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 70307HIP 70332HIP 70358HIP 70380HIP 70392HIP 70423HIP 70628HIP 70686HIP 70706HIP 70769HIP 70798HIP 70808HIP 70939HIP 70940HIP 70955HIP 70962HIP 70993HIP 70998HIP 71013HIP 71014HIP 71033HIP 71058HIP 71140HIP 71163HIP 71203HIP 71217HIP 71244HIP 71282HIP 71289HIP 71308HIP 71405HIP 71453HIP 71581HIP 71625HIP 72279HIP 72600HIP 72684HIP 72685HIP 72700HIP 72710HIP 72712HIP 72714HIP 72755HIP 72759HIP 72761HIP 72772HIP 72778HIP 72781

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.