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Constellation Canis Major: history and stars. Big dog
Big Dog(lat. Canis Major) - constellation of the southern hemisphere of the sky, the most bright Star- Sirius, has a magnitude of -1.46 visual magnitude. Nai Better conditions
visibility in December - January. Located southeast of ;
| partially lies in the Milky Way. | |
|---|---|
| click on the image to enlarge it | Big Dog Lat. Name |
| Canis Major | (genus Canis majoris) |
| Reduction | partially lies in the Milky Way. |
| CMa | Symbol |
| Right ascension | from 6 h 07 m to 7 h 22 m |
| Declension | from -33° to -11° Square |
| 380 sq. degrees (43rd place)< 3 m) |
|
| Wesen (δ CMa) 1.84 m | Aludra (η CMa) 2.45 m |
| Meteor showers |
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| Pigeon Stern |
|
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +57° to -90°.
The best time for observation on the territory of Ukraine is December, January. Story Canis Major, an ancient constellation whose configuration of bright stars really resembles a dog, formed around the main star Sirius. Myths about the origin of the star are transferred to the entire constellation. Thus, ancient Greek myths are called the prototype
heavenly dog
the dog (the constellation is nearby) or Icaria. The constellation is included in the catalog of the starry sky of Claudius Ptolemy “Almagest” under the name “Canis”. Sirius Sirius was called the “Star of the Nile” because the first morning rising of Sirius foreshadowed the flooding of the Nile at the summer solstice. In addition, Sirius and the constellation itself were already associated with the dog 5000 years ago; its oldest Sumerian name is “dog of the sun”, the Greeks called it simply “dog”, and the Romans called it “dog” (Canicula, hence summer period
rest - vacation).
Sirius B
Noticing the oscillatory movement of Sirius, F. Bessel in 1844 suggested the presence of a companion, which was discovered by A. Clark in 1862, received the name “Sirius B” and the nickname “Puppy”. Its luminosity is 10,000 times weaker than that of the main star - Sirius A, its radius is 100 times less than that of the Sun, but its mass is almost the same as that of the Sun. Therefore, Sirius B has a fantastic density: approx. 1 t/cm 3 . This is how white dwarfs were discovered - stars that had completed their evolution and shrunk to the size of a small planet. The satellite is visible at a distance of 3 to 11.5" from Sirius A and orbits it with a period of 49.98 years.
Other objects 4° south of Sirius is the beautiful open cluster M41, 2350 light years away. years. Another interesting cluster is NGC 2362, several dozen stars of which surround a 4th magnitude star τ Canis Major
. This is one of the youngest clusters: its age is approx. 1 million years.
In the constellation Canis Major there is not only the brightest, but also the largest star known to date - the hypergiant VY Canis Majoris. Constellation Canis Major from the Atlas " "
Jana Hevelia (1690) Fourth in alphabetical order there is a constellation Big Dog. A beautiful, easy-to-remember constellation that includes the brightest star in the sky -.
Sirius
Legend and history
The constellation was named after the dog of the hunter Orion. Visually in the sky it is located under the constellation Orion. In ancient Egypt, Sirius played key role - he rose at dawn at the same time as the Nile overflowed its banks. The Egyptians naively believed that this star caused floods. IN Ancient Rome Sirius was called the Dog Star. There is evidence from history that in the 3rd century BC, Roman farmers sacrificed dogs in May for the sake of the fertility of their lands. The Romans also believed that it was Sirius who caused hot weather
and the days of July were called "dog days."
Judging by the arrangement of bright stars in the constellation, it really resembles a dog. The constellation is included in Ptolemy’s catalog of the starry sky “Almagest” under the simple name “Canis”.
The size of Canis Major on the celestial sphere ranks 43rd among all 88 constellations and amounts to 380 square meters. degrees. The constellation is clearly visible at latitudes from +57° to −90°. The best time for observation in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine is from mid-December to the end of January. The constellation belongs to the southern hemisphere, although residents of the northern winter months can clearly see this constellation in the sky.
The constellation Canis Major has 4 bright stars (whose magnitude is less than 3rd magnitude) - these are Sirius (-1.45 m), Adara (1.5 m), Mirzam (1.90 m) and Wesen (1.95 m) .
Neighboring constellations that you can use to navigate starry sky- these are Unicorn, Hare, Dove, Poop.
The abbreviation for Canis Major in reference books is CMa. The Latin full name is Canis Major.
The most noticeable and interesting objects to observe in the constellation Canis Major
1. Star Sirius
This is the brightest star in the night sky, its brightness reaches a negative value of -1.45 m. A beautiful, easy-to-remember constellation that includes the brightest star in the sky -- this is a double star. It has a companion - the white dwarf Sirius B, which is slightly larger in size than our Earth, but weighs comparable to the mass of the Sun.
Sirius A is very bright, has a luminosity 23 times greater than the Sun, and is 2 times larger than our Sun. This binary system is less than 9 light years away from us. There are many myths and legends associated with this star, and it is considered the most important place in the sky.
2. Star VY Canis Majoris
The star is located above the tail of the Dog and is an irregular variable. It changes its gloss from 6.5 to 9.4 m.
VY is truly one of the largest stars ever discovered. In the image above you can see that our star Sun is a dot compared to VY. It is almost one and a half thousand times the diameter of the Sun. It is believed that the star will continue to expand. It is distant from us at a distance of approximately 4 thousand light years.
When observing through binoculars, you can see a characteristic Orange color stars, but due to low luminosity more details will not be possible to consider.
3. Star cluster M 41 (NGC 2287)
It is an open star cluster consisting primarily of young stars. According to estimates, it includes approximately 100 stars. The total magnitude is 4.6 m. The approximate distance from the Sun is 2300 light years.
In some sources you can find its other name - cluster Small Hive.
It is easy to spot in the sky even with low magnification binoculars. Since the cluster has an impressive area with a diameter of about 38′, it is not recommended to observe with telescopes because complete picture It's unlikely to be seen.
You can find it different ways, the most likely and simplest will be - starting from the star Sirius, go down a little east to three stars of 4th magnitude and then take the path to the southwest. A scattering of bright stars will appear in front of us in the lens. This will be our desired cluster M 41.
4. Star cluster NGC 2243
This is also an open star cluster. For reasons unknown to me, it is very popular; it is often listed in directories and catalogs. But the cluster is very faint; with an amateur telescope, only a few stars can be seen, which are surrounded by a faint nebula. For a more detailed examination, large professional telescopes with a lens diameter of 250 mm or more are required.
Due to its weak brightness, it is very difficult to find in the sky among all the stars. It is especially difficult to find in our latitudes, because... NGC 2243 lies very low, not far from the horizon. Needed ideal conditions, without city light and other interference.
You can follow from the star Wesen, Adara and further to the southeast to stars of 5-6 magnitude. Or the second option is to focus on the Furud star and move to the southwest.
5. Thor's Helmet Nebula (NGC 2359)
This fantastically beautiful nebula has a large extent and, because of this, very weak brightness. Although, I am sure, under ideal weather conditions it can be detected even in amateur telescopes in the form of a cloudy, shapeless speck. In the center there is a star that has a magnitude of 11 m and belongs to the type of the hottest stars, with a temperature of 60 thousand K.
The nebula was discovered at the end of the 18th century. It is 15 thousand light years away from the Sun.
Don't despair if you can't find it the first time. It is normal to spend a lot of time searching for complex deep-sky objects. Try, starting from the reference star Sirius, move to the star Mulifane and then follow a chain of dim stars 6.5 m - 7.5 m to reach the “Helmet of Thor”. I am sure that when you find it, you will be endlessly pleased and pleasantly surprised!
6. Star cluster NGC 2360
This is a beautiful star cluster that can be observed with amateur telescopes and binoculars. Has a brightness of 4.1 m. The cluster contains approximately 80 stars with magnitudes ranging from 8.5 to 12 m. It is located in the same celestial square as the previous Thor's Helmet nebula. Easy to find, see below:
7. Star cluster NGC 2362
Another beautiful open star cluster that can be observed with simple telescopes and binoculars. The cluster includes about 60 stars from 4 to 12 magnitudes. The brightness of the cluster, like the previous one, is 4.1 m. To observe, we will have to go down a little to the star τ (tau) Canis Majoris.
8. Star cluster NGC 2367
Another open star cluster in the constellation Canis Major. It has an apparent magnitude of 7.9 m. A very young cluster, most of the stars are hot, light blue, about 5-10 million years old. The cluster is immersed in an emission nebula. I would recommend starting your search in the starry sky with the star Wesen and moving westward along the chain of bright stars:
9-10. Star clusters NGC 2383 and NGC 2384
There are two open star clusters at once, which are located in close proximity to each other. In an amateur telescope, you can see 2 of these clusters simultaneously. NGC 2383, which is to the north, has a magnitude of 8.4 m, and below it is NGC 2384 with a brightness of 7.9 m.
11. Galaxy NGC 2217
I can't finish a constellation review without seeing at least one galaxy. And such a galaxy was found in the constellation Canis Major - this NGC 2217. Its apparent magnitude is 10.4 m. According to scientists, gas internal areas moves in the direction opposite to the rotation of the stars.
Despite its very modest surface brightness, it can be seen in mid-level telescopes, with an aperture of 150mm. This is due to the fact that the plane of the galaxy lies perpendicular to the line of sight of an observer from Earth. In the sky it can be found in the easternmost part on the border of the constellations Hare and Dove. The search should start from the star Furud and move in a northerly direction:
That's all. The constellation turned out to be so effective for open star clusters and poor for galaxies and nebulae partially lies in the Milky Way..
Read, absorb new material, repeat what you have already learned. And wait for the month of January so that, armed with a telescope, you can go in search of these objects in the starry sky. Clear skies everyone!
Few people know, but it was the constellation Canis Major who gave us the pleasant word “vacation”. The fact is that Sirius, the brightest star of this constellation and the sky of the northern hemisphere in general, begins to appear in the morning just before summer solstice. In Ancient Egypt, this preceded the flood of the Nile and summer heat when all work practically stopped. And since Sirius was also called the Dog Star, which in Latin sounds like “canis,” this period of idleness began to be called “dog days,” or vacations.
By the way, in those ancient times this summer holidays They were not happy at all, but were even afraid of them. It’s not for nothing that Sirius was called the Dog Star, and summer was called Dog Days. At this time, various infections, which were always abundant in Africa, were especially widespread. Therefore, the morning appearance of Sirius foreshadowed not only rest, but also the possibility of dying from some kind of fever. So Sirius was then a star that evoked not only respect, but also fear. And in general, this star served as a key figure in many ancient religions.
Today the constellation Canis Major will not scare us, so let’s get to know it in a little more detail.
In fact, you usually don’t have to look for the constellation Canis Major - it’s simply impossible not to notice Sirius, the brightest star in the sky (magnitude -1.4m). The constellation is located not far from, below and to the left of it, so it rises later.
If Orion can be observed already in October in the middle of the night, and in November almost from the evening, then Canis Major appears a little later, when Orion is already high above the horizon, that is, by the end of November or December you will no longer have to wait for its appearance. It’s not for nothing that the Great Dog belongs to – it’s best time to study it.
Sirius is located almost on a straight line passing through the three stars of Orion's belt, but slightly lower. It cannot be confused with anything. Having found Sirius, it is not difficult to find other stars in the constellation.
Stars of the constellation Canis Major
When it comes to notable stars in the Canis Major constellation, there are several here that are worth going and looking at.
A beautiful, easy-to-remember constellation that includes the brightest star in the sky -
This bright star in the constellation Canis Major is not really remarkable for this. The fact is that this is one of the stars closest to us - the distance to it is only 8.6 light years, and therefore it shines so brightly, although it is only twice the size and mass of our Sun. However, it is a hot white star, emitting 22 times more light than the Sun. If they suddenly changed places, all the seas and oceans on Earth would instantly boil away from the unbearable heat.
The most interesting thing is that Sirius is actually a double star. It is curious that this was first discovered by Friedrich Bessel, a German astronomer and mathematician, in 1844, and he did it on paper. He analyzed many observations of this star and discovered its “wobble” in space, with a period of about 50 years. This can only be explained by the presence in the system of a fairly massive companion - a second star.
Bessel suggested this in 1844, and in 1862 Alvan Clark, using his new 18-inch refractor, actually discovered the second component of Sirius, which is called Sirius B, or Puppy. This discovery was another triumph for the theory of gravity - first a discovery on paper, then in reality.
Puppy is the first white dwarf discovered by humans. Its mass is approximately equal to that of the Sun, but its diameter is comparable to that of the Earth. Therefore, the density of its substance is such that the mass of its volume is equal to Matchbox will weigh more than a ton. In fact, this is a star that glows only due to compression; it is completely “bankrupt”.
In fact, the Sirius system once consisted of a pair of large stars - one was 2 times heavier than the Sun (Sirius A), and the second was 5 times heavier (Sirius B, or Puppy). However, a large star, Puppy, quickly burned out, turned into a red giant, which then shed its envelope and shrunk to a white dwarf.
Even written evidence different nations I-II centuries AD they talk about this - for example, Claudius Ptolemy called Sirius a bright red star. However, in the sources of the 10th century, Sirius is always mentioned as it is now - a white star. So this evidence may well be true, because the Puppy was indeed a red giant that shone brighter than its white neighbor, and now shines 10,000 times weaker.
Now the duality of Sirius can be seen in a small telescope, although the brightness of the main component makes it difficult to notice the weaker one. However, when the Puppy deviates at its maximum distance - 11 arc seconds, it will not be difficult to notice it.
VY Canis Majoris
This is simply a wonderful star, not only in the constellation Canis Major, but in the earth’s sky in general. The fact is that this is one of the largest and brightest stars known on this moment- a red hypergiant, the diameter of which is 1300 - 1640 times greater than the solar one, and according to some estimates - 2100 times! In numbers, this is about 3-4 billion kilometers, or 17-19 AU. The star, like many red giants, pulsates, changing its diameter and brightness - from 6.5 to 9.6m, that is, it can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope.
Although VY Canis Majoris looks like an inconspicuous star in the sky, in fact its size is amazing. Even light would take 8 hours to fly around it (for the Sun - 14.5 seconds), and a modern supersonic aircraft would have to fly continuously for 220 years at a speed of 4500 km/h! If this star were in the place of the Sun, then its surface would be beyond the orbit.
Despite its truly gigantic size, its density is very low, since the mass of the star is only 17 times that of the Sun. If the density of air is 1.2929 kg/m3, then the density of this star is only 0.000005-0.00001 kg/m3, that is, it is literally “nothing”. However, this “nothing” shines 270,000 times brighter than the Sun, thanks to its huge surface.
Comparison of the sizes of the Sun and VY Canis Majoris. If you want to look at this star, remember that despite its inconspicuousness, it is simply a giant in a world of giants. And it looks so modest only because we are separated by 3900 light years. We would not even notice any ordinary star at such a distance even with a very powerful telescope.
Star clusters in the constellation Canis Major
The constellation Canis Major contains many galaxies, clusters, double stars and various other objects. However, to even detect many of them, you need a fairly serious telescope with an aperture of 200 mm or more. Therefore, we will mention only those objects that are accessible to more modest tools.
Open cluster M41 – Canis Heart
This cluster contains about a hundred stars and looks quite beautiful. On a dark night, it can be seen with the naked eye as a blurry speck with a brightness of 4.6m, and with a small telescope it can be viewed in detail - it will occupy the entire field of view even at low magnifications.
