Constellation Tucana (Toucan)
Date:
Southern Hemisphere
Winter
Toucan
Tucana
The Toucan (lat. Tucana) is an inconspicuous constellation of the southern hemisphere. Only one star is brighter than the third magnitude. However, the galaxy of the Magellanic Cloud can be found in the constellation.
How to spot Tucana
The constellation covers an area of 295 square degrees and is best seen in winter. It is located south of the Phoenix and Grus, east of Indus and west of Hydrus.
History
At the end of the 16th century, a Dutch fleet traveled to the legendary Spice Islands to create new trade relationships. Under Captain Keyser, the positions of 135 stars were measured during this journey, which were later included by Peter Plancius in his sky maps. From these he recognized twelve new constellations, including the exotic bird Toucan. A few years later, the constellation was recorded in the new Sky Atlas.