Also known as: ケンタウルス座, 半人马座, 半人馬座, 센타우루스자리
Centaurus (the Centaur) is a Constellation located in the Southern celestial hemisphere. Its brightest stars are Alpha and Beta Centauri.
Centaurus, along with Sagittarius (Constellation), another centaur-associated constellation, has the rough appearance of a stick-figure centaur. Directly to its left lies Lupus (Constellation) (the Wolf), often interpreted as an animal that has been killed or is about to be killed by the Centaur. And between its "legs" lies Crux (Constellation), commonly known as the Southern Cross.
The brightest stars of Centaurus, along with the prominent features of Crux, serve as pointers to the South Celestial Pole.
Examples
- Centaurus and Crux, one of the possible combinations
Neighboring constellations
- Antlia
- Carina
- Circinus
- Crux (Constellation)
- Hydra (Constellation)
- Libra (Constellation)
- Lupus (Constellation)
- Musca
- Vela