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{{Infobox Constellation {{Short description|Constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere}}
{{Infobox constellation
| name = Piscis Austrinus | name = Piscis Austrinus
| abbreviation = PsA | abbreviation = PsA
| genitive = Piscis Austrini | genitive = Piscis Austrini
| pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|s|ɨ|s|_|ɒ|s|ˈ|t|r|aɪ|n|ə|s}} or {{IPAc-en|ɒ|s|ˈ|t|r|eɪ|l|ɨ|s}}, genitive {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|s|ɨ|s|_|ɒ|ˈ|s|t|r|aɪ|n|aɪ}} | pronounce = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|s|ᵻ|s|_|ɒ|s|ˈ|t|r|aɪ|n|ə|s}} or {{IPAc-en|ɒ|s|ˈ|t|r|eɪ|l|ᵻ|s}}, genitive {{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|aɪ|s|ᵻ|s|_|ɒ|ˈ|s|t|r|aɪ|n|aɪ}}
| symbolism = the ]ern ] | symbolism = the ]ern ]
| RA = {{RA|21|27|13.8661}}–{{RA|23|06|54.6033}}<ref name=constellations>{{cite web |url=https://www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/ |title=The Constellations |publisher=] }}</ref>
| RA = 22
| dec = {{dec|-24.8250446}}–{{dec|-36.4592972}}<ref name=constellations/>
| dec= −30
| family = ] | family = ]
| quadrant = SQ4 | quadrant = SQ4
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| numbermainstars = 7 | numbermainstars = 7
| numberbfstars = 21 | numberbfstars = 21
| numberstarsplanets = 3 | numberstarsplanets = 6
| numberbrightstars = 1 | numberbrightstars = 1
| numbernearbystars = 3 | numbernearbystars = 3
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| numbermessierobjects = 0 | numbermessierobjects = 0
| meteorshowers = ? | meteorshowers = ?
| bordering = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]<br />] | bordering = ]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]
| latmax = ] | latmax = ]
| latmin = ] | latmin = ]
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| notes= | notes=
}} }}
'''Piscis Austrinus''' (also known as '''Piscis Australis''') is a ] in the southern ]. The name is ] for "the southern fish", in contrast with the larger constellation ], which represents a pair of fishes. Prior to the 20th century, it was also known as '''Piscis Notius'''. Its only ] brighter than fourth ] is ], which is a first-magnitude star and is the eighteenth-brightest star in the night sky.


Piscis Austrinus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer ], and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. The stars of the modern constellation ] once formed the "tail" of Piscis Austrinus. In 1597 (or 1598), ] carved out a separate constellation and named it after the crane. '''Piscis Austrinus''' is a ] in the ]. The name is ] for "the southern fish", in contrast with the larger constellation ], which represents a pair of fish. Before the 20th century, it was also known as '''Piscis Notius'''. Piscis Austrinus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer ], and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. The stars of the modern constellation ] once formed the "tail" of Piscis Austrinus. In 1597 (or 1598), ] carved out a separate constellation and named it after the crane.

⚫ ]''<!-- -->'s 1825 depiction of ]. Next to it is the obsolete constellation ].]]
It is a faint constellation, containing only one ] brighter than 4th ]: ], which is 1st magnitude and the ] in the ]. Fomalhaut is surrounded by a ], and possibly hosts a planet. Other objects contained within the boundaries of the constellation include ], one of the brightest ] stars in the night sky (though still too faint to see with the naked eye); and ], a ] that is one of the optically brightest ]s in the sky.
In ], this constellation is known as the Great Fish and it is portrayed as swallowing the water being poured out by ], the water-bearer constellation. The two fish of the constellation Pisces are said to be the offspring of the Great Fish. In ], this fish saved the life of the Egyptian goddess ], so she placed this fish and its descendants into the heavens as constellations of stars.<ref>{{cite book
| author=Eratosthenes
| author2=Hyginus, C. Julius
| others=Translated by Condos, Theony
| title=Star myths of the Greeks and Romans: a sourcebook containing the Constellations of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and the Poetic astronomy of Hyginus
| pages=163–164 | publisher=Red Wheel/Weiser
| date=1997 | isbn=1-890482-93-5 }}</ref>


==Origins== ==Origins==
⚫ ]''{{'}}s 1825 depiction of ]. Next to it is the obsolete constellation ].]]


