Pictor constellation lies in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for “painter,” but the constellation really represents the painter’s easel.
Pictor can be found between the bright star Canopus in Carina constellation and the Large Magellanic Cloud in Dorado and Mensa.
The constellation was introduced by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 17th century. Its early name, Equuleus Pictoris, Latin for “the painter’s easel,” was later shortened to simply Pictor.
FACTS, LOCATION & MAP
Pictor is the 59th constellation in size, occupying an area of 247 square degrees. It is located in the first quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ1) and can be seen at latitudes between +26° and -90°. The neighboring constellations are Caelum, Carina, Columba, Dorado, Puppis and Volans.
Pictor belongs to the Lacaille family of constellations, along with Antlia, Caelum, Circinus, Fornax, Horologium, Mensa, Microscopium, Norma, Octans, Reticulum, Sculptor, and Telescopium.
Pictor contains three stars with known planets and has no Messier objects. The brightest star in the constellation is Alpha Pictoris, with an apparent magnitude of 3.30. There are no meteor showers associated with the constellation.
STORY
Pictor constellation is not associated with any myths. It was introduced by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1756 as le Chevalet et la Palette, which means “the easel and palette.” In 1763, he named the constellation Equuleus Pictoris on his planisphere.
The name was shortened to Pictor in 1845 by the English astronomer Francis Baily in his British Association Catalogue on the suggestion of the English astronomer and mathematician John Herschel.
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