How many of us at least once did not turn to the starry sky in attempts to unravel the stellar patterns? Small flickering dots form figures of people, birds, animals, a variety of objects and things. Lives high in the firmament of the heavens and purr-cat, sneaks in a quiet clear night, inaudibly stepping soft pillows of paws. And if you ever wondered if there is a constellation of Cat, then this article is for you. In it we will tell you exactly how it looks, where you can see it and where the cat came from in the sky. True, all this with one caveat. The huge constellation Cat (or Cats, as you decide) in the 21st century, scientists, alas, is no longer recognized. But there are also feline representatives in the sky!
Felis domestica
The existence of the constellation Cat, or rather, the Cat, was recognized in the night sky by a number of astronomers from 1799 to 1922. It was proposed, in fact, in 1799 by the French astronomer Joseph Jerome Lefransua de Lalande, a great lover and admirer of cats. Here is what he wrote in defense of his idea to place the Cat constellation on the vault of heaven: "I really love cats and I want this animal to be scratched on the heavenly map."
The constellation of the Cat was not included in the official list of eighty-eight constellations, approved in 1922 by decision of the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union. But this does not mean that we can find the cluster of luminaries proposed by Laland. When do they observe the constellation of Cat, and where is it located? We answer this question.
When and where to look for a Cat in the starry sky?
The Kota constellation should be sought in the southern sky between the constellations Pump and Hydra. The objects included in it, located southwest of ΞΌ Hydra, are now part of Hydra. All of them have a magnitude not brighter than the fifth on the international scale. Thus, trying to find the Cat constellation, you need to build on the visibility of objects in the modern constellation Hydra.
Since Hydra is located in the southern part of the sphere of heaven, it is better to observe it in Russia from the end of winter (February) to the beginning of spring (March). And in this case only the southern regions of the country will be able to see the full constellation, which means that they wonβt be able to fully admire the Kota constellation in Russia. But do not immediately get upset. We offer you in case you canβt see the Cat live in the sky, a photo of the cat constellation from the atlas of Lalanda.
What other cat representatives are on the heavenly map?
Today, three constellations associated with representatives of the feline family are officially recognized. These are the constellation Leo, the constellation Lesser Leo and the constellation Lynx.
The constellation Leo was known to the ancient Sumerians, for another two thousand years BC people saw him in the sky. True, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia called the king of animals the Big Dog. According to legend, this is the same Nemean lion that Hercules killed, committing his first feat. You can admire the proud beast in the starry sky throughout Russia, and it is best to do this in February and March. Leo is located in the northern hemisphere, between the constellations of Cancer and Virgo.
The constellation Lesser Lion - or, if you like, let's call it Lion Cub - is also located in the northern hemisphere. Searching for a Lion cub in the starry sky is from March to April next to its adult relative, and all residents of Russia can see it, like the big Lion. The Small Lion first appeared in a celestial atlas in 1690: it was introduced by the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius. There is no legend associated with the constellation of the Small Leo, but this does not mean at all that you yourself cannot come up with your own story of how a charming lion cub appeared on the vault of heaven.
Feline definitely prefer to stay together in the starry sky: the constellation Lynx lies very close to the constellations Leo and Leo. True, it is not visible from all places in Russia. The entire constellation Lynx can be observed year-round in the northern latitudes, while to the south it is partially hidden behind the horizon. If you live in the south, then most likely you can only find the lynx's paw or tail. It is best to try to get to know Lynx in winter, when the stars entering the constellations shine especially brightly. Like the Small Lion, the Lynx appeared on the map of the starry sky thanks to the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius. It happened in 1660.
And finally, it is worth mentioning the huge trail left by the Big Cat in the sky. This is not a constellation, but a whole nebula!
Cat's Foot Nebula
In the constellation Scorpio, in the southern part of the celestial sphere, the imprint of the paw of a Big Cat, which has run through the sky, has been preserved. This object is known to astronomers as the emission nebula NGC 6334, or, in another classification, ESO 392-EN9, or CED 140. The Cat's Paw often falls into the lens of fans of photographing the starry sky living south of the thirtieth latitude - because it is so beautiful!