Dorado

Dorado is a southern constellation best known for containing the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way visible to the naked eye. The LMC hosts the Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus), the most active star-forming region in the Local Group of galaxies.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Dorado is best observed during January. It is located in the SQ1 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 3 main stars forming its asterism, with 12 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Doradus.

Mythology & History

Dorado was introduced by Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman in the late 16th century. It represents the dolphinfish (mahi-mahi), not the goldfish as sometimes mistranslated. The constellation was first depicted on Plancius's celestial globe of 1598 and later included in Bayer's Uranometria of 1603.