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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Phoenix
Origin:
Phoenix is one of the southern hemisphere constellations introduced by Johann Bayer in his Uranometria in
1603.
Information:
Phoenix is a faint constellation south of Sculptor.
It would be a very difficult constellation to find were it not for it
being directly northeast of Achernar, the brightest star in Eridanus, the River. For observers north of
20° N lat., the constellation will be difficult to find. It is
possible to find Phoenix at its culmination by first finding magnitude 2.4
Ankaa (Alpha Phoenicis). Ankaa is found by first locating the
easy-to-find Diphda (Beta Ceti) and then dropping
straight down through Sculptor to the first
bright star. Phoenix culminates for northern observers at 9 pm on
November 10.
Legend:
The Phoenix was a fantastic bird with red and gold feathers and a
beautiful call. The bird is said to live for 500 years after which it
builds a nest or pyre of herbs and twigs, light it and throw itself into
the flames to be incinerated. From the ashes, a new phoenix rises to
continue the eternal cycle. The Phoenix is associated with life, rebirth
and immortality. The bird appeared on ancient Egyptian and Roman
coins attesting to the age of the legend. |