Pisces Austrinus originated with the Babylonian constellation simply known as the Fish (MUL.KU).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://herebedragons.weebly.com/verities-4-meta-genetics.html|title=Verities 4: Meta-Genetics|website=Ancestral Memories|access-date=2017-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212140757/https://herebedragons.weebly.com/verities-4-meta-genetics.html|archive-date=2017-12-12|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Christoforou|first1=Peter|title=Star Constellation Facts: Piscis Austrinus|url=https://www.astronomytrek.com/star-constellation-facts-piscis-austrinus/|website=Astronomy Trek|date=24 April 2017 |access-date=5 April 2018}}</ref> Professor of astronomy ] has proposed that ancient observers must have been able to see as far south as ] to define a pattern that looked like a fish.<ref>{{cite journal | title=The latitude and epoch for the formation of the southern Greek constellations | author=Schaefer, Bradley E. |journal= Journal for the History of Astronomy| issn= 0021-8286|volume= 33, part 4|issue=113| pages= 313–50 |year=2002| bibcode=2002JHA....33..313S| doi=10.1177/002182860203300401 | s2cid=122459258 }}</ref> Like many of Schaefer's proposals this is nothing new: mu PsA is explicitly mentioned in the Almagest and the constellation is definitely a takeover from ancient Babylon.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoffmann |first=Susanne M. |title=Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam: auf den Spuren der Sternbilder |last2=Elzner |first2=Kay |date=2021 |publisher=Kosmos |isbn=978-3-440-17251-3 |series=Mit Kosmos mehr entdecken |location=Stuttgart}}</ref> Along with the eagle ] the crow Corvus and water snake Hydra, Piscis Austrinus was introduced to the Ancient Greeks around 500 BCE; the constellations marked the ] and ]s, respectively.<ref>{{cite book|last=Frank|first=Roslyn M.|title=Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy|publisher=]|location=New York City|date=2015|pages=147–163|chapter=10: Origins of the "Western" Constellations|bibcode=2015hae..book.....R|chapter-url=https://www.academia.edu/15305615}}</ref>
Pisces Austrinus originated with the Babylonian constellation simply known as the Fish (MUL.KU).{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}

In ], this constellation is known as the Great Fish and it is portrayed as swallowing the water being poured out by Aquarius, the water-bearer constellation. The two fish of the constellation Pisces are said to be the offspring of the Great Fish. In ], this fish saved the life of the Egyptian goddess ], so she ] this fish and its descendants into the heavens as constellations of stars.<ref>{{cite book |author=Eratosthenes |author2=Hyginus, C. Julius |others=Translated by Condos, Theony |title=Star myths of the Greeks and Romans: a sourcebook containing the Constellations of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and the Poetic astronomy of Hyginus |pages= |publisher=Red Wheel/Weiser |date=1997 |isbn=1-890482-93-5 |author-link=Eratosthenes |url=https://archive.org/details/starmythsofgreek00theo/page/163 }}</ref> In the 5th century BC, Greek historian ] wrote that the fish was said to have lived in a lake near ] in Syria and had saved ], daughter of ], and for this deed was placed in the heavens. For this reason, fish were sacred and not eaten by many Syrians.<ref name=condos97>{{cite book |last1=Condos |first1=Theony |title=Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans: A Sourcebook |date=1997 |publisher=Phanes Press | location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |isbn=9781609256784 |pages=163–65 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9wPINXB4EAoC&pg=PA163}}</ref>


