Reticulum constellation lies in the southern sky. Its name means “the reticle” or “small net” in Latin.
Reticulum represents the small net at the focus of an eyepiece on the telescope which makes it possible to measure star positions. The constellation was introduced in 1621 by the German astronomer Isaac Habrecht II, who originally named it Rhombus. Nicolas Louis de Lacaille changed its name to Reticulum in the 18th century.
Reticulum contains two notable deep sky objects: the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1559 and NGC 1313, also known as the Topsy Turvy Galaxy.
FACTS, LOCATION & MAP
Reticulum is one of the smallest constellations in the sky, 82nd in size, occupying an area of 114 square degrees. It is located in the first quadrant of the southern hemisphere (SQ1) and can be seen at latitudes between +23° and -90°. The neighboring constellations are Dorado, Horologium and Hydrus.
Reticulum belongs to the Lacaille family of constellations, along with Antlia, Caelum, Circinus, Fornax, Horologium, Mensa, Microscopium, Norma, Octans, Pictor, Sculptor, and Telescopium.
Reticulum contains five stars with confirmed planets and does not have any Messier objects. The brightest star in the constellation is Alpha Reticuli, with an apparent magnitude of 3.33. There are no meteor showers associated with the constellation.
STORY
Reticulum constellation was created by Isaac Habrecht II, who included it on his celestial globe in 1621. Habrecht named the constellation Rhombus. In the 18th century, the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille renamed it to le Réticule Rhomboide, or Reticulum, to commemorate the reticle in his telescope, which he used to measure star positions during his trip to the Cape of Good Hope in the early 1750s. The constellation was officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union in 1922.
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