Corona Australis - Southern Crown

Learn about the constellation Corona Australis - Southern Crown, location, facts, mythology, meteor showers and deep space objects.

Corona Australis was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations and also counts among the 88 modern constellations.

Location: Southern Constellation 19h RA -40° Dec

Corona Australis is a constellation in the Southern Celestial Hemisphere. Its Latin name means "southern crown", and it is the southern counterpart of Corona Borealis, the northern crown.

The Corona Australids are a meteor shower that takes place between 14 and 18 March each year, peaking around 16 March. This meteor shower does not have a high peak hourly rate.

Corona Australis Mythology

Corona Australis has been associated with the myth of Bacchus and Stimula. Jupiter had impregnated Stimula, causing Juno to become jealous. Juno convinced Stimula to ask Jupiter to appear in his full splendour, which the mortal woman could not handle, causing her to burn. After Bacchus, Stimula's unborn child became an adult and the god of wine, he honoured his deceased mother by placing a wreath in the sky.

Corona Australis Deep Space Objects

Corona Australis' location near the Milky Way means that galaxies are uncommonly seen.

In the north of the constellation is the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud, a dark molecular cloud with many embedded reflection nebulae, including NGC 6729, NGC 6726-7, and IC 4812.

IC 1297 is a planetary nebula of apparent magnitude 10.7, which appears as a green-hued roundish object in higher-powered amateur instruments.