==Characteristics== ==Characteristics==
Piscis Austrinus is a constellation bordered by ] to the northwest, ] to the southwest, ] to the south, ] to the east, ] to the north. The recommended three-letter abbreviation for the constellation, as adopted by the ] in 1922, is 'PsA'.<ref name=pa30_469>{{cite journal | last=Russell | first=Henry Norris |author-link=Henry Norris Russell | title=The new international symbols for the constellations | journal=Popular Astronomy | volume=30 | page=469 | bibcode=1922PA.....30..469R | date=1922 }}</ref> The official constellation boundaries, as set by ] in 1930, are defined by a polygon of four segments. In the ], the ] coordinates of these borders lie between {{RA|21|27.3}} and {{RA|23|06.5}}, while the ] coordinates are between -24.83° and -36.46°.<ref name=boundary>{{Cite journal | title=Piscis Austrinus, constellation boundary | work=The Constellations | publisher=International Astronomical Union | url=http://www.iau.org/public/constellations/#psa | accessdate=20 August 2012 | postscript=. }}</ref> Piscis Austrinus is a constellation bordered by ] to the northwest, ] to the southwest, Grus to the south, ] to the east, and Aquarius to the north. Its recommended three-letter abbreviation, as adopted by the ] in 1922, is "PsA".<ref name=pa30_469>{{cite journal | last=Russell | first=Henry Norris |author-link=Henry Norris Russell | title=The new international symbols for the constellations | journal=Popular Astronomy | volume=30 | page=469 | bibcode=1922PA.....30..469R | date=1922 }}</ref> ] called the constellation ''Ichthus Notios'' "Southern Fish" in his '']''; this was Latinised to Piscis Notius and used by German celestial cartographers ] and ].<ref name=ridpathPsA>{{cite web| url=http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/piscisaustrinus.html | title=Piscis Austrinus - The Southern Fish |last1=Ridpath|first1=Ian|publisher=self-published |work=Star Tales | access-date= 23 March 2019}}</ref> Bayer also called it Piscis Meridanus and Piscis Austrinus, while French astronomer ] called it Piscis Australis. English ] ] went with Piscis Austrinus, which was followed by most subsequently.<ref name=wagman/> The official constellation boundaries, as set by Belgian astronomer ] in 1930, are defined by a polygon of four segments (''illustrated in infobox''). In the ], the ] coordinates of these borders lie between {{RA|21|27.3}} and {{RA|23|06.5}}, while the ] coordinates are between −24.83° and −36.46°.<ref name=boundary>{{Cite journal | title=Piscis Austrinus, constellation boundary | journal=The Constellations | publisher=International Astronomical Union | url=https://www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/#psa | access-date=20 August 2012}}</ref> The whole constellation is visible to observers south of latitude ].<ref name=tirionconst>{{cite web| url=http://www.ianridpath.com/constellations2.html | title=Constellations: Lacerta–Vulpecula | work= Star Tales |author=Ian Ridpath|publisher=Self-published | access-date= 25 November 2018| author-link=Ian Ridpath }}</ref>{{efn|1=While parts of the constellation technically rise above the horizon to observers between 53°N and ], stars within a few degrees of the horizon are to all intents and purposes unobservable.<ref name=tirionconst/>}}


==Features==
==Notable features==
] ]
⚫ ] traditionally represents the mouth of the fish. Its companion ] was thought to be the first ] ever detected by a visible light image, thanks to the ], but infrared observations have since retracted this claim: it is instead a spherical cloud of dust. ] can be seen close by and is possibly associated with Fomalhaut as it lies within a ] of it. Of magnitude 6.5, it is a BY Draconis variable.<ref name=moore11>{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Patrick|title=Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=2011|page=472|isbn=0521899354|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FNfjWKBZx8C&q=Piscis+Austrinus#v=snippet&q=Piscis%20Austrinus&f=false}}</ref>


===Stars===
], ] and ] constitute the ''Tien Kang'' ("heavenly rope") in ].<ref></ref> Beta is a white star of apparent magnitude 4.29 and spectral type A0, and lies 130 light-years away.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/betapsa.html |title=Beta PsA |first=Jim |last=Kaler |date=12 November 2009 }}</ref> Delta Piscis Austrini is a double star with components of magnitude 4.2 and 9.2.<ref name=moore11/>
{{See also|List of stars in Piscis Austrinus}}
Ancient astronomers counted twelve stars as belonging to Piscis Austrinus, though one was later incorporated into nearby Grus as ].<ref name=condos97/> Other stars became part of Microscopium.<ref name=ridpathPsA/> Bayer used the ] ] through ] to label the most prominent stars in the constellation. Ptolemy had catalogued Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini) as belonging to both this constellation and Aquarius. Lacaille redrew the constellation as it was poorly visible from Europe, adding ], and relabelling ], ] and ] as epsilon, ] and gamma, respectively. However, Baily and Gould did not uphold these changes as Bayer's original chart was fairly accurate. Bode added ] and ]. Flamsteed gave 24 stars ]s, though the first four numbered became part of Microscopium.<ref name=wagman>{{cite book | last = Wagman | first = Morton | date = 2003 | title = Lost Stars: Lost, Missing and Troublesome Stars from the Catalogues of Johannes Bayer, Nicholas Louis de Lacaille, John Flamsteed, and Sundry Others | publisher = The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company | location = Blacksburg, Virginia | isbn = 978-0-939923-78-6 |pages=251–54, 457–58}}</ref> Within the constellation's borders, there are 47 stars brighter than or equal to ]&nbsp;6.5.{{efn|1=Objects of magnitude 6.5 are among the faintest visible to the unaided eye in suburban-rural transition night skies.<ref name=bortle>{{cite web|url=http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/darksky/3304011.html?page=1&c=y|title=The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale|last=Bortle|first=John E.|date=February 2001|work=]|publisher=Sky Publishing Corporation|access-date=25 November 2018}}</ref>}}<ref name=tirionconst/>

