Centaurus

Centaurus, the Centaur, is a large southern constellation containing Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun at just 4.37 light-years. Alpha Centauri is actually a triple star system — the faint companion Proxima Centauri is the nearest individual star to our solar system. The constellation also hosts Omega Centauri (NGC 5139), the largest and brightest globular cluster in the Milky Way.

The Hercules family includes constellations associated with the legendary strongman and his twelve labors. It is the second-largest constellation family after Ursa Major, encompassing much of the summer sky visible from northern latitudes. Hercules himself is the fifth-largest constellation by area, though none of his stars are brighter than third magnitude — a fitting irony for such a famous figure.

Mythology & History

Heracles (Hercules in Roman tradition) was the greatest of Greek heroes, a son of Zeus known for his extraordinary strength. His twelve labors — from slaying the Nemean Lion to capturing Cerberus — are reflected in several constellations. The constellation Hercules is depicted kneeling, and its central asterism, the Keystone, represents the hero's torso. Associated constellations include Hydra (the multi-headed serpent), Sagitta (the arrow), Lyra (Orpheus's lyre, a fellow Argonaut), and Aquila (Zeus's eagle). Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, was Ariadne's wedding crown placed in the sky by Dionysus.

Observation Tips

Hercules family constellations dominate the summer sky. The Keystone asterism in Hercules contains M13, the Great Hercules Cluster — one of the finest globular clusters in the northern sky, containing over 300,000 stars visible as a fuzzy patch to the naked eye. Lyra hosts Vega, the fifth-brightest star in the sky and a vertex of the Summer Triangle. The Ring Nebula (M57) between Beta and Gamma Lyrae is a favorite planetary nebula for amateur astronomers.

HIP 69201HIP 69202HIP 69229HIP 69320HIP 69354HIP 69355HIP 69385HIP 69394HIP 69395HIP 69396HIP 69404HIP 69454HIP 69472HIP 69465HIP 69484HIP 69489HIP 69495HIP 69496HIP 69501HIP 69491HIP 69515HIP 69524HIP 69525HIP 69530HIP 69532HIP 69570HIP 69578HIP 69582HIP 69583HIP 69593HIP 69597HIP 69598HIP 69604HIP 69605HIP 69606HIP 69609HIP 69611HIP 69617HIP 69618HIP 69619HIP 69625HIP 69668HIP 69670HIP 69671HIP 69679HIP 69686HIP 69734HIP 69736

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Centaurus constellation?
Centaurus (Cen) is one of the 88 IAU-recognized constellations in the Southern hemisphere. Centaurus, the Centaur, is a large southern constellation containing Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun at just 4.37 light-years. Alpha Centauri is actually a triple star system — the
How many stars are cataloged in Centaurus?
StarFYI currently catalogs 4,270 stars in the constellation Centaurus.
What is the brightest star in Centaurus?
The brightest star in Centaurus is Alpha Centauri.
How large is the Centaurus constellation?
Centaurus covers 1060.42 square degrees of the sky.
What family does Centaurus belong to?
Centaurus belongs to the Hercules Family of constellations.