
Encyclopedia
Lupus is a constellation
in the southern sky. Its name is Latin
for wolf. Lupus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy
, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It lies between Centaurus
and Scorpius
.
s, but has around 30 of 2nd and 3rd magnitude
and 70 of greater than 6th, including a number of binary
or multiple star
s. In his catalogue
, Patrick Moore
gives the names Men for α Lupi
, the brightest star in Lupus, and KeKouan for the blue giant
β Lupi
. They also have the Chinese names and .
Most of the brightest stars in Lupus are massive members of the nearest OB association, Scorpius-Centaurus
.
s NGC 5824
and NGC 5986
, and close by the dark nebula
B 228. To the south are two open cluster
s, NGC 5822
and NGC 5749
, as well as globular cluster
NGC 5927 on the eastern border with Norma
. On the western border are two spiral galaxies
and the Wolf-Rayet
planetary nebula
IC 4406
, containing some of the hottest stars in existence. Another planetary nebula, NGC 5882
, is towards the centre of the constellation. The transiting exoplanet Lupus-TR-3b
lies in this constellation. The historic supernova SN 1006
is described by various sources as appearing on April 30 to May 1, 1006, in the constellation of Lupus.
within Centaurus
, and was considered to have been an arbitrary animal, killed, or about to be killed, on behalf of, or for, Centaurus. It was not separated from Centaurus until Hipparchus
of Bithynia
named it Therion (meaning beast) in the 200s BCE. No particular animal was associated with it until the Latin translation of Ptolemy's work identified it with the wolf.
The Greek constellation is probably based on the Babylonian figure known as the Mad Dog (UR.IDIM). This was a strange hybrid creature that combined the head and torso of a man with the legs and tail of a lion (the cuneiform sign 'UR' simply refers to a large carnivore; lions, wolves and dogs are all included). It is often found in association with the sun god and another mythical being called the Bison-man, which is supposedly related to the Greek constellation of Centaurus.
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
in the southern sky. Its name is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for wolf. Lupus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It lies between Centaurus
Centaurus
Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
and Scorpius
Scorpius
Scorpius, sometimes known as Scorpio, is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its symbol is . It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east...
.
Stars
Lupus has no extremely bright starStar
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s, but has around 30 of 2nd and 3rd magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
and 70 of greater than 6th, including a number of binary
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
or multiple star
Multiple star
A multiple star consists of three or more stars which appear from the Earth to be close to one another in the sky. This may result from the stars being physically close and gravitationally bound to each other, in which case it is physical, or this closeness may be merely apparent, in which case...
s. In his catalogue
Star catalogue
A star catalogue, or star catalog, is an astronomical catalogue that lists stars. In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. There are a great many different star catalogues which have been produced for different purposes over the years, and this article covers only some...
, Patrick Moore
Patrick Moore
Sir Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore, CBE, FRS, FRAS is a British amateur astronomer who has attained prominent status in astronomy as a writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter of the subject, and who is credited as having done more than any other person to raise the profile of...
gives the names Men for α Lupi
Alpha Lupi
Alpha Lupi is the brightest star in the constellation Lupus.In Chinese, , meaning Imperial Guards, refers to an asterism consisting of α Lupi, γ Lupi, δ Lupi, κ Centauri, β Lupi, λ Lupi, ε Lupi, μ Lup, π Lupi and ο Lupi . Consequently, α Lupi itself is known as .R. H...
, the brightest star in Lupus, and KeKouan for the blue giant
Blue giant
In astronomy, a blue giant is a star with a spectral type of O or B and a luminosity class of III...
β Lupi
Beta Lupi
Beta Lupi is a B-type, 3rd-magnitude star in the constellation Lupus.In Chinese, , meaning Imperial Guards, refers to an asterism consisting of β Lupi, γ Lupi, δ Lupi, κ Centauri, λ Lupi, ε Lupi, μ Lup, π Lupi, ο Lupi and α Lupi. Consequently, β Lupi itself is known as...
. They also have the Chinese names and .
Most of the brightest stars in Lupus are massive members of the nearest OB association, Scorpius-Centaurus
Scorpius-Centaurus Association
The Scorpius-Centaurus Association is the nearestOB Association to the Sun. This stellar association is composed of three subgroups The Scorpius-Centaurus Association (sometimes called Sco-Cen or Sco OB2) is the nearestOB Association to the Sun. This stellar association is composed of three...
.
