Phoenix is a constellation of the southern hemisphere of the sky. Despite this, it can be observed in Russia and Ukraine. It is not so well known as Big Dog, Capricorn, Scorpio, Chalice, South Crown and other "star drawings", but it is also of interest to observers. What does the constellation Phoenix look like? When and where can I see it?
History
Phoenix is considered a new constellation. It was introduced only in the XVI century, and more precisely in 1598, on the globe of Peter Planzius. It became the largest of the twelve constellations proposed by the astronomer. In 1603, Johann Bayer included him in his Atlas of Uranometry.
Together with Peacock, Toucan and Crane, the constellation Phoenix belongs to the "Southern Birds". In the sky, it covers an area of 469 square degrees. On many atlases and diagrams, it is depicted as a pentagon with two stars at the bottom and three at the top (sometimes like a quadrangle with one star at the bottom). They form the body of a bird. Broken “lines” depart from the two upper upper stars, resembling wings.
In fact, the Phoenix stars are much larger. There are 68 of them. His brightest star was observed in antiquity. The Arabs called it Ankaa, which means "phoenix." Hence the name of the entire constellation. In the mythology of various cultures, this bird is a symbol of immortality and renewal. She possessed the ability to burn and reborn again from the ashes.
Where and how to see?
The Phoenix constellation is best seen in Australia and South Africa. For residents of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, it is only partially opened. It is fully visible only in the southern regions at latitudes below 32 degrees.
When is the best time to observe the constellation Phoenix? In Ukraine and Russia, you need to look for him in October. In the north, the constellation borders on Oven and Sculptor, in the west - with Cranes, in the south it is surrounded by Toucan and Hydra, in the east and southeast is Eridan.
Phoenix is not very expressive, but you can see it without optical devices. Its Alpha is well distinguished between the equally bright Achernar (constellation Eridanus) and Fomalhaut (constellation Southern Pisces). In Russia, it is visible only in the extreme south, and does not rise at all above 47 degrees of latitude.
Twice a year in the constellation you can observe the meteor showers of Phenicides. They take place in June and December. Their speed is low, and up to three meteors are usually visible per hour.
Constellation objects
The alpha of the constellation Phoenix is Ankaa. This is an orange giant of spectral class K0 with an apparent magnitude of 2.4, slowly turning into a white dwarf. A star is 80 light-years from Earth. In addition to her, the Phoenix has six more stars with visibility brighter than 4 magnitudes.
The second brightest star, like Ankaa, is a double. Both components of the Beta Phoenix are the yellow giants of the spectral class G8. Their total value is 3.2. The rotation period of these stars is 170 Earth years.
The Zeta of the Phoenix is of greater interest. Its system includes as many as four stars. They are located 300 light-years from us, and their combined apparent magnitude is 3.94.
There are also several galaxies within the constellation . The spiral galaxy NGC 625 is rather dim. It is difficult to detect without a telescope. Galaxy W2332-5056 was only seen in 2013. It contains two black holes whose gravitational fields intersect. Most likely, over time, they will merge into one big black hole.