Octans (Constellation)
Contents
Overview
Octans, the Octant, is a faint constellation of the southern celestial polar region.
Stars in Octans
Nu Octantis (ν Oct / HIP107809)
At +3.7 apparent magnitude ν Oct is the brightest star in Octans. It is a K class star with a spectral type K0III and is located at a distance of 69.07ly away.
Beta Octantis (β Oct / HIP112405)
An A class star with a spectral type of A9IV/V. It is located 140.4 light years away and has an apparent magnitude of +4.1.
Delta Octantis (δ Oct / HIP70638)
With a apparent magnitude of +4.3 δ Oct and is located 278.77 light years away. Its spectral type is K2III. δ Octantis has the distintion of being Saturn's south polar star.
Polaris Australis or Southern Pole Star or The South Star (Sigma Octantis / σ Oct)
With a apparent magnitude of +5.47 σ Oct is the closest naked eye star to the south celestial pole it is however no where near as bright as Polaris, the northern hemisphere's pole star. It is located 270 light years away. Its spectral type is F0.
Alpha Octantis (α Oct / HIP104043)
Unusually the alpha star is not the brightest in the constellation, the brightest is ν Oct. This F class star has a spectral type of F4III. It is located 147.78 light years away and has an apparent magnitude of +5.1.
Galaxies
NGC 6438 (GC 4330 / h 370)
A galaxy with a brightness of +13.
Polarissima Australis (NGC 2573 / ESO 1-1 / IRAS02425-8934 / PGC 6249)
A galaxy located close to the south celestial pole (less than 1°) with a brightness of +13.5.
Bordering Constellations
Octans shares its borders with the following constellations: Apus, Chamaeleon, Mensa, Hydrus, Tucana, Indus, and Pavo.
