Canis Minor

Canis Minor

Infobox Constellation
name = Canis minor
abbreviation = CMi
genitive = Canis Minoris
symbology = the lesser Dog
RA = 8
dec= +5
areatotal = 183
arearank = 71st
numbermainstars = 2 | numberbfstars = 14
numberstarsplanets = 0
numberbrightstars = 2
numbernearbystars = 1
brighteststarname = Procyon (α CMi)
starmagnitude = 0.38
neareststarname = Procyon (α CMi)
stardistance = 11.4
numbermessierobjects = 0
meteorshowers = Canis-Minorids
bordering = Monoceros
Gemini
Cancer
Hydra
latmax = 85
latmin = 75
month = March
notes=

Canis Minor (pronEng|ˌkeɪnɨs ˈmaɪnɚ, _la. smaller dog) is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also in Ptolemy's list of 48 constellations. It is said to represent one of the dogs following Orion the hunter.

Notable features

Canis Minor is a small constellation mainly consisting of the two stars, Procyon (α CMi, 0.38m) and Gomeisa (β CMi , 2.9m). Procyon is the eighth brightest star in the night sky. Procyon means "before the dog" in Greek, as it rises an hour before the Dog Star, Sirius, of Canis Major, the large dog.

Notable deep objects

Being such a small constellation, Canis Minor has no deep sky object brighter than magnitude 15.

Mythology

Canis Minor was considered to be the smaller of the two hunting dogs of Orion. However, the ancient Greeks did not recognise it as a distinct constellation, and thus originally only considered Orion to have had one dog. See also the constellations of Orion and Canis Major

Canis Minor is also connected with the Teumessian Fox, beast turned into stone with its hunter, Laelaps, by Zeus, who placed them in heaven as Canis Mayor (Laelaps) and Canis Minor (Teumessian Fox).

ee also

*Canis Major
*Orion
*Procyon

References

* Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). "Stars and Planets Guide", Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.

External links

* [http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/monoceros/ The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Canis Minor]
* [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canisminor.htm Star Tales – Canis Minor]


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  • Canis Minor — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Canis minor Nombre Latino Canis minor Abreviatura CMi Genitivo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Canis minor — Canis Ca nis (k[a^] n[i^]s), n.; pl. {Canes} ( n[=e]z). [L., a dog.] (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of carnivorous mammals, of the family {Canid[ae]}, including the dogs and wolves. [1913 Webster] {Canis major} [L., larger dog], a constellation to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Canis Minor — (el perro pequeño) es una de las 88 constelaciones modernas, se dice que representa a uno de los perros siguiendo a Orión, el cazador …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Canis Minor — Canis Minor,   Abkürzung CMi, lateinische Bezeichnung für das Sternbild Kleiner Hund …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Canis Minor — [mī′nər] n. [L, the Lesser Dog] a N constellation near Gemini and Cancer, containing the bright star Procyon; the Lesser Dog …   English World dictionary

  • Canis Minor — Daten des Sternbildes Kleiner Hund Deutscher Name Kleiner Hund Lateinischer Name Canis Minor Lateinischer Genitiv Canis Minoris Lateinische Abkürzung CMi Lage auf Himmelsäquator …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Canis Minor — noun Etymology: Latin (genitive Canis Minoris), literally, lesser dog Date: 14th century a constellation to the east of Orion containing Procyon …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Canis Minor — /kay nis muy neuhr/, gen. Canis Minoris /kay nis muy nawr is, nohr /. Astron. the Little or Lesser Dog, a small southern constellation west of Orion and south of Gemini, containing the bright star Procyon. [ < L: smaller dog] * * * …   Universalium

  • Canis Minor — /keɪnəs ˈmaɪnə/ (say kaynuhs muynuh) noun (genitive Canis Minoris /maɪˈnɔrəs/ (say muy nawruhs)) a constellation near Orion, in the Northern Hemisphere; contains Procyon, the brightest star in the constellation. Also, the Little Dog. {Latin: the… …  

  • Canis Minor — noun A small winter constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble a dog following the hunter Orion. It is most notable for including the eighth brightest star in the night sky, Procyon …   Wiktionary

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