Puppis constellation
Puppis (the Stern) is a constellation in the southern sky, best seen in the evening in February. Its brightest star is Naos (magnitude 2.25). Puppis covers 673 square degrees and is the 20th-largest of the 88 constellations.
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Detailed star map of Puppis
Facts
| Latin name | Puppis (genitive: Puppis) |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | Pup |
| Meaning | the Stern |
| Area | 673 square degrees (20th of 88) |
| Location | right ascension 7.6 h, declination −33° |
| Visible from | latitudes 39° N to 90° S (whole constellation) |
| Best month | February (at about 9 pm) |
| Brightest star | Naos |
| Stars brighter than magnitude 6 | 146 |
| Named stars (IAU) | 3 |
| Messier objects | M46, M47, M93 |
| Neighbors | Canis Major, Carina, Columba, Hydra, Monoceros, Pictor, Pyxis, Vela |
How to find Puppis
From 40° N (the USA, southern Europe, Japan) look south in February evenings: at about 9 pm Puppis stands highest, around 17° above the southern horizon. From 35° S (Australia, South Africa, Argentina) it is highest in the north, about 88° above the horizon. The months before and after (January and March) are also good: then it is up a couple of hours earlier or later.
Puppis borders Canis Major, Carina, Columba, Hydra, Monoceros, Pictor, Pyxis and Vela.
Stars of Puppis
Puppis has 146 stars brighter than magnitude 6, the limit of the naked eye under a dark sky. These are the brightest:
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naos | ζ Puppis | 2.25 | O5f | — |
| — | π Puppis | 2.7 | K3Ib | — |
| Tureis | ρ Puppis | 2.81 | F6IIpDel Del | 66 ly |
| — | τ Puppis | 2.93 | K1III | — |
| — | ν Puppis | 3.17 | B8III | — |
| — | σ Puppis | 3.25 | K5III | — |
| Azmidi | ξ Puppis | 3.34 | G6Iab-Ib | 1,020 ly |
| — | HR 3017 | 3.61 | K2.5Ib-II | — |
| — | HR 3080 | 3.73 | K1-2II+A0 | — |
| — | 3 Puppis | 3.96 | A2Iabe | — |
| — | HR 3055 | 4.11 | B0III | — |
| — | 11 Puppis | 4.2 | F7II | — |
Deep-sky objects in Puppis
Puppis contains 3 objects from Charles Messier's catalog:
- Messier 46 (M46): open cluster, 6.1 mag
- Messier 47 (M47): open cluster, 4.4 mag
- Messier 93 (M93): open cluster, 6.2 mag
Printable Puppis map and outline
A black and white version for printing and a plain outline of the Puppis figure, useful for school projects, worksheets and learning to recognize the shape.
History
Puppis is part of Ptolemy’s large ship constellation Argo Navis, which Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille split into Carina, Puppis and Vela in the 1750s. Its official boundary was drawn by Eugène Delporte for the International Astronomical Union in 1930.
Questions about Puppis
What is the brightest star in Puppis?
Naos, at magnitude 2.25.
When can you see Puppis?
Puppis is best seen in the evening in February. The whole constellation is visible from latitudes between 39° N and 90° S.
How many stars are in Puppis?
146 stars in Puppis are brighter than magnitude 6 and can be seen with the naked eye under a dark sky; 3 of them have official IAU names.
What does Puppis mean?
Puppis means “the Stern” in Latin. Its abbreviation is Pup and the genitive, used in star names such as ζ Puppis, is Puppis.
