Musca constellation
Musca (the Fly) is a constellation in the southern sky, best seen in the evening in May. Its brightest star is α Muscae (magnitude 2.69). Musca covers 138 square degrees and is the 77th-largest of the 88 constellations.
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Detailed star map of Musca
Facts
| Latin name | Musca (genitive: Muscae) |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | Mus |
| Meaning | the Fly |
| Area | 138 square degrees (77th of 88) |
| Location | right ascension 12.6 h, declination −70° |
| Visible from | latitudes 14° N to 90° S (whole constellation) |
| Best month | May (at about 9 pm) |
| Brightest star | α Muscae |
| Stars brighter than magnitude 6 | 29 |
| Named stars (IAU) | none |
| Messier objects | none |
| Neighbors | Apus, Carina, Centaurus, Chamaeleon, Circinus, Crux |
How to find Musca
From 40° N (the USA, southern Europe, Japan) Musca never rises completely above the horizon. From 35° S (Australia, South Africa, Argentina) it never sets and stands highest in the south, about 55° up. The months before and after (April and June) are also good: then it is up a couple of hours earlier or later.
Musca borders Apus, Carina, Centaurus, Chamaeleon, Circinus and Crux.
Stars of Musca
Musca has 29 stars brighter than magnitude 6, the limit of the naked eye under a dark sky. These are the brightest:
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | α Muscae | 2.69 | B2IV-V | — |
| — | β Muscae | 3.05 | B2.5V | — |
| — | δ Muscae | 3.62 | K2III | — |
| — | λ Muscae | 3.64 | A7III | — |
| — | γ Muscae | 3.87 | B5V | — |
| — | ε Muscae | 4.11 | M5III | — |
Printable Musca map and outline
A black and white version for printing and a plain outline of the Musca figure, useful for school projects, worksheets and learning to recognize the shape.
History
Musca is introduced by the Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman in the 1590s and published by Petrus Plancius and Johann Bayer. Its official boundary was drawn by Eugène Delporte for the International Astronomical Union in 1930.
Questions about Musca
What is the brightest star in Musca?
α Muscae, at magnitude 2.69.
When can you see Musca?
Musca is best seen in the evening in May. The whole constellation is visible from latitudes between 14° N and 90° S.
How many stars are in Musca?
29 stars in Musca are brighter than magnitude 6 and can be seen with the naked eye under a dark sky; none of them has an official IAU name.
What does Musca mean?
Musca means “the Fly” in Latin. Its abbreviation is Mus and the genitive, used in star names such as α Muscae, is Muscae.
