OCTANS

Octans, the Octant, surrounds the South Celestial Pole, which lies just to the upper left of center. The closest star to it is Sigma Octantis (Polaris Australis), the left-hand star of the short three-star string also up and to the left of center. The luminary, Nu Octantis, is the bright star down and to the right of center. Alpha Oct is down and to the left of it Hydrus is at the upper right, Pavo at bottom center, Apus toward the lower left. The brightest star, to the upper right, is Beta Hydri. Image courtesy of Dr. Axel Mellinger.

To see a labelled image, push the star:

See Octans in context with Tucana and the Small Magellanic Cloud.

Octans has a star with a planet.

By Jim Kaler. Return to STARS.