Circinus - CompassesLearn about the constellation Circinus - Compasses, location, facts, mythology, meteor showers and deep space objects.
Circinus is one of the small southern constellations. It represents a tool used in drawing maps and as such should not be confused with Pyxis, a constellation associated with a ship's compass.
Location: Southern Constellation 15h RA -60° Dec
This constellation was created in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, whose unique fascination with secular science led to different names for these modern constellations.
Circinus Mythology
Being a modern constellation there is no mythology surrounding Circinus.
Circinus Deep Space Objects
In this table, the observation month represents the month in which the object reaches its highest point in the sky. It can also be viewed a few months before and after depending on your location. Direction is the compass direction in which the object is located, with Z meaning Zenith or overhead.
| # | Image | Common Name | Constellation | Month | Coords | Direction | Mag | Size (arcmin) | Type | Star Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C88 NGC 5823 | Circinus | Southern Hemisphere | 15h 05.7m RA -55° 36m Dec | 7.90 | 5 | Open Cluster | 🔍︎ |
More Constellations
| Northern Circumpolar | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camelopardalis | Cassiopeia | Cepheus | Draco | Lacerta | Ursa Major |
| Ursa Minor |
| Northern Spring | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antlia | Boötes | Cancer | Coma Berenices | Crater | Hydra |
| Leo | Leo Minor | Virgo |
| Northern Summer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquila | Corona Borealis | Cygnus | Delphinus | Equuleus | Hercules |
| Libra | Lyra | Ophiuchus | Sagitta | Scutum | Serpens |
| Vulpecula |
| Northern Autumn | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andromeda | Aquarius | Aries | Capricornus | Pegasus | Pisces |
| Triangulum |
| Northern Winter | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auriga | Canes Venatici | Canis Major | Canis Minor | Cetus | Eridanus |
| Gemini | Lepus | Lynx | Monoceros | Orion | Perseus |
| Taurus |
