Musca 211825 218849013 2008-06-12T12:54:22Z JMK 938515 /* Named Stars */ replace table with wikitable {{for|the biological ''Musca'' genus|Musca (genus)}} {{Infobox Constellation| name = Musca | abbreviation = Mus | genitive = Muscae | symbology = the [[Fly]] | RA = 12h 27m 36s | dec= &minus;70° 20' 24" | areatotal = 138 | arearank = 77th | numbermainstars = 6 | numberbfstars = 13 | numberstarsplanets = 1 | numberbrightstars = 1 | numbernearbystars = 0 | brighteststarname = [[Alpha Muscae|α Mus]] | starmagnitude = 2.69 | neareststarname = [[Delta Muscae|δ Mus]] | stardistance = 90.8 | numbermessierobjects = none | meteorshowers =?????<br />????? | bordering =[[Apus]]<br />[[Carina (constellation)|Carina]]<br />[[Centaurus]]<br />[[Chamaeleon]]<br />[[Circinus]]<br />[[Crux]] | latmax = 10 | latmin = 90 | month = May | notes=}} '''Musca''' ({{pronEng|ˈmʌskə}}, {{lang-la|[[fly]]}}) is one of the minor southern [[constellation]]s. The constellation was one of twelve constellations created by [[Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser]] and [[Frederick de Houtman]] between [[1595]] and [[1597]], and it first appeared in [[Johann Bayer]]'s ''[[Uranometria]]'' of [[1603]]. ==Notable objects== The [[soft X-ray transient]] Nova Muscae [[1991]] is a [[binary star|binary object]] consisting of a star and a [[black hole]]. During the 1991 outburst which led to its discovery, [[radiation]] was produced through a process of [[positron]] [[annihilation]]. Musca also contains the unusual planetary nebula [[NGC 5189]], located about 3,000 light years from earth. Its uniquely complex structure resembles a miniature crab nebula. Also within the constellation is the [[Hourglass Nebula]] (MyCn 18) at a distance of about 8,000 light years. The comparatively old globular cluster [[NGC 4833]] near Delta Muscae is 21,200 light years distant and somewhat obscured by dust clouds near the galactic plane. The globular cluster [[NGC 4372]] near Gamma Muscae is fainter and likewise partially obscured by dust, but spans more arc minutes. ==Named Stars== {|class="wikitable" border="5" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" !Star !Star name !Name origin !Meaning of name |- | μ | Butain |[[Arabic]] |little belly |- |35 |[[Krittika]] |[[Sanskrit]] |[[Pleiades]] |} ==History== Musca, under its original name '''[[Apis (constellation)|Apis]]''' – ''the Bee'', was introduced in the 17th century by [[Johann Bayer]] to fill the previously uncharted area around the southern pole. It was <!--consequently ? [backwards-in-time implication]--> unknown to classical and early cultures, and they produced no mythology concerning it. In [[1752]] [[Nicolas Louis de Lacaille]] renamed it to ''Musca Australis'', the Southern Fly – ''Australis'', since it counterparted the now [[former constellations|discarded constellation]] of [[Musca Borealis]] composed of a few stars in [[Aries (constellation)|Aries]], and to avoid [[Apus|confusion with Apus]]. Today the name is simply ''Musca''. <ref>[http://www.pa.msu.edu/people/horvatin/Astronomy_Facts/obsolete_pages/apis.htm Shane Horvatin – Obsolete Constellations: Apis] </ref> == Citations == {{reflist}} == References == * Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). ''Stars and Planets Guide'', Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. [[Princeton University]] Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564. * [[Thomas Wm. Hamilton]], ''Useful Star Names'', Holbrook, NY, Viewlex, 1968. ==External links== {{Commons|Musca}} *[http://www.allthesky.com/constellations/chamaeleon/ The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Musca] *[http://www.starrynightphotos.com/constellations/musca.htm Starry Night Photography: Musca] *[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/musca.htm Star Tales – Musca] <br/> {{navconstel}} {{astronomy-stub}} [[Category:Musca constellation| ]] [[Category:Constellations]] [[bn:মক্ষিকা মণ্ডল]] [[be:Сузор'е Муха]] [[bg:Муха (съзвездие)]] [[ca:Mosca (constel·lació)]] [[cs:Souhvězdí Mouchy]] [[da:Fluen]] [[de:Fliege (Sternbild)]] [[et:Kärbes (tähtkuju)]] [[el:Μυία]] [[es:Musca]] [[eo:Muŝo (konstelacio)]] [[fa:مگس جنوبی]] [[fr:Mouche (constellation)]] [[ga:An Chuileog]] [[gl:Musca]] [[ko:파리자리]] [[hr:Mušica (zviježđe)]] [[it:Mosca (costellazione)]] [[he:זבוב (קבוצת כוכבים)]] [[la:Musca (sidus)]] [[lv:Muša (zvaigznājs)]] [[lt:Musė (astronomija)]] [[nl:Vlieg (sterrenbeeld)]] [[ja:はえ座]] [[nn:Fluga]] [[pl:Mucha (gwiazdozbiór)]] [[pt:Musca]] [[ro:Musca (constelaţie)]] [[ru:Муха (созвездие)]] [[sk:Súhvezdie Mucha]] [[sv:Flugan (stjärnbild)]] [[th:กลุ่มดาวแมลงวัน]] [[vi:Thương Dăng]] [[uk:Муха (сузір'я)]] [[zh:苍蝇座]]