Circinus

Circinus is one of the smallest constellations, located near Alpha Centauri in the southern sky. Despite its small size, it contains the Circinus Galaxy (ESO 97-G13), one of the closest Seyfert galaxies to the Milky Way. It also lies in the plane of the Milky Way, providing rich star fields.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Circinus is best observed during June. It is located in the SQ3 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 3 main stars forming its asterism, with 9 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Circini.

Mythology & History

Circinus was introduced by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 1750s. It represents a pair of compasses used by draftsmen, in keeping with Lacaille's practice of naming southern constellations after scientific instruments. It is one of the smallest constellations in the sky.