Centaurus

Centaurus

Constellation
List of stars in Centaurus
Abbreviation	Cen
Genitive	Centauri
Pronunciation	/sɛnˈtɔːrəs, -ˈtɑːr-/, genitive /sɛnˈtɔːraɪ, -ˈtɔːri, -ˈtɑːri/
Symbolism	the Centaur
Right ascension	11h 05m 20.9415s–15h 03m 11.1071s[1]
Declination	−29.9948788°–−64.6957885°[1]
Area	1060 sq. deg. (9th)
Main stars	11
Bayer/Flamsteed stars	69
Stars with planets	15
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 /sɛnˈtɔːrəs, -ˈtɑːr-/ 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. In Greek mythology, Centaurus represents a centaur; a creature that is half human, half horse (another constellation named after a centaur is one from the zodiac: Sagittarius). Notable stars include Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Solar System, its neighbour in the sky Beta Centauri, and V766 Centauri, one of the largest stars yet discovered. The constellation also contains Omega Centauri, the brightest globular cluster as visible from Earth and the largest identified in the Milky Way, possibly a remnant of a dwarf galaxy.