Antlia

Antlia bode

Constellation Antlia

NGC 2997 ESO

ESO 376-16

Antlia (Latin for "pump") is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is an abbreviation of the machine name "antlia pneumatica", which means "air pump" and commemorates the air pump invented by the French physicist Denis Papin. It is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

History

Antlia was first catalogued by the French astronomer Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope in 1751–1752. Lacaille created Antlia to commemorate the air pump, an invention that symbolized the advances of the Scientific Revolution. It is one of the 14 constellations he created to fill the gaps in the maps of the southern sky. Lacaille Latinized its name to Antlia Pneumatica to honor the scientific instrument, but the name was later shortened to Antlia.

Characteristics

Antlia is located in the southern celestial hemisphere. Because of its faint stars, it is often considered challenging to identify in the night sky without the aid of a telescope. The constellation is bordered by Hydra, Pyxis, Vela, and Centaurus. Antlia does not contain any stars brighter than the third magnitude, the brightest being Alpha Antliae, a fourth magnitude star.

Antlia contains several galaxies, including the Antlia Cluster, which is the third nearest galaxy cluster to the Local Group after the Virgo Cluster and the Fornax Cluster. The Antlia Cluster is composed of a mix of spiral, elliptical, and peculiar galaxies, but due to its distance, it is not well-studied compared to closer clusters.

Notable Features

Among the notable objects in Antlia are the Antlia Dwarf Galaxy, a faint dwarf spheroidal galaxy that is part of the Local Group, and NGC 2997, a spiral galaxy that is one of the brightest galaxies within Antlia. The constellation also hosts several other galaxies and galaxy clusters that are of interest to astronomers, but their faintness makes them difficult targets for amateur astronomers.

Observation

Antlia is best observed in the month of April during its culmination at midnight. Due to its location and faintness, observing Antlia and its deep-sky objects requires a dark sky and, ideally, a telescope with a moderate aperture. Its position in the southern sky means that it is better seen from the southern hemisphere, although observers in the northern hemisphere's lower latitudes can also view parts of the constellation.

In Culture

Unlike many of the more ancient constellations, Antlia does not have myths associated with it, as it was introduced in the 18th century. Its creation reflects the period's emphasis on scientific achievements and the expansion of celestial cartography to include the southern skies, which were not visible to ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilizations.

See Also

• List of constellations
• List of constellations by area
• Nicolas Louis de Lacaille
• Scientific Revolution