Abbreviation: Â Pup
English Name: Â The The Stern
Genitive:Â (No labelled)
Hemisphere: Southern Hemisphere (Parts visible from the UK.)
Location:Â Between the constellations of Vela and Columba.
Visible between latitudes: Â +40 and -90 degrees
Best season: Spring
Seen in three seasons:Â Winter, Spring and Summer.
Best seen in:Â March
Seen between:Â January and April.
Right Ascension (RA):Â Â 08 hour
Declination (DEC):Â -40 degrees
Area (square degrees): Â 673 (20th)
Puppis  (The Stern)
- This rich constellation lies in the Milky-Way.
- Puppis was originally part of an over-large constellation, the ship of Argo Navis, which was centuries later divided into three parts, the other two being Carina (the Keel & The Hull), and Vela (Sails of the ship).
- Puppis is the largest of the three constellations in square degrees.
Messier Objects
- M46Â – Â Open Cluster; just visible to the naked-eye and appearing the same size as the Full Moon. (Magnitude: +6.1) Also a Planetary Nebula (NGC 2438) lies in front of Messier 46 cluster.
- M47Â – Â Open Cluster; scattered- visible to the naked-eye again because of magnitude +6.0.
- M93Â – Â Open Cluster; it’s too hard to find – thanks to the winter constellations as you need to do is get Sirius. (Map) -Â so rich that it resemmbles a globular cluster when seen through by binoculars.
Features of Interest
- NGC 2451 Â – Â Open Cluster; visible to the naked-eye (magnitude: +2.8), its brightest member is an orange giant, c Puppis of magnitude +3.6.
Named Stars
- Naos (Zeta Pup)
- Azmidiske (Xi Pup)
Others
- Photo of the constellation;Â Puppis, as it appears to the naked eye. (Lines have been added for clarity.)
- Sky Chart  –  Puppis
- List of stars in Puppis.
Back to The 88 Constellations Lists page.