Vela (constellation)
Constellation|name = Vela |abbreviation = Vel |genitive = Velorum |symbology = the
Sails |RA = 9 |dec= −50 |areatotal = 500 |arearank = 32nd |numberstars = 5 |starname =
γ Vel |starmagnitude = 1.6 |meteorshowers =
*
Delta Velids*
Gamma Velids*
Puppid-velids |bordering =
*
Antlia*
Pyxis*
Puppis*
Carina*
Centaurus |latmax = 30 |latmin = 90 |month = March |notes=}}
Vela (
Latin for
sails) is a southern
constellation, one of the four parts into which
Argo Navis was split (the others being;
Carina (constellation),
Puppis and
Pyxis.
Of the deep sky objects of interest in Vela is a
planetary nebula known as the
Eight-Burst nebula. Also of interest within the constellation is the
Vela Supernova Remnant. This is the
nebula of a
supernova explosion which is believed to have been visible from the Earth around 10000 years ago. The remnant contains a
pulsar which was the first pulsar to be identified optically apart from that in the
Crab Nebula.
Since Vela was originally part of the
Argo Navis, it has no pre 17th century mythology associated with it independently. However, Vela is one of the three constellations that used to form the former constellation of Argo Navis, the ship of the Argonauts, of which Vela happens to be the sail.
The
False Cross is an
asterism formed of the
stars
Delta Velorum and
Kappa Velorum and
Iota Carinae and
Epsilon Carinae. It is sometimes mistaken for the
Southern Cross, causing errors in
astronavigation.
| BD | F | Names and other designations | Mag. | Ly away | Comments |
|---|
| γ1,2 | | Gamma Velorum, Regor, Suhail, Suhail al Muhlif, Muliphein | 1.82 | 840
* < Roger [backwards], honoring Roger Chaffee, one of the astronauts who died in the Apollo fire
* Suhail and Muliphein shared with λ Velorum
* double star; component magnitudes: 1.82, 4.27
* Wolf-Rayet star |
| δ | | Delta Velorum | 1.93 | 79.7
* < Koo She (of chinese origin)
* quadruple star; component magnitudes: 2.02, 5.00, 11.00, 13.50 |
| λ | | Lambda Velorum, Suhail, Suhail al Muhlif, Al Suhail, Alsuhail, Suhail Alwazn, Muliphein | 2.21 | 573
* < سهيل المحلف suhayl al-muħlif The glorious (star) of the oath. [سهيل suhayl "glorious" is a common name for bright stars.]
* Suhail and Muliphein shared with γ Velorum |
| κ | | Kappa Velorum, Markab | 2.47 | 539
* < مركب markab The vehicle [boat etc.]
* Markab shared with α Pegasi and κ Puppis |
| μ | | Mu Velorum | 2.69 | 116 |
| N | | N Velorum | 3.16 | 238 |
| φ | | Phi Velorum, Tseen Ke | 3.52 | 1930
* < 天紀 (Mandarin tiānjì) Heaven's record [= star chart] |
| ο | | Omicron Velorum | 3.60 | 495 |
| ψ | | Psi Velorum | 3.60 | 60.5
* double star; component magnitudes: 4.12, 4.65 |
| c | | c Velorum | 3.75 | 309 |
| b | | b Velorum | 3.77 | 3100 |
| p | | p Velorum | 3.84 | 86.5 |
| q | | q Velorum | 3.85 | 103 |
| a | | a Velorum | 3.87 | 1550 |
| d | | d Velorum | 4.05 | |
| e | | e Velorum | 4.11 | |
| x | | x Velorum | 4.29 | |
| M | | M Velorum | 4.34 | |
| i | | i Velorum | 4.37 | |
| w | | w Velorum | 4.45 | |
| J | | J Velorum | 4.50 | |
| m | | m Velorum | 4.58 | |
| H | | H Velorum | 4.68 | |
| n | | n Velorum | 4.74 | 1900 |
| B | | B Velorum | 4.79 | 1510 |
| r | | r Velorum | 4.82 | |
| Q | | Q Velorum | 4.85 | 1080 |
| l | | l Velorum | 4.92 | |
| g | | g Velorum | 4.94 | |
| C | | C Velorum | 5.01 | 877 |
| L | | L Velorum | 5.01 | |
| t | | t Velorum | 5.02 | |
| F | | F Velorum | 5.08 | |
| f | | f Velorum | 5.09 | |
| u | | u Velorum | 5.09 | |
| I | | I Velorum | 5.09 | |
| D | | D Velorum | 5.15 | |
| z | | z Velorum | 5.24 | |
| K | | K Velorum | 5.26 | |
| A | | A Velorum | 5.33 | 1640 |
| h | | h Velorum | 5.47 | |
| y | | y Velorum | 5.51 | |
| 16 | 16 Velorum | 5.52 | |
| O | | O Velorum | 5.56 | |
| s | | s Velorum | 5.76 | |
| E | | E Velorum | 5.79 | |
| k¹ | | k¹ Velorum | 5.85 | |
| | HD 75289 | 6.36 | 94[1]
* has a planet |
| | HD 83443 | 8.24 | 142[2]
* has a planet |
Source:
The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.,
The Hipparcos Catalogue, ESA SP-1200
