The Phoenix
| Abbreviation: | Phe |
| Genitive: | Phoenicis |
| Origin: | Frederick de Houtmann, Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser, Petrus Plancius |
| Fully Visible: | 90°S – 32°N |
Near the end of the sixteenth century, the observations of Dutch explorers Frederick de Houtman (c.1571–1627) and Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser (c.1540–1596) allowed Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius (1552–1622) to place this constellation on his 1598 celestial globe. It is the largest of the 12 constellations Plancius designed based on the data from de Houtman and Keyser.
Notable Features
| Visible Named Stars | ||
|---|---|---|
| α Phe | Ankaa | This second-magnitude star sometimes appears as Nair al Zaurak (from the Arabic nayyir al‑zawraq meaning 'the bright one of the boat') in older star atlases and catalogues. |
| ζ Phe | Wurren | The name of this star originates with the Wardaman people of Australia. |
| Other Interesting Stars | ||
| HD 6434 | Nenque | This eighth-magnitude star is known to have at least one exoplanet which is named Eyeke. It is located just north of υ Phe. |
| Meteor Shower Radiants | ||
| 254PHO | Phoenicids | Meteors in the this December shower tend to be very slow and relatively faint. Activity can vary greatly from year to year, with current levels virtually nonexistent. |
Copyright © 1995–2023 by L.M. Stockman and David Harper