Name a Star in the Fornax Constellation

Meaning “the furnace”, Fornax was described by Lacaille as being within the southern bend of the river. It was named in honor of the celebrated chemist Antoine Lauraent Lavoisier and had to do with his chemical prowess. The name referred to a chemical furnace used in laboratories. It is a southern hemisphere constellation and is most viewable in November. Six star systems in Fornax have been found to have exoplanets  Constellations near Fornax include Cetus, Eridanus, Phoenix and Sculptor. 

Symbol: For 

Right Ascension: 02:50 

Declination: -30 

Diameter (°): 14 

Area (square °): 398 

Opposition: Nov 07 

Size Rank: 41st 

Brightness Rank: 81st 

Genitive: Fornacis 

Major or notable stars in Fornax 
 

Dalim – α Fornacis (Alpha Fornacis) 

β Fornacis (Beta Fornacis) 

λ2 Fornacis (Lambda-2 Fornacis) 

HD 20781 and HD 20782 

HIP 13044 

Deep Sky Objects in Fornax 

Fornax Cluster 

NGC 1399 

NGC 1404 

UDFy-38135539 

NGC 1097 (Caldwell 67) 

NGC 1360 

Great Barred Spiral Galaxy – NGC 1365 

NGC 1398 

NGC 1427 

NGC 1049 

Fornax Dwarf 

Fornax A – NGC 1316 

NGC 1350 

Mythology of the Constellation Fornax   

Nearby Cetus and Eridanus have mythological stories. Fornax was too dim and too far south to be of consequence to Ptolemy. It is not included in Greek Mythology. Fornax was identified and named by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope. During this 2-year period, he observed and catalogued nearly 10,000 stars.  Originally, he called it “le Fourneau Chymique” (the Chemical Furnace) then abbreviated it to “le Fourneau” on his 1752 planisphere. He Latinized the name of the constellation in 1763 to “Fornax Chimiae”. English astronomer Francis Bailey shortened the constellation’s name to Fornax in 1845.