⚫ Traditionally representing the mouth of the fish, Fomalhaut is the brightest star in the constellation and the ] in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 1.16. Located 25.13 ± 0.09 ]s away, it is a white ] that is 1.92 ± 0.02 times as massive and 16.63 ± 0.48 as luminous as the Sun.<ref name=age_mam>{{Cite journal | last1=Mamajek | first1=Eric E. | title=On the Age and Binarity of Fomalhaut | journal=Astrophysical Journal Letters | volume=754 | issue=2 |date=August 2012 | pages=L20 | doi=10.1088/2041-8205/754/2/L20 | arxiv=1206.6353| bibcode=2012ApJ...754L..20M | s2cid=119191190 }}</ref> Its companion ] was thought to be the first ] ever detected by a visible light image, thanks to the ], but infrared observations have since retracted this claim: it is instead a spherical cloud of dust. ] can be seen close by and is possibly associated with Fomalhaut as it lies within a light-year of it. Of magnitude 6.5, it is a BY Draconis variable.<ref name=moore11>{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Patrick|title=Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy|publisher=]|date=2011|page=472|isbn=978-0521899352|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2FNfjWKBZx8C&q=Piscis+Austrinus}}</ref>

The second-brightest star in the constellation,<ref name=kalerbeta/> ] is a blue-white star of magnitude +4.17. Located 400 ± 20 light-years distant,<ref name=Gaia-DR2epsilon>{{cite DR2|6622561673163632768}}</ref> it is a blue-white main-sequence star 4.10 ± 0.19 times as massive as the Sun, and around 661 times as luminous.<ref name=zorec2012>{{cite journal | title=Rotational velocities of A-type stars. IV. Evolution of rotational velocities | journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics | volume=537 | pages=A120 | year=2012 | last1=Zorec | first1=J. | last2=Royer | first2=F. | doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201117691 | bibcode=2012A&A...537A.120Z | arxiv=1201.2052 | s2cid=55586789 }}</ref>

], ] and ] constitute the ''Tien Kang'' ("heavenly rope") in ].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Topics/astronomy/_Texts/secondary/ALLSTA/Piscis_Australis*.html| title = Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Piscis Australis, the Southern Fish}}</ref> Beta is a white main-sequence star of apparent magnitude 4.29 that is of similar size and luminosity to Fomalhaut but five times as remote,<ref name=kalerbeta>{{Cite web |url=http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/betapsa.html |title=Beta PsA |first=Jim |last=Kaler |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=17 March 2018}}</ref> at around 143 ± 1 light-years distant from Earth.<ref name="vanLeeuwen2007">{{cite journal|first=F.|last=van Leeuwen|title=Validation of the New Hipparcos Reduction|journal=]|volume=474|issue=2|pages=653–64|date=2007|bibcode=2007A&A...474..653V|doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20078357|arxiv=0708.1752|s2cid=18759600}}</ref> Delta Piscis Austrini is a double star with components of magnitude 4.2 and 9.2.<ref name=moore11/> The brighter is a yellow giant of spectral type G8 III.<ref name=houk1979>{{cite book | title=Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars | volume=3 | last1=Houk | first1=Nancy | location=Ann Arbor, Michigan | publisher=Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan | date=1979 | bibcode=1982mcts.book.....H }}</ref> It is a ] star that is burning helium in its core.<ref name=Liu2007>{{cite journal | last1=Liu | first1=Y. J. | last2=Zhao | first2=G. | last3=Shi | first3=J. R. | last4=Pietrzyński | first4=G. | last5=Gieren | first5=W. | title=The abundances of nearby red clump giants | journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society | volume=382 | issue=2 | pages=553–66 | date=2007 | bibcode=2007MNRAS.382..553L | doi=10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11852.x | doi-access=free }}</ref> It is 172 ± 2 light-years distant from Earth.<ref name=Gaia-DR2delta>{{cite DR2|6603237069110536960}}</ref> Zeta Piscis Austrini is an orange giant star of spectral type K1III that is located 413 ± 2 light-years distant from Earth.<ref name=Gaia-DR2zeta>{{cite DR2|6622197425577482752}}</ref> It is a suspected variable star.<ref name=Demartino1996>{{cite journal| last1=Demartino | first1=Robert | last2=Kocyla | first2=Dennis | last3=Predom | first3=Christopher | last4=Wetherbee | first4=Edward | title=Accurate Positions Of Suspected Variable Stars Near The South Galactic Pole | journal=Information Bulletin on Variable Stars | volume=4322 | page=1 | date=1996 | bibcode=1996IBVS.4322....1D }}</ref>


] is a long-period Mira-type variable red giant which ranges between magnitude 8.0 and 14.5 over a period of 271.7 days, and ] is a semi-regular variable ranging between magnitudes 8.0 and 9.0 over 148 days.<ref name=moore11/> ] is a long-period Mira-type variable red giant which ranges between magnitude 8.0 and 14.5 over a period of 271.7 days, and ] is a semi-regular variable ranging between magnitudes 8.0 and 9.0 over 148 days.<ref name=moore11/>


