The Constellation Lupus

by Dominic Ford
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Lupus

Lupus is a southern constellation which appears highest in the midnight sky in May.

Its name is Latin for ‘wolf’, and the creature depicted here is usually depicted impaled on a long pole held by Centaurus the centaur, perhaps about to be sacrificed on Ara the altar.

The outline of the wolf's body is traced out by second and third magnitude stars. This sky area also offers several bright open clusters and globular clusters since it lies close to the plane of the Milky Way.

There appear to be few Greek myths associated with Lupus, perhaps because it is a much older Babylonian constellation which the Greeks adopted without change.

Date First Appeared
Ancient
Sky Area
0.8% of the sky
333.7 square degrees
Messier Objects
Lupus contains no Messier objects
Caldwell Objects
Lupus contains no Caldwell objects
Neighbors
The following constellations neighbor Lupus: Centaurus, Circinus, Hydra, Libra, Lupus, Norma, Scorpius.
Lupus Lupus
The constellation Lupus as it appears to the unaided eye. Roll mouse over to see labels.
Source: Stellarium.

Fairfield

Latitude:
Longitude:
Timezone:

41.14°N
73.26°W
EDT

Color scheme


Brightest Objects in Lupus

Hover the pointer over the name of an object to highlight its position on the starchart to the right, or click to see more information.

Stars Open Clusters Globular Clusters Galaxies
α-Lup (mag 2.3) NGC 5822 (mag 6.5) NGC 5986 (mag 7.6) NGC 5530 (mag 11.2)
β-Lup (mag 2.6) NGC 5749 (mag 8.8) NGC 5927 (mag 8.0) NGC 5643 (mag 11.5)
γ-Lup (mag 3.0) NGC 5764 (mag 12.6) NGC 5824 (mag 9.6) NGC 5688 (mag 11.8)
δ-Lup (mag 3.2) NGC 5593 IC 4402 (mag 11.8)
ε-Lup (mag 3.4) NGC 5800 IC 4441 (mag 11.8)
η-Lup (mag 3.4) NGC 5670 (mag 12.0)
ζ-Lup (mag 3.4) NGC 5968 (mag 12.2)
ι-Lup (mag 3.5) NGC 5843 (mag 13.1)
φ¹-Lup (mag 3.6) IC 4523 (mag 13.4)
κ¹-Lup (mag 3.8) IC 4527 (mag 13.7)
χ-Lup (mag 3.9) IC 4472 (mag 14.0)
ρ-Lup (mag 4.0) IC 4529 (mag 14.8)
λ-Lup (mag 4.0) IC 4445 (mag 15.0)
θ-Lup (mag 4.2) IC 4518 (mag 16.5)
O-Lup (mag 4.3)
ω-Lup (mag 4.3)
f-Lup (mag 4.4)
τ²-Lup (mag 4.4)
σ-Lup (mag 4.4)
HIP 76297 (mag 4.5)
φ²-Lup (mag 4.5)
τ¹-Lup (mag 4.5)
π-Lup (mag 4.6)
k-Lup (mag 4.6)
π-Lup (mag 4.6)
g-Lup (mag 4.6)
ψ¹-Lup (mag 4.7)
d-Lup (mag 4.7)
ψ²-Lup (mag 4.7)
HIP 70104 (mag 4.8)
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