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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Lacerta
Origin:
Lacerta is a "modern" constellation which was proposed by Polish
astronomer Johannes Hevelius in
1687 and drawn in his 1690 atlas, Prodromus Astronomiae.
Curiously, his drawing resembles a mink-, otter-, or rodent-like animal
but in no way resembles a reptile. Perhaps there are few lizards in
Poland to use as examples. Some more modern renderings seem to have
got it wrong, too, by drawing the lizard more like a salamander or newt.
Information:
Lacerta is a small northern constellation bounded between Cygnus the Swan on the east and Andromeda on the west and south of Cepheus. The lizard is described by a faint
zig-zag of fourth magnitude stars, generally along a north-south line,
vaguely resembling the zig-zag of Cassiopeia.
Alpha-Lacertae, the brightest star in Lacerta, is only magnitude 3.8
making the whole constellation a challenge to find in urban areas but much
less difficult in dark skies. With the Milky Way passing through the
northern half of the constellation, many interesting multiple stars can be
found but the constellation is not known for nebulae or galaxies.
Lacerta culminates at 9 pm in the last days of October. |
