Crater (constellation)
| Constellation | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | Crt |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Crateris |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkreɪtər/, genitive /krəˈtɪər[invalid input: 'ɨ']s/ |
| Symbolism | the Cup |
| Right ascension | 11 |
| Declination | −16 |
| Quadrant | SQ2 |
| Area | 282 sq. deg. (53rd) |
| Main stars | 4 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 12 |
| Stars with planets | 5 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 0 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 0 |
| Brightest star | δ Crt (Labrum) (3.57m) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | Eta Craterids |
| Bordering constellations | Leo Sextans Hydra Corvus Virgo |
| Visible at latitudes between +65° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of April. | |
Crater is a constellation. Its name is Latin for cup, and in Greek mythology it is identified with the cup of the god Apollo. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is faint, with no star brighter than third magnitude.
Notable features
Stars
γ Crateris is a close double star, with a PA of 96° and a separation of 52". The fainter companion is magnitude 9.6. This system is located 84 light years from the Sun.
R Crateris is a semi-regular variable of type SRb and a spectral classification of M7. It has a magnitude of 9.8-11.2 and an optical period of 160 days.
SZ Crateris is a magnitude 8.1 variable star. It is a nearby star system located about 44 light years from the Sun. It is also identified as Gliese 425, and in the past it was known as Abt's Star.[citation needed]
31 Crateris (now regarded as part of Corvus) is a 5.2 magnitude star which was once mistaken for a moon of Mercury.
Named stars
| Bayer | Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| α | Alkes | Arabic | name of constellation |
| β | Al Sharas | Arabic | the rib |
Deep-sky objects
NGC 3511 is a spiral galaxy with a slight bar, seen nearly from the edge, of type SBbc. It is a member of the galaxy cluster Abell 1060. This galaxy is magnitude 12, and is 4' × 1' in size.
NGC 3887 is a barred-spiral galaxy of type SBc, magnitude 11, with a diameter of 3.5'.
NGC 3981 is a spiral galaxy with two wide spiral arms, of type SBbc. It is magnitude 12 with a diameter of 3'. This galaxy was discovered by William Herschel in 1785.
Mythology
Crater is identified Novak with a story from Greek mythology in which a crow or raven serves Apollo, and is sent to fetch water, but it rests lazily on the journey, and after finally obtaining the water in a cup, takes back a water snake as an excuse. According to the myth, Apollo saw through the fraud, and angrily cast the crow, cup, and snake, into the sky. The constellations of Corvus the crow and Hydra the water-snake are also identified with this myth.
Equivalents
In Chinese astronomy, the stars of Crater are located within the constellation of the Vermillion Bird of the South (南方朱雀, Nán Fāng Zhū Què).[1]
Namesakes
USS Crater (AK-70) was a United States Navy Crater class cargo ship named after the constellation.
See also
References
- Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0-00-725120-9. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0-691-13556-4.
- Richard Hinckley Allen, The Stars, Their Lore and Legend, New York, Dover.
External links
