Historical Constellations
This page is an explanation of historical and defunct constellations. For a complete list of all eighty-eight constellations click here, for an explanation of modern constellations click here.
Contents
The now obselete constellation of Musca Borealis
(The Northern Fly)
Credit: Samuel Leigh/Urania's Mirror
Overview
Today there are eighty-eight constellations but this has not always been so. Most of the constellations known to us today have been around since ancient times and many have been added since.
Argo Navis is the only constellation from Ptolemy's list of 48 constellations that is not included in today's list of 88 compiled by the International Astronomical Union!
When European explorers sailed beyond the equator a whole new sky was opened up to them, new constellations were added and the size of known universe doubled.
Constellations are supposed to be used as a guide to the night sky, yet some of them became so large and unwieldy they were split into smaller constellations. Others so small and insignificant they were combined into larger constellations.
Table of defunct and historical constellations
| Constellation | Meaning | Fate | In use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argo Navis | Ship of the Argonauts | Divided into Carina, Puppis, Pyxis and Vela | 2nd century AD - 1752 AD |
| Apis | The Bee | Musca | 1603-1752 |
| Musca Borealis | The Northern Fly | Part of Aries | 1690 |
| Antinoüs | Antinoüs | Part of Aquila | Ancient Roman times, not widely accepted |
| Cerberus | The three-headed hound | Part of Hercules | 1690 |
| Chelae Scorpii | Scorpion's Claws | Libra | Ancient Greek times |
| Custos Messium | The Harvest Keeper | Part of Cassiopeia | 1775 |
| Frederici Honores | Frederick's Glory | Part of Andromeda and Cassiopeia | 1787-1790 |
| Globus Aerostaticus | The Ballon | Part of Capricornus/Microscopium? | 1798 |
| Serpentarius (holding Serpens) | The Serpent Bearer and Serpent (or Snake) | Ophicuhus & Serpens (Serpens Caput and Serpens Cauda) | Since Ptolemy. Still in use today. |
| Felis | The Cat | Somewhere between Antlia and Hydra? | 1805 |
| Telescopium Herschelii | Herschel's Telescope | Gemini, Lynx and part of Auriga | 1781 |
| Quadrans Muralis | The Mural Quadrant | Hercules, Boötes. The Quadrantids Meteor shower in Boötes is named after Quadrans Muralis | 1795(name partially still in use - see left) |