Deep sky objects
Towards the north of the constellation are globular clusterGlobular cluster
A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers. The name of this category of star cluster is...
s NGC 5824
NGC 5824
NGC 5824 is a globular cluster in the constellation Lupus, almost on its western border with Centaurus. Astronomers James Dunlop , John Herschel and E.E. Barnard all claim to have independently discovered the cluster. It is condensed and may be observed with small telescopes, but larger apertures...
and NGC 5986
NGC 5986
NGC 5986 is a globular cluster in the constellation Lupus....
, and close by the dark nebula
Nebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
B 228. To the south are two open cluster
Open cluster
An open cluster is a group of up to a few thousand stars that were formed from the same giant molecular cloud and have roughly the same age. More than 1,100 open clusters have been discovered within the Milky Way Galaxy, and many more are thought to exist...
s, NGC 5822
NGC 5822
NGC 5822 is an open cluster in the constellation Lupus....
and NGC 5749
NGC 5749
NGC 5749 is an open cluster in the constellation Lupus....
, as well as globular cluster
Globular cluster
A globular cluster is a spherical collection of stars that orbits a galactic core as a satellite. Globular clusters are very tightly bound by gravity, which gives them their spherical shapes and relatively high stellar densities toward their centers. The name of this category of star cluster is...
NGC 5927 on the eastern border with Norma
Norma (constellation)
Norma is a small and inconspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere between Scorpius and Centaurus. Its name is Latin for normal, referring to a right angle, and is variously considered to represent a rule, a carpenter's square, a set square or a level....
. On the western border are two spiral galaxies
Spiral galaxy
A spiral galaxy is a certain kind of galaxy originally described by Edwin Hubble in his 1936 work The Realm of the Nebulae and, as such, forms part of the Hubble sequence. Spiral galaxies consist of a flat, rotating disk containing stars, gas and dust, and a central concentration of stars known as...
and the Wolf-Rayet
Wolf-Rayet star
Wolf–Rayet stars are evolved, massive stars , which are losing mass rapidly by means of a very strong stellar wind, with speeds up to 2000 km/s...
planetary nebula
Planetary nebula
A planetary nebula is an emission nebula consisting of an expanding glowing shell of ionized gas ejected during the asymptotic giant branch phase of certain types of stars late in their life...
IC 4406
IC 4406
IC 4406 is a planetary nebula near the western border of the constellation Lupus, the Wolf. It has dust clouds and has the shape of a torus. Despite this, it looks somewhat rectangular because it is seen from its side as viewed from Earth, almost in the plane of its equator.-Structure:IC 4406 is...
, containing some of the hottest stars in existence. Another planetary nebula, NGC 5882
NGC 5882
NGC 5882 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Lupus....
, is towards the centre of the constellation. The transiting exoplanet Lupus-TR-3b
Lupus-TR-3b
Lupus-TR-3b is an extrasolar planet orbiting the star Lupus-TR-3...
lies in this constellation. The historic supernova SN 1006
SN 1006
SN 1006 was a supernova, widely seen on Earth beginning in the year 1006 AD; Earth was about 7,200 light-years away from the supernova. It was the brightest apparent magnitude stellar event in recorded history reaching an estimated -7.5 visual magnitude...
is described by various sources as appearing on April 30 to May 1, 1006, in the constellation of Lupus.
Mythology and history
In ancient times, the constellation was considered an asterismAsterism (astronomy)
In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...
within Centaurus
Centaurus
Centaurus is a bright constellation in the southern sky. One of the largest constellations, Centaurus was included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations.-Stars:...
, and was considered to have been an arbitrary animal, killed, or about to be killed, on behalf of, or for, Centaurus. It was not separated from Centaurus until Hipparchus
Hipparchus
Hipparchus, the common Latinization of the Greek Hipparkhos, can mean:* Hipparchus, the ancient Greek astronomer** Hipparchic cycle, an astronomical cycle he created** Hipparchus , a lunar crater named in his honour...
of Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
named it Therion (meaning beast) in the 200s BCE. No particular animal was associated with it until the Latin translation of Ptolemy's work identified it with the wolf.
The Greek constellation is probably based on the Babylonian figure known as the Mad Dog (UR.IDIM). This was a strange hybrid creature that combined the head and torso of a man with the legs and tail of a lion (the cuneiform sign 'UR' simply refers to a large carnivore; lions, wolves and dogs are all included). It is often found in association with the sun god and another mythical being called the Bison-man, which is supposedly related to the Greek constellation of Centaurus.