Microscopium Constellation | Constellations In The Southern Hemisphere
MICROSCOPIUM CONSTELLATION – In this topic, we are going to know and learn about the southern constellation Microscopium, the Microscope.
It is a constellation in the southern sky. It represents the microscope.
It is a small, faint constellation that was introduced by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century.
He named it after an early type of compound microscope, the type that used more than one lens and was widely used in the said century. Lacaille depicted it as “a tube above a square box.”
The constellation lies to the south of Capricornus, between the constellations Piscis Austrinus and Sagittarius.
Microscopium houses the barred spiral galaxy NGC 6925, and the spiral galaxy NGC 6923.
It is the 66th largest constellation and occupies an area of about 210 square degrees. It lies in SQ4, the fourth quadrant of the southern hemisphere.
Microscopium belongs to the Lacaille family, along with Antlia, Caelum, Circinus, Fornax, Horologium, Mensa, Norma, Octans, Pictor, Reticulum, Sculptor and Telescopium.
Stars
Among the stars include:
- α Microscopii | Alpha Microscopii
- AU Microscopii
- BO Microscopii
- ε Microscopii | Epsilon Microscopii
- γ Microscopii | Gamma Microscopii
- Lacaille 8760
- θ Microscopii | Theta Microscopii
- WASP-7
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