The Constellation Microscopium
by Dominic Ford
Microscopium is a small and faint southern constellation which is highest in the evening sky in the months around July.
It contains no stars brighter than magnitude 4.7, and since it is situated well away from the plane of the Milky Way, its only deep sky objects are faint galaxies.
The name ‘Microscopium’ is Latin for ‘microscope’, and was assigned to this sky area by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1756.
Date First Appeared
1756 (Lacaille)
1756 (Lacaille)
Sky Area
0.5% of the sky
209.5 square degrees
0.5% of the sky
209.5 square degrees
Messier Objects
Microscopium contains no Messier objects
Microscopium contains no Messier objects
Caldwell Objects
Microscopium contains no Caldwell objects
Microscopium contains no Caldwell objects
Neighbors
The following constellations neighbor Microscopium: Capricornus, Grus, Indus, Piscis Austrinus, Sagittarius, Telescopium.
The following constellations neighbor Microscopium: Capricornus, Grus, Indus, Piscis Austrinus, Sagittarius, Telescopium.
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 |
| γ-Mic (mag 4.7) | NGC 6925 (mag 11.3) | ||
| ε-Mic (mag 4.7) | NGC 6958 (mag 11.4) | ||
| θ¹-Mic (mag 4.8) | IC 5105 (mag 11.6) | ||
| α-Mic (mag 4.9) | IC 5011 (mag 11.8) | ||
| ι-Mic (mag 5.1) | NGC 6923 (mag 12.0) | ||
| ν-Mic (mag 5.1) | IC 5020 (mag 12.3) | ||
| 2-PsA (mag 5.2) | IC 5007 (mag 12.6) | ||
| HIP 104738 (mag 5.3) | NGC 7060 (mag 12.8) | ||
| ζ-Mic (mag 5.3) | IC 5086 (mag 12.8) | ||
| HIP 103127 (mag 5.3) | IC 5003 (mag 12.9) | ||
| 3-PsA (mag 5.4) | NGC 6919 (mag 13.1) | ||
| HIP 102497 (mag 5.5) | NGC 6947 (mag 13.4) | ||
| HIP 102014 (mag 5.5) | IC 5049 (mag 13.6) | ||
| HIP 102916 (mag 5.5) | IC 5065 (mag 13.6) | ||
| η-Mic (mag 5.5) | NGC 7012 (mag 13.7) | ||
| HIP 105913 (mag 5.6) | NGC 7057 (mag 13.8) | ||
| HIP 105854 (mag 5.6) | NGC 6998 (mag 14.1) | ||
| δ-Mic (mag 5.7) | NGC 6983 (mag 14.2) | ||
| HIP 102092 (mag 5.8) | NGC 6999 (mag 14.9) | ||
| θ²-Mic (mag 5.8) | IC 5019 (mag 15.5) | ||
| HIP 104680 (mag 5.8) | |||
| HIP 103836 (mag 5.9) | |||
| HIP 104752 (mag 6.0) | |||
| β-Mic (mag 6.1) | |||
| HIP 101017 (mag 6.1) | |||
| HIP 103646 (mag 6.1) | |||
| HIP 104980 (mag 6.1) | |||
| HIP 104925 (mag 6.2) | |||
| HIP 103902 (mag 6.3) | |||
| HIP 102230 (mag 6.3) |
