Eridanus (constellation) facts for kids
| Constellation | |
List of stars in Eridanus
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| Abbreviation | Eri |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Eridani |
| Pronunciation | Erídanus, genitive |
| Symbolism | the river Eridanus |
| Right ascension | 3.25 |
| Declination | −29 |
| Quadrant | SQ1 |
| Area | 1138 sq. deg. (6th) |
| Main stars | 24 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
87 |
| Stars with planets | 32 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 4 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 13 |
| Brightest star | Achernar (α Eri) (0.46m) |
| Messier objects | None |
| Meteor showers | None |
| Bordering constellations |
Cetus Fornax Phoenix Hydrus Tucana (corner) Horologium Caelum Lepus Orion Taurus |
| Visible at latitudes between +32° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of December. |
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Eridanus is a large constellation found in the southern sky. It is often called the "River" because its shape looks like a winding river. This constellation is part of the "Heavenly Waters" group of constellations.
Contents
Exploring the Eridanus Constellation
Eridanus is the sixth largest constellation in the night sky. It covers a huge area of 1138 square degrees. You can see it best in December. It stretches from near Orion in the north all the way to the southern sky.
Stars of Eridanus
Eridanus has many interesting stars. It has 24 main stars and 87 stars that can be seen with the naked eye.
Achernar: The Brightest Star
The brightest star in Eridanus is called Achernar. Its name means "the river's end" in Arabic. Achernar is a very bright, blue-white star. It is located at the very southern end of the constellation.
Epsilon Eridani: A Nearby Star
Another important star in Eridanus is Epsilon Eridani. This star is quite close to Earth, only about 10.5 light-years away. Scientists have even found a planet orbiting Epsilon Eridani! This planet is thought to be a Jupiter-like planet.
What are Deep-Sky Objects?
Deep-sky objects are things in space that are not single stars or planets. They include galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Eridanus is home to some interesting deep-sky objects.
Notable Deep-Sky Objects
- IC 2118: This is a reflection nebula also known as the Witch Head Nebula. It gets its light from the bright star Rigel in Orion.
- NGC 1291: This is a barred spiral galaxy. It has a ring-like structure around its center.
- NGC 1300: This is another beautiful barred spiral galaxy. It is about 61 million light-years away from us.
Neighboring Constellations
Eridanus is a very long constellation. It borders many other constellations. These include Cetus, Fornax, Phoenix, Hydrus, Tucana, Horologium, Caelum, Lepus, Orion, and Taurus.
Images for kids
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Artist's impression of a Jupiter-mass planet orbiting the nearby star Epsilon Eridani
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Spiral galaxy LO95 0313-192 is located about one billion light-years away and has a spiral shape similar to that of the Milky Way.
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Cetus dips his paws into Eridanus in this plate from Urania's Mirror (1825).
See also
In Spanish: Eridanus para niños
