Abbreviation: Â Mon
English Name: Â The Unicorn
Genitive:Â Lucida
Hemisphere:  Northern and Southern Hemisphere. (Underlined means the more area in square feet in Southern Hemisphere.)
Location:Â Between the constellations of Canis Minor and Orion.
Visible between latitudes: Â +75 and -85 degrees
Best season: Late Winter.
Seen in three seasons:Â Autumn, Winter and Spring
Best seen in:Â March
Seen between:Â February and April.
Right Ascension (RA):Â Â 07 hour
Declination (DEC):Â -05 degrees
Area (square degrees): Â 482 (35th)
Monoceros  (The Unicorn)
- Monoceros is not very easily seen with the naked-eye, but often overlooked in favour of its glittering neighbouring constellations – specially Orion, but it lies in the Milky-Way.
- It contains some famous clusters and nebulae – Rosette Nebula, also the Open Cluster – Messier 50 (M50).
- Also the massive binary known as Plaskett’s Star.
- However, Monoceros does have some interesting features to observe with the aid of a small telescope. Beta Monocerotis is an impressive triple star system, the three stars forming a triangle which seems to be fixed.
Messier Objects
- M50 Â – Â Open Cluster; remarkable objects – about half the apparent size of the Full Moon and easy visible in binocular.
Features of Interest
- NGC 2244 Â – Â The stars of Open Cluster (at the centre of this picture) are enveloped in the Rosette Nebula. The Open Cluster is easily visible through binoculars – however, excellent skies are needed to trace the outline of the surrounding Rosette Nebula which is four times larger to show up well only on photographs.
- NGC 2264 Â – Â Open Cluster; views through a small telescope it appears triangular in shape; also known as Christmas Tree Cluster or Cone Nebula.
Named Stars
- Alpha Monocerotis (Lucida)
Others
- Photo of the constellation;Â Monoceros, as it appears to the naked eye. (Lines have been added for clarity.)
- Sky Chart  –  Monoceros
- List of stars in Monoceros.
Back to The 88 Constellations Lists page.