Lacaille 9352 is a faint ] star of spectral type M0.5V that is just under half the Sun's diameter and mass.<ref name="rabus">{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/mnras/sty3430 |title=A discontinuity in the Teff–radius relation of M-dwarfs |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |volume=484 |issue=2 |pages=2674–2683 |year=2019 |last1=Rabus |first1=Markus |last2=Lachaume |first2=Régis |last3=Jordán |first3=Andrés |last4=Brahm |first4=Rafael |last5=Boyajian |first5=Tabetha |last6=Von Braun |first6=Kaspar |last7=Espinoza |first7=Néstor |last8=Berger |first8=Jean-Philippe |last9=Le Bouquin |first9=Jean-Baptiste |last10=Absil |first10=Olivier |doi-access=free |arxiv=1901.08077 |bibcode=2019MNRAS.484.2674R |s2cid=119189542 }}</ref> A mere 10.74 light-years away, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye at magnitude 7.34. In June 2020 two ] planets were discovered via ].
] is a faint ] star which is a mere 10.74 light-years away. At magnitude 7.34, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye.


Exoplanets have been discovered in five other star systems in the constellation. ] is a yellow-white main-sequence star of spectral type F7 V that has a planet around 1.37 times as massive as Jupiter orbiting it with a period of 279 days, and a suggestion of a second planet.<ref name="LopezMorales2008">{{cite journal | title=Two Jupiter-Mass Planets Orbiting HD 154672 and HD 205739 | last1=López-Morales | first1=Mercedes | last2=Butler | first2=R. Paul | last3=Fischer | first3=Debra A. | last4=Minniti | first4=Dante | last5=Shectman | first5=Stephen A. | last6=Takeda | first6=Genya | last7=Adams | first7=Fred C. | last8=Wright | first8=Jason T. | last9=Arriagada | first9=Pamela | journal=The Astronomical Journal | volume=136 | issue=5 | pages=1901–1905 | date=2008 | arxiv=0809.1037 | bibcode=2008AJ....136.1901L | doi=10.1088/0004-6256/136/5/1901 | s2cid=119242543 }}</ref> ] is an orange dwarf accompanied by a Jupiter-like planet every 118 days.<ref name="Mayor2004">{{cite journal | title=The CORALIE survey for southern extra-solar planets XII. Orbital solutions for 16 extra-solar planets discovered with CORALIE | last1=Mayor | first1=M. | last2=Udry | first2=S. | last3=Naef | first3=D. | last4=Pepe | first4=F. | last5=Queloz | first5=D. | last6=Santos | first6=N. C. | last7=Burnet | first7=M. | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics | volume=415 | issue=1 | pages=391–402 | year=2004 | arxiv=astro-ph/0310316 | bibcode=2004A&A...415..391M | doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20034250 | s2cid=5233877 }}</ref> ] is a star of spectral type G5V with a diameter and mass about 90% of that of the Sun, and around 77% of its luminosity. Two gas giant planets with masses around 56% and 73% that of Jupiter were discovered in 2012 via the radial velocity method. With orbits of 162 and 1156 days, they average around 0.57 and 2.11 astronomical units away from their star.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Haghighipour |first1=Nader |last2=Butler |first2=R. Paul |last3=Rivera |first3=Eugenio J. |last4=Henry |first4=Gregory W. |last5=Vogt |first5=Steven S. |title=The Lick-Carnegie Survey: A new two-planet system around the star HD 207832 |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |date= 2012 |volume=756 |issue=1 |pages=91 |doi=10.1088/0004-637X/756/1/91|arxiv=1207.2806 |bibcode=2012ApJ...756...91H |s2cid=1137984 }}</ref>
⚫ ], ] and ] are three galaxies of magnitudes 11.9, 12.5 and 10.9, respectively.<ref name=moore11/>

] and ] are two sun-like stars that have planets discovered by transit.

===Deep sky objects===
⚫ ], ] and ] are three galaxies of magnitudes 11.9, 12.5 and 10.9, respectively.<ref name=moore11/> ] is another ], which hosted a ]—]—in 2009.

