When is canis minor visible

Not the right time for Canis Minor? Have a look what constellations you can see tonight. Canis Mior constellation is visible in the southern sky during winter months for observers in the northern hemisphere. It has the prominent star Procyon which makes it easy to find. Although Canis Major forms part of some of the best known winter asterisms, like most winter constellations the identifier is Orion. Although the star itself is bright and can likely be identified without a specific pointer star with some awareness of the formation of the constellations.

If you have no awareness of the location of constellations it is best to first become familiar with identifying Orion through his very easy to identify belt. Canis Minor can be found by following the line of the shoulders east approximately 4 times their width. This can be combined by using the belt to identify Canis Major and form the Winter Triangle.

As Procyon itself is very bright this will be a constellation you will quickly be able to identify quickly and will aid you in forming the winter triangle and hexagon and subsequently using those asterisms to identify neighbouring constellations. This form is one of the least elaborate of all the constellations and less noteworthy accordingly. The reference star of Procyon marks the tail of the dog. Additionally helpful is that the angle is somewhat parallel with the belt or Orion.

These two stars form the official constellation of Canis Minor however if you observe closely there are 2 small stars above the head within the constellation that signify the ears of the dog.

Canis minor shares many of its mythologocial references with Canis Major. It is connected to the Greek mythology story of Laelaps and the Teumessian fox. Laelaps was the hunting dog who would always catch its prey.

Zeus gave Laelaps as a gift to Europa of Crete and in time came under ownership of Procris. Procris entrusted it to her husband Cephalus along with a spear that never missed. However, motivated by jealousy she hid in the forest to monitor him during a hunt and he inadvertently killed her with the spear. Cephalus was banished for the murder and during his exile was commissioned to hunt the Teumessian fox. The Teumessian fox was a gigantic fox that the gods had created as a punishment against the Thebes and was destined never to be caught.

The god given destiny of each created a paradox and Zeus turned them both to stone. Ancient Babylonian script has referenced the two stars of Canis Minor as the twin stars. This has no connection to the Gemini constellation and was a common reference for stars in close proximity throughout the ancient world.

The star has an apparent magnitude of 0. Procyon is The neighboring constellations are Cancer , Gemini , Hydra , and Monoceros. Canis Minor does not contain any Messier objects nor does it have any stars with known planets. The brightest star in the constellation is Procyon, Alpha Canis Minoris, which is also the seventh brightest star in the sky.

There is one meteor shower associated with the constellation, the Canis-Minorids. Canis Minor contains two formally named stars.

Canis Minor is most commonly identified as one of the dogs following Orion, the hunter in Greek myth. In another legend, the constellation is said to represent Maera, the dog of the unlucky wine-maker Icarius. Icarius met his end at the hands of a group of shepherds to whom he had offered wine. The shepherds had never tasted wine before and thought Icarius had poisoned them. Both the daughter and the dog were overwhelmed with grief and took their own lives. Zeus later placed their images in the sky.

Hyginus Latin author who lived at the turn of the millennium confused the myth somewhat in his writings. He wrote that the shepherds escaped to the island of Ceos and, as punishment for their misdeed, the island was stricken with sickness and famine, which were attributed to the searing Dog Star , Sirius. When Aristaeus, King of Ceos asked the god Apollo, who was also his father, for advice on saving his people from starvation, he was told to pray to Zeus.

Aristaeus did so and Zeus sent Etesian winds to the island. Every year, the myth goes, Etesian winds blow for 40 days and cool Greece and its islands during the Dog Days of summer. After Zeus had sent relief to Ceos, the priests instituted the custom of making ritual sacrifices to the gods every year before the rising of Sirius. The Constellation Canis Minor. The constellation Canis Minor.

Roll mouse over to see labels. Source: Stellarium. Date First Appeared Ancient. Sky Area 0. Messier Objects Canis Minor contains no Messier objects. Caldwell Objects Canis Minor contains no Caldwell objects. Brightest Objects in Canis Minor. Follow intheskyorg. Jaipur Latitude: Longitude: Timezone: