DMI image reference Gru. « Previous || Next » Constellations A » H || Constellations I » V
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Image and text ©2008 Akira Fujii/David Malin Images.
In the picture above, north is at the top and the image covers 29.7 x 37.1 degrees. Approximate image centre is 22:34:21.6, -40:01:13 (H:M:S, D:M:S, J2000) Astrometric data from Astrometry.net.
Best seen in the early evening in October
Grus (the Crane) is meant to represent a water bird, which may be a crane or perhaps a flamingo. This stellar grouping was introduced by Johann Bayer in his star atlas of 1603. Because of its location in the southern sky it is not visible from north latitudes above 40 degrees. Even if it were visible, it would hardly be remarked upon. More information about Grus is on Wikipedia
Piscis Austrinus (the Southern Fish) once included Grus, and nowadays represents the Southern Fish, drinking from the water poured by Aquarius, adjoining it to the north. Piscis Austrinus was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations and its brightest star is Fomalhaut (α PsA), a name drived from the Arabic for fish's mouth. All the other stars in the costellation are rather faint, but if the northernmost star in Grus, Al Dhanab, (γ Gru) is included there is more than a hint of a fishy tail at the eastern end of PsA.
Named stars in Grus and Pisces Austrinus(Greek alphabet)
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Al Dhanab (γ Gru), Alnair (α Gru), Fomalhaut (α PsA), Gruid (β Gru).
Constellations adjoining Grus Indus, Microscopium, Phoenix Piscis Austrinus, Sculptor, Tucana.
Constellations adjoining Picis Austrinus Aquarius, Capricornus, Grus, Microscopium, Sculptor.