At ] z = 0.116, the ] ] is one of the brightest ]s in the sky.<ref>{{Cite journal|author1=Aharonian, F. |author2=Akhperjanian, A. G. |author3=Bazer-Bachi, A. R. |author4=Behera, B. |author5=Beilicke, M. |author6=Benbow, W. |author7=Berge, D. |author8=Bernlöhr, K. |author9=Boisson, C. |author10=Bolz, O. |author11=Borrel, V. |author12=Boutelier, T. |author13=Braun, I. |author14=Brion, E. |author15=Brown, A. M. |author16=Bühler, R. |author17=Büsching, I. |author18=Bulik, T. |author19=Carrigan, S. |author20=Chadwick, P. M. |author21=Clapson, A. C. |author22=Chounet, L.-M. |author23=Coignet, G. |author24=Cornils, R. |author25=Costamante, L. |author26=Degrange, B. |author27=Dickinson, H. J. |author28=Djannati-Ataï, A. |author29=Domainko, W. |author30=Drury, L. O'C. |author31=Dubus, G. |author32=Dyks, J. |author33=Egberts, K. |author34=Emmanoulopoulos, D. |author35=Espigat, P. |author36=Farnier, C. |author37=Feinstein, F. |author38=Fiasson, A. |author39=Förster, A. |author40=Fontaine, G. |author41=Funk, Seb. |author42=Funk, S. |author43=Füßling, M. |author44=Gallant, Y. A. |author45=Giebels, B. |author46=Glicenstein, J. F. |author47=Glück, B. |author48=Goret, P. |author49=Hadjichristidis, C. |author50=Hauser, D. |author51=Hauser, M. |author52=Heinzelmann, G. |author53=Henri, G. |author54=Hermann, G. |author55=Hinton, J. A. |author56=Hoffmann, A. |author57=Hofmann, W. |author58=Holleran, M. |author59=Hoppe, S. |author60=Horns, D. |author61=Jacholkowska, A. |author62=de Jager, O. C. |author63=Kendziorra, E. |author64=Kerschhaggl, M. |author65=Khélifi, B. |author66=Komin, Nu. |author67=Kosack, K. |author68=Lamanna, G. |author69=Latham, I. J. |author70=Le Gallou, R. |author71=Lemière, A. |author72=Lemoine-Goumard, M. |author73=Lenain, J.-P. |author74=Lohse, T. |author75=Martin, J. M. |author76=Martineau-Huynh, O. |author77=Marcowith, A. |author78=Masterson, C. |author79=Maurin, G. |author80=McComb, T. J. L. |author81=Moderski, R. |author82=Moulin, E. |author83=de Naurois, M. |author84=Nedbal, D. |author85=Nolan, S. J. |author86=Olive, J.-P. |author87=Orford, K. J. |author88=Osborne, J. L. |author89=Ostrowski, M. |author90=Panter, M. |author91=Pedaletti, G. |author92=Pelletier, G. |author93=Petrucci, P.-O. |author94=Pita, S. |author95=Pühlhofer, G. |author96=Punch, M. |author97=Ranchon, S. |author98=Raubenheimer, B. C. |author99=Raue, M. |display-authors=1 |author100=Rayner, S. M. |author101=Renaud, M. |author102=Ripken, J. |author103=Rob, L. |author104=Rolland, L. |author105=Rosier-Lees, S. |author106=Rowell, G. |author107=Rudak, B. |author108=Ruppel, J. |author109=Sahakian, V. |author110=Santangelo, A. |author111=Saugé, L. |author112=Schlenker, S. |author113=Schlickeiser, R. |author114=Schröder, R. |author115=Schwanke, U. |author116=Schwarzburg, S. |author117=Schwemmer, S. |author118=Shalchi, A. |author119=Sol, H. |author120=Spangler, D. |author121=Stawarz, Ł. |author122=Steenkamp, R. |author123=Stegmann, C. |author124=Superina, G. |author125=Tam, P. H. |author126=Tavernet, J.-P. |author127=Terrier, R. |author128=van Eldik, C. |author129=Vasileiadis, G. |author130=Venter, C. |author131=Vialle, J. P. |author132=Vincent, P. |author133=Vivier, M. |author134=Völk, H. J. |author135=Volpe, F. |author136=Wagner, S. J. |author137=Ward, M. |author138=Zdziarski, A. A. |title=An Exceptional VHE Gamma-Ray Flare of PKS 2155-304|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=664|issue=2|pages=L71–L78|arxiv=0706.0797|year=2007|doi=10.1086/520635|bibcode = 2007ApJ...664L..71A |s2cid=119319369}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}
* Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). ''Stars and Planets Guide'', Collins, London. ISBN 978-0-00-725120-9. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0-691-13556-4.


