Name a Star in the Vela Constellation

The constellation Vela, The Sails, is a southern constellation that can be viewed from throughout the southern hemisphere and about as far north as Florida in late March and early February. It shares a border with Antlia, Carina, Centaurus, Puppis, and Pyxis. Vela is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.  

Vela was originally part of a larger constellation “Argo Navis” created in the 2nd century by Ptolemy. This giant constellation represented the ship associated with the ancient tale of Jason and the Argonauts. Located entirely in the southern hemisphere, Argo Navis was a massive constellation which circled the south pole as the seasons changed. No longer considered a single constellation, The constellation Vela was designated independently of Argo Navis by The French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1752. The Argo Navis grouping is now subdivided into three separate constellations which make up the ship: Carina, the keel; Puppis, the stern; and Vela, the sails. 

The brightest object in Vela is Gamma Velorum, which is a multiple star system that consists of six stars. It appears to the naked eye as a single object with an apparent magnitude of 1.7. It is also called Regor. Vela is a favorite constellation for people living below the equator to name a star for a sailor.

Naming a star for someone is the ultimate birthday gift idea at the International Star Registry. This is a special and personal way to celebrate their special day, and they will receive a star certificate that includes their star’s location, and the new name of the star. There is also a chart included that shows the star’s location.  International Star Registry has named over 3 million stars since 1979 for people all over the world.  Click here for more information.

Vela is a fascinating constellation with a rich history. It’s especially fun for sailing aficionados and travelers visiting the southern hemisphere.  By naming a star for someone in Vela through International Star Registry, you can give a unique and personal gift that will be cherished for years to come. 

Symbol: Vel  

Right Ascension: 09:10  

Declination: -49  

Diameter (°): 18  

Area (square °): 500  

Opposition: Feb 04  

Size Rank: 32nd  

Brightness Rank: 14th  

Genitive: Velorum 

Major Stars in Vela 

Regor – γ Velorum (Gamma Velorum) 

Alsephina – δ Velorum (Delta Velorum) 

Suhail – λ Velorum (Lambda Velorum) 

Markeb – κ Velorum (Kappa Velorum) 

μ Velorum (Mu Velorum) 

N Velorum (HD 82668) 

φ Velorum (Phi Velorum) 

ο Velorum (Omicron Velorum) 

ψ Velorum (Psi Velorum) 

WISE 1049-5319 

HD 78004 (c Velorum) 

HD 74180 

HD 92139 

HD 75063 

HD 73526 

WASP-19 

V390 Velorum 

Deep sky objects in Vela 

Eight-Burst Nebula (Southern Ring Nebula) – NGC 3132 (Caldwell 74) 

Vela Supernova Remnant (Gum 16) 

Vela Pulsar (PSR B0833-45) 

Pencil Nebula – NGC 2736 

Gum Nebula (Gum 12) 

Gum 19 

NGC 2670 

NGC 2899 

NGC 2547 

NGC 3201 (Caldwell 79) 

HH 47 (Herbig Haro 47) 

Omicron Velorum Cluster – IC 2391 (Caldwell 85)