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Sextans

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For the Ancient Roman coin denomination, see sextans (coin).

For the Sextans Dwarf galaxy, see Sextans (dwarf galaxy).

Sextans
click for larger image
Abbreviation	Sex
Genitive	Sextantis
Symbology	the Sextant
Right ascension	10 h
Declination	0°
Area	314 sq. deg. Ranked 47th
Number of stars (magnitude < 3)	0?
Brightest star	α Sex (App. magnitude 4.49)
Meteor showers	Sextantids
Bordering constellations	Leo Hydra Crater
Visible at latitudes between +80° and −80° Best visible during the month of April

Sextans (Latin for Sextant) is a minor southern constellation which was introduced in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius.

Contents

1 Notable features

2 Notable deep sky objects

3 Mythology

4 Table of leading stars

5 Table of double stars

6 Table of deep sky objects

7 Stars

8 See Also

9 External links

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Notable features

Sextans is not a particularly bright constellation. It has only one star above the fifth magnitude, namely α Sextantis at magnitude 4.49. The constellation contains a few double stars, including γ, 35, and 40 Sextantis. There are few notable variable stars.

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Notable deep sky objects

There are a few galaxies in Sextans. The most notable is NGC 3115 (called the Spindle galaxy), a spiral galaxy of magnitude 9.1 that is seen edge-on. It is believed to be around 20 million light years away. There are a few other galaxies, including NGC 3156, NGC 3165, NGC 3166, and NGC 3169, a group of four galaxies 60 million light years away. NGC 3166 and NGC 3169 are the brightest of the quartet, at tenth magnitude. These two galaxies, which are separated by only around 50,000 light years, are so close to each other that they affect each other's structure. NGC 3156 is of magnitude 12.4, and NGC 3165 is of magnitude 13.9.

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Mythology

Being a modern constellation, Sextans has no mythology associated with it. It was deigned to represent a sextant, an instrument that Hevelius made frequent use of in his observations.

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Table of leading stars

Bayer designation	Flamsteed designation	Variable designation	Other designation	Right ascension (J 2000)	Declination (J2000)	Magnitude
	4			09h 50' 30.1"	+04° 20' 37"	6.24
	6			09h 51' 14.0"	-04° 14' 36"	6.01
	7			09h 52' 12.2"	+02° 27' 15"	6.02
γ	8		ADS 7555	09h 52' 30.4"	-08° 06' 18"	5.05
	12			09h 59' 43.1"	+03° 23' 05"	6.70
	13			10h 04' 08.4"	+03° 12' 04"	6.45
	14			10h 06' 47.4"	+05° 36' 41"	6.21
α	15			10h 07' 56.3"	-00° 22' 18"	4.49
	17			10h 10' 07.5"	-08° 24' 30"	5.91
	18			10h 10' 55.8"	-08° 25' 06"	5.65
	19			10h 12' 48.3"	+04° 36' 53"	5.77
ε	22			10h 17' 37.8"	-08° 04' 08"	5.24
	23	RS		10h 21' 02.0"	+02° 17' 23"	6.66v
	25	SS		10h 23' 26.5"	-04° 04' 27"	5.97v
δ	29			10h 29' 28.7"	-02° 44' 21"	5.21
β	30			10h 30' 17.5"	-00° 38' 13"	5.09v
	33			10h 41' 24.2"	-01° 44' 30"	6.26
	35		ADS 7902	10h 43' 20.9"	+04° 44' 52"	5.79
	36			10h 45' 09.4"	+02° 29' 17"	6.28
	40		ADS 7936	10h 49' 17.3"	-04° 01' 27"	6.61
	41		ADS 7942	10h 50' 18.1"	-08° 53' 52"	5.79

Source: The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.

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Table of double stars

Designation	Right ascension (J2000)	Declination (J2000)	Magnitudes
γ (ADS 7555)	09h 52' 30.4"	-08° 06' 18"	5.58, 6.07
35 (ADS 7902)	10h 43' 20.9"	+04° 44' 52"	5.79, 7.14

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Table of deep sky objects

Designation	Type	Right ascension (J2000)	Declination (J2000)	Size	Magnitude
NGC 3115	galaxy	10h 05m 14.1s	-07° 43′ 09″	8.3′ × 3.2′	9.1
NGC 3166	galaxy	10h 13m 45.6s	+03° 25′ 31″	5.2′ × 2.7′	10.4
NGC 3169	galaxy	10h 14m 14.8s	+03° 28′ 00″	4.8′ × 3.2′	10.2