==External links== ==External links==
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{{Stars of Piscis Austrinus}} {{Stars of Piscis Austrinus}}
{{navconstel}} {{Constellations}}
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Latest revision as of 15:33, 1 September 2024

Constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere
Piscis Austrinus
Constellation
Piscis AustrinusList of stars in Piscis Austrinus
AbbreviationPsA
GenitivePiscis Austrini
Pronunciation/ˈpaɪsɪs ɒsˈtraɪnəs/ or /ɒsˈtreɪlɪs/, genitive /ˈpaɪsɪs ɒˈstraɪnaɪ/
Symbolismthe Southern Fish
Right ascension21 27 13.8661–23 06 54.6033
Declination−24.8250446°–−36.4592972°
QuadrantSQ4
Area245 sq. deg. (60th)
Main stars7
Bayer/Flamsteed
stars		21
Stars with planets6
Stars brighter than 3.001
Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly)3
Brightest starFomalhaut (α PsA) (1.16)
Messier objects0
Meteor showers?
Bordering
constellations		Capricornus
Microscopium
Grus
Sculptor
Aquarius
Visible at latitudes between +55° and −90°.
Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of October.

Piscis Austrinus is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. The name is Latin for "the southern fish", in contrast with the larger constellation Pisces, which represents a pair of fish. Before the 20th century, it was also known as Piscis Notius. Piscis Austrinus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. The stars of the modern constellation Grus once formed the "tail" of Piscis Austrinus. In 1597 (or 1598), Petrus Plancius carved out a separate constellation and named it after the crane.

It is a faint constellation, containing only one star brighter than 4th magnitude: Fomalhaut, which is 1st magnitude and the 18th-brightest star in the night sky. Fomalhaut is surrounded by a circumstellar disk, and possibly hosts a planet. Other objects contained within the boundaries of the constellation include Lacaille 9352, one of the brightest red dwarf stars in the night sky (though still too faint to see with the naked eye); and PKS 2155-304, a BL Lacertae object that is one of the optically brightest blazars in the sky.

Origins

Piscis Austrinus can be seen cut off at the bottom of Urania's Mirror's 1825 depiction of Aquarius. Next to it is the obsolete constellation Ballon Aerostatique.

Pisces Austrinus originated with the Babylonian constellation simply known as the Fish (MUL.KU). Professor of astronomy Bradley Schaefer has proposed that ancient observers must have been able to see as far south as Mu Piscis Austrini to define a pattern that looked like a fish. Like many of Schaefer's proposals this is nothing new: mu PsA is explicitly mentioned in the Almagest and the constellation is definitely a takeover from ancient Babylon. Along with the eagle Aquila the crow Corvus and water snake Hydra, Piscis Austrinus was introduced to the Ancient Greeks around 500 BCE; the constellations marked the summer and winter solstices, respectively.

In Greek mythology, this constellation is known as the Great Fish and it is portrayed as swallowing the water being poured out by Aquarius, the water-bearer constellation. The two fish of the constellation Pisces are said to be the offspring of the Great Fish. In Egyptian mythology, this fish saved the life of the Egyptian goddess Isis, so she placed this fish and its descendants into the heavens as constellations of stars. In the 5th century BC, Greek historian Ctesias wrote that the fish was said to have lived in a lake near Bambyce in Syria and had saved Derceto, daughter of Aphrodite, and for this deed was placed in the heavens. For this reason, fish were sacred and not eaten by many Syrians.

Characteristics

Piscis Austrinus is a constellation bordered by Capricornus to the northwest, Microscopium to the southwest, Grus to the south, Sculptor to the east, and Aquarius to the north. Its recommended three-letter abbreviation, as adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, is "PsA". Ptolemy called the constellation Ichthus Notios "Southern Fish" in his Almagest; this was Latinised to Piscis Notius and used by German celestial cartographers Johann Bayer and Johann Elert Bode. Bayer also called it Piscis Meridanus and Piscis Austrinus, while French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille called it Piscis Australis. English Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed went with Piscis Austrinus, which was followed by most subsequently. The official constellation boundaries, as set by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930, are defined by a polygon of four segments (illustrated in infobox). In the equatorial coordinate system, the right ascension coordinates of these borders lie between 21 27.3 and 23 06.5 , while the declination coordinates are between −24.83° and −36.46°. The whole constellation is visible to observers south of latitude 53°N.

Features

The constellation Piscis Austrinus as it can be seen by the naked eye

Stars

See also: List of stars in Piscis Austrinus

Ancient astronomers counted twelve stars as belonging to Piscis Austrinus, though one was later incorporated into nearby Grus as Gamma Gruis. Other stars became part of Microscopium. Bayer used the Greek letters alpha through mu to label the most prominent stars in the constellation. Ptolemy had catalogued Fomalhaut (Alpha Piscis Austrini) as belonging to both this constellation and Aquarius. Lacaille redrew the constellation as it was poorly visible from Europe, adding pi, and relabelling gamma, delta and epsilon as epsilon, eta and gamma, respectively. However, Baily and Gould did not uphold these changes as Bayer's original chart was fairly accurate. Bode added tau and upsilon. Flamsteed gave 24 stars Flamsteed designations, though the first four numbered became part of Microscopium. Within the constellation's borders, there are 47 stars brighter than or equal to apparent magnitude 6.5.

