Name a Star in the Antlia Constellation

This small and relatively faint constellation could be misidentified as being named for an ant, but Antlia Pneumatica is the water pump to most astronomers. In Germany it is called the Luft Pumpe. Generally, in most lists of constellations in all languages it is called more simply Antlia, a name given to in in the 18th century by Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.   Antlia lies south of Hydra and Crater and is near Vela, the sail of Argo Navis. It has eighty-two naked eye stars and can be seen from Fort Lauderdale, Florida during spring break. , the sail of Argo Navis. It has eighty-two naked eye stars and can be seen from Fort Lauderdale, Florida during spring break.  

HD 93083 is a K3V type orange hued star in the Antlia Constellation. In 2005 it was discovered that this 8.3 magnitude has a planetary system which lies within the “Habitable” range of the star. The star was designated as Macondo and the planet circling the star was named Melquíades by the IAU after a character in the book Cien años de soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) during the IAU’s NameExoWorlds Campaign in June 2019.  

Alternative planet names include HD 93083 b, HIP 52521 b, TYC 7190-2048-1 b, Gaia DR2 5450573881018549760 b, Macondo b, GJ 1137 b 

Symbol: Ant 

Right Ascension: 10:12 

Declination: -33 

Diameter (°): 15 

Area (square °): 239 

Opposition: Feb 19 

Size Rank: 62nd 

Brightness Rank: 84th 

Genitive: Antiliae 

Major Stars in Antlia 

α Antliae (Alpha Antliae) 

ε Antliae (Epsilon Antliae)  

ι Antliae (Iota Antliae)  

θ Antliae (Theta Antliae, IDS 09397-2719 B)  

η Antliae (Eta Antliae)  

U Antliae  

AG Antliae (HD 89353)  

δ Antliae (Delta Antliae)  

Deep Sky Objects in Antlia 

Antlia Dwarf Galaxy (PGC 29194) 

NGC 2997 (ESO 434- G 35, PGC 27978) Unbarred Spiral Galaxy 

Antlia Cluster (Abell S0636) 

IC 2560 Spiral Galaxy 

IC 2545 Pair of Galaxies 

Starburst Galaxy NGC 3125 

NGC 3244 Spiral Galaxy notable for appearance of Super Nova SN 2010ev in 2010 

History of the Constellation Antlia 

Although the stars have shone overhead for centuries and have been identified by many cultures, Antlia resides in a southern area of the sky that was catalogued by French astronomer Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. Lacaille’s extensive collection Coelum Australe Stelliferum, was published in 1763, after his death.  Unlike many constellations which were named by the early Greeks and Romans, this grouping of 14 faint constellations was given names associated with inanimate objects like the furnace the table, the microscope and others. Best time to see it is during the spring season and this once can be seen south of Hydra constellation and between constellations Centaurus, Vela and Compass, when the night sky is clear and bright. 

Antlia is the first constellation alphabetically in the group of constellations named by de Lacaille. The other constellations in this group also lie in the same area of the southern sky. They include Caelum, Circinus, Fornax, Horologium, Mensa, Microscopium, Norma, Octans, Pictor, Reticulum, Sculptor, and Telescopium. 

FAQ 

Q. What is Antlia? 

A. Antlia is a small, faint constellation located in the southern skies. It is one of the smaller constellations in the sky (62nd in size), occupying an area of 239 square degrees. 

Q. What is the meaning of Antlia? 

A. It was named after the air pump, Antlia pneumatica, an instrument invented by the French physicist Denis Papin, who is also famous for inventing the steam digester, which preceded the steam engine and the pressure cooker. 

Q. What are Lacaille’s constellations? 

A. Lacaille’s constellations are mostly named after scientific instruments and there are no myths attached to them.