Camelopardalis facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Camelopardalis
|
|
| Abbreviation | Cam |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Camelopardalis |
| Pronunciation | genitive the same |
| Symbolism | the Giraffe |
| Right ascension | 6 |
| Declination | +70 |
| Quadrant | NQ2 |
| Area | 757 sq. deg. (18th) |
| Main stars | 2, 8 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
36 |
| Stars with planets | 4 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 0 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 3 |
| Brightest star | β Cam (4.03m) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | October Camelopardalids |
| Bordering constellations |
Draco Ursa Minor Cepheus Cassiopeia Perseus Auriga Lynx Ursa Major |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −10°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of February. |
|
Camelopardalis is a large constellation found in the northern part of the sky. It's often called the "Giraffe" constellation because of its name. Even though it's big, it's quite hard to see. This is because its stars are not very bright.
A Dutch astronomer named Petrus Plancius first created and named this constellation in 1612. Its brightest star is called Beta Camelopardalis. This star has a brightness of 4.03, which is not very strong. Because of its dim stars, people living in cities with lots of light pollution usually cannot see Camelopardalis. You need a dark sky away from city lights to spot this celestial giraffe.
Contents
What is a Constellation?
A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern. People in ancient times imagined these patterns looked like animals, people, or objects. They gave them names. These star patterns helped them tell stories and navigate.
The Giraffe in the Sky
The name "Camelopardalis" comes from Latin. It means "camel-leopard." This old name was used for a giraffe. So, this constellation represents a giraffe. It's a fun way to imagine an animal in the night sky.
Finding Camelopardalis
Camelopardalis is located between some well-known constellations. These include Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (the Little Bear). It's also near Cassiopeia, which looks like a "W" or "M." Finding these brighter neighbors can help you locate the dim giraffe.
Stars of Camelopardalis
Most of the stars in Camelopardalis are quite faint. The brightest one is Beta Camelopardalis. It's a yellow supergiant star. This means it's much bigger and brighter than our Sun. However, it's very far away, so it looks dim from Earth. There are also other stars in this constellation. Some of them have planets orbiting them.
Meteor Showers
Sometimes, small pieces of space rock burn up in Earth's atmosphere. This creates streaks of light called meteors or "shooting stars." If many meteors come from the same area in the sky, it's called a meteor shower. The Camelopardalis constellation is linked to a meteor shower called the October Camelopardalids. This shower happens in October each year.
Images for kids
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Camelopardalis as shown in Urania's Mirror. This was a set of constellation cards from around 1823.
See also
In Spanish: Camelopardalis para niños