The M41 cluster is located 4 degrees below Sirius, exactly to the south, so finding it will not be difficult. Another thing is that it is observed infrequently due to its low altitude above the horizon, and the best conditions for this appear in the middle of winter, when frost bites across most of Russia. However, this cluster is worth seeing.
Open cluster M41. The cluster is located 2300 light years away from us, and the stars in it are scattered in a circle of 26 light years. The age of the cluster is about 210 million years.
NGC 2362
This cluster is not as abundant as M41, but still looks beautiful. It is located near the star Tau Canis Majoris, almost around it. To see this cluster, just point your telescope at this star. By the way, it is called the Tau Canis Majoris cluster, and another name is Hodierna.
By the way, the Tau star not only appeared in the foreground there, it is actually a member of this cluster - it is a blue supergiant. According to some estimates, the cluster is 4800 light years away from us, and if this is true, then the Tau star has a luminosity of 50,000 solar years!
The age of the NGC 2362 cluster is estimated at 25 million years, that is, it is very young.
Cluster NGC 2362. As you can see, the constellation Canis Major, despite its rather big sizes, is fraught with many interesting objects. Here we have looked at only a few of them, the most interesting and accessible. If you have a powerful enough telescope, you can find many star clusters and other objects in this constellation.
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> VY Canis Majoris
– star and hypergiant of the constellation Canis Major: description and characteristics with photos, diameter, facts, comparison of size with the Sun and other stars.
- a large red hypergiant living in the territory of Canis Major. The radius is 1420 times larger than the sun, and the diameter is 13.2 a. e. This is one of the most big stars
in our Milky Way galaxy. The distance to VY Canis Majoris is 3840 light years, and the apparent magnitude ranges from 6.5-9.6. It is considered a semi-regular variable with a period of 2000 days.
Hypergiants are stars that are extremely bright and rapidly losing mass. Its brightness level is 270,000 times higher than that of the sun and loses 30 Earth masses per year. Goes to the stage of explosion as a supernova. Admire the photo of the star VY Canis Majoris.
There is a cloud of material concentrated around it, which continues to move apart due to radiation pressure from the stars. As a result, the dust and gas are used by new stars to form planets.
Facts about VY Canis Majoris
Characteristics indicate that it is an O-type star with a mass 15-35 times that of the Sun, indicating the large size of VY Canis Majoris.
Size VY Canis Majoris
In diameter it covers 13.2 AU. If we placed a star in our system, its surface would extend beyond the orbital path of Jupiter. In the lower figure you can see the comparison of VY Canis Majoris with the planets solar system, including the Earth, the Sun and big stars, like Sirius, Betelgeuse, Arcturus, Aldebaran.
Initially, it was believed that the radius covers 1800-2100 solar. But later indicators give an estimate of 1420. It is larger than Betelgeuse and Antares.
But in size, VY Canis Majoris is inferior to VX Sagittarius (1520 solar radii), Westerland-1 (1530) and UY Scuti (1708).
Hypernova VY Canis Majoris
VY Canis Majoris is huge enough to create a hypernova when it explodes. They form a much larger energy volume and long-lasting gamma-ray bursts. When a star explodes, it can release 100 times more energy than a regular supernova. It is located far away, so it does not pose a threat to the Earth.
Physical characteristics and orbit of the star VY Canis Majoris
- Constellation: Canis Major.
- Coordinates: 07h 22m 58.32877s (right ascension), -25° 46" 03.2355" (declination).
- Spectral class: (M2.5I-) M3-M4.5.
- Explicit value: 6.5-9.6.
- Distance: 3840 light years.
- Variable type: semi-regular.
- Massiveness: 30-40 solar.
- Radius: 1420 solar.
- Luminosity: 270,000 solar.
- Temperature mark: 3490 K.
- Radial speed: 41 km/s
- Names: VY Canis Majoris, VY CMa, HD 58061, CD -25 4441, HIP 35793, AAVSO 0718-25.
