As the name suggests, Microscopium represents microscope and is not related to any myths and is a simple group of stars representing a shape.
Explore The Secrets Of Nature With Microscopium Constellation
Nature has a Pandora’s Box of secrets, it has unlimited mysteries waiting to be discovered and whenever you wonder, and you find out something new. The night sky has always been a matter of fascination for humans, and evidence shows that our ancestors worked a good deal upon them.
Constellations and stars were used as a means to indicate way and directions by our ancestors and subjects like astronomy find their root in these twinkling diamonds of the sky. Today also stars, and other celestial objects are a source of fascination for kids, youngsters as well as adults. For kids they are mysterious objects peeping at them from shining holes in the sky, for young they are messengers to their sweethearts and a hope of bight and shining future and for old it is a reminder of their young days when they used to stare at the sky and wondered about their future, contemplated the chances of meeting their darling the next day and planned for upcoming challenges an ventures.
What are constellations?
Constellations are a group of stars that appear to take a particular shape and are visible in the night sky. They are present in the daytime also but are hidden due to the glare of the sun as the distance of the sun is less than the distance of other stars, and hence the sun hides the other celestial bodies under its dazzling light.
Location of Microscopium
Microscopium is situated in the southern hemisphere in the south direction of the Capricornus, between the constellations Sagittarius and Piscis Austrinus. It is one of those constellations which represent a scientific instrument and is extremely faint almost invisible to the naked eyes and unseen from northern latitudes.
Microscopium lacks bright deep-sky objects and can be seen with the help of binoculars only in ideal observing conditions. When we talk about the brightest star, the highest magnitude for Microscopium is five and is a dim object in comparison to other constellations.
Microscopium was discovered by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the eighteenth century.
Facts about Microscopium
Regarding size, Microscopium holds the sixty-sixth position and occupies an area of 210 square degrees and is located in the southern hemisphere in the fourth quadrant (SQ4) and is generally seen between +45 degrees and -90 degrees. Telescopium, Capricornus, Sagittarius, Grus, Piscis Austrinus, and Indus are its neighbors.
Along with other members like Antlia, Telescopium, Caelum, Sculptor, Circinus, Reticulum, Fornax, Octans, Horologium, Norma, and Mensa, it belongs to the Lacaille family of constellations.
The brightest star in the Microscopium constellation is Gamma Micoscopii, which has a magnitude of 4.67 and the constellation witnesses no meteor showers. The Microscopium constellation has only one star with known planets revolving around it in its vicinity and has no Messier objects related to it.
The popular tale behind the naming of Microscopium
French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille is credited with the introduction of Microscopium in 1751- 1752. Microscopium was christened after a type of compound microscope which existed in those times and used more than one lens at a time.
Eugene Delporte, in 1930, set the official boundaries of the constellation and his data is used today also.
Major stars in the Microscopium constellation are Gamma Microscopii, Epsilon Microscopii, Theta Microscopii, Alpha Microscopii, AX Microscopii, AU Microscopii and BO Microscpoii.
The world of stars is puzzling as well as fascinating and once you start exploring there is no end.