Constellation Microscopium (Microscope)
Date:
Southern hemisphere
Summer
Microscope
Microscopium
The Microscope (lat. Microscopium) is a faint constellation of the South, but the stars of the fourth and fifth magnitude are still visible to the naked eye. An interesting star for researchers is AU Microscopium. It is a 12-million-year-old red dwarf that changes its brightness at irregular intervals. Since it is surrounded by an extensive dust, it is assumed that planets develop in it.
How to spot Microscopium
Microscopium is located south of Capricornus, in the seemingly starless area between Sagittarius and Grus. The constellation stretches over an area of 210 square degrees and can be seen in summer.
History
After the invention of the telescope, the French astronomer Nicolas de Lacaille named some constellations of the southern hemisphere that had not been recognized before. Unlike the 48 constellations of antiquity, which bear the names of mythological figures, he often used the name of technological novelties for the new constellations.