The night sky is one that is daunting in nature. Not just because of its mysteries that we are still yet to unravel but also because of the signs that come along with it. A sign that makes life all the more interesting and represents the total time from birth to death. Constellations are an integral part of the night sky and they make stargazing all the more fun and easy as well. We are going to look at one particular constellation by the name of Puppis today.
What is Puppis?
- Just like every other constellation that we know of (and that we don’t know of), this constellation is also home to a treat of wonders.
- Contrary to its name, the constellation Puppis has no resemblance in shape or myth to that of a Puppy. It is used to represent the stern of a ship which is associated with a myth.
- The constellation used to be a part of an even bigger one where it combined with two other constellations to form a ship which was used to avail the Golden Fleece. Supposedly, Jason and The Argonauts sailed on it and this is how the constellation was broken down into three segments (constellations) today.
- Apart from its myth, its size is noticeable. It is one of the biggest constellations in the night sky and also contains objects which fascinate astronomers, particularly the science whiz kids.
- It is home to several Messier objects, namely 3 of them all of which represent several nebulae and open clusters, making it a delight for astronomers to simply observe the constellation as much as possible owing to the mysteries involving it that need to be broken down to contemplate and comprehend more about the Universe.
- It also belongs to the family of the Heavenly Waters which make up for some well-renowned constellations such as Carina and Piscis Austrinus. Apart from belonging to the same family of renowned constellations, it is also surrounded by well-renowned constellations such as Canis Major and Hydra.
- It is also one of the constellations that do not have any alpha and beta stars. But, it does make up for its loss by constituting so many other stars in the constellation. With so many giant stars and even binary star systems, the constellation is home to a massive collection of interstellar objects as we have seen earlier.
- The constellation that it was once part of, as we discussed earlier, was called the Argo Navis. This Argo Navis was broken down into Puppis, Carina, and Vela namely. Carina is the constellation in the three which got the better of the two-quite literally. Carina is home to the alpha and beta stars of the other two and this is why both these constellations do not have an alpha and beta star in their list.
- Hence, this constellation is one of the prominent ones in the night sky and one that cannot be easily missed to the naked eye, not just because of its size but also because of the other seemingly remarkable factors that it most graciously hosts.
Insights on Puppis
The boat’s stern has certainly been appealing in all its ways. From its myths to its satisfying shape, Puppis is not just fascinating but is also remarkable to know about. With the constellation playing host to some of the mysterious objects that one can trace upon (The Messier objects which consist of the nebulae), it becomes a highly observed constellation owing to its physical traits. Thus, this constellation, just like most others, has no escape from amateur and professional’s stargazers, and will always be a stunning sight forever!