Traditionally representing the mouth of the fish, Fomalhaut is the brightest star in the constellation and the 19th-brightest star in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 1.16. Located 25.13 ± 0.09 light-years away, it is a white main-sequence star that is 1.92 ± 0.02 times as massive and 16.63 ± 0.48 as luminous as the Sun. Its companion Fomalhaut b was thought to be the first extrasolar planet ever detected by a visible light image, thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, but infrared observations have since retracted this claim: it is instead a spherical cloud of dust. TW Piscis Austrini can be seen close by and is possibly associated with Fomalhaut as it lies within a light-year of it. Of magnitude 6.5, it is a BY Draconis variable.

The second-brightest star in the constellation, Epsilon Piscis Austrini is a blue-white star of magnitude +4.17. Located 400 ± 20 light-years distant, it is a blue-white main-sequence star 4.10 ± 0.19 times as massive as the Sun, and around 661 times as luminous.

Beta, Delta and Zeta constitute the Tien Kang ("heavenly rope") in China. Beta is a white main-sequence star of apparent magnitude 4.29 that is of similar size and luminosity to Fomalhaut but five times as remote, at around 143 ± 1 light-years distant from Earth. Delta Piscis Austrini is a double star with components of magnitude 4.2 and 9.2. The brighter is a yellow giant of spectral type G8 III. It is a red clump star that is burning helium in its core. It is 172 ± 2 light-years distant from Earth. Zeta Piscis Austrini is an orange giant star of spectral type K1III that is located 413 ± 2 light-years distant from Earth. It is a suspected variable star.

S Piscis Austrini is a long-period Mira-type variable red giant which ranges between magnitude 8.0 and 14.5 over a period of 271.7 days, and V Piscis Austrini is a semi-regular variable ranging between magnitudes 8.0 and 9.0 over 148 days.

Lacaille 9352 is a faint red dwarf star of spectral type M0.5V that is just under half the Sun's diameter and mass. A mere 10.74 light-years away, it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye at magnitude 7.34. In June 2020 two super-Earth planets were discovered via radial velocity method.

Exoplanets have been discovered in five other star systems in the constellation. HD 205739 is a yellow-white main-sequence star of spectral type F7 V that has a planet around 1.37 times as massive as Jupiter orbiting it with a period of 279 days, and a suggestion of a second planet. HD 216770 is an orange dwarf accompanied by a Jupiter-like planet every 118 days. HD 207832 is a star of spectral type G5V with a diameter and mass about 90% of that of the Sun, and around 77% of its luminosity. Two gas giant planets with masses around 56% and 73% that of Jupiter were discovered in 2012 via the radial velocity method. With orbits of 162 and 1156 days, they average around 0.57 and 2.11 astronomical units away from their star.

WASP-112 and WASP-124 are two sun-like stars that have planets discovered by transit.

Deep sky objects

NGC 7172, NGC 7174 and NGC 7314 are three galaxies of magnitudes 11.9, 12.5 and 10.9, respectively. NGC 7259 is another spiral galaxy, which hosted a supernova—SN 2009ip—in 2009.

At redshift z = 0.116, the BL Lacertae object PKS 2155-304 is one of the brightest blazars in the sky.

See also

Notes

  1. While parts of the constellation technically rise above the horizon to observers between 53°N and 65°N, stars within a few degrees of the horizon are to all intents and purposes unobservable.
  2. Objects of magnitude 6.5 are among the faintest visible to the unaided eye in suburban-rural transition night skies.

References

  1. ^ "The Constellations". International Astronomical Union.
  2. "Verities 4: Meta-Genetics". Ancestral Memories. Archived from the original on 2017-12-12. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
  3. Christoforou, Peter (24 April 2017). "Star Constellation Facts: Piscis Austrinus". Astronomy Trek. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  4. Schaefer, Bradley E. (2002). "The latitude and epoch for the formation of the southern Greek constellations". Journal for the History of Astronomy. 33, part 4 (113): 313–50. Bibcode:2002JHA....33..313S. doi:10.1177/002182860203300401. ISSN 0021-8286. S2CID 122459258.
  5. Hoffmann, Susanne M.; Elzner, Kay (2021). Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam: auf den Spuren der Sternbilder. Mit Kosmos mehr entdecken. Stuttgart: Kosmos. ISBN 978-3-440-17251-3.
  6. Frank, Roslyn M. (2015). "10: Origins of the "Western" Constellations". Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy. New York City: Springer. pp. 147–163. Bibcode:2015hae..book.....R.
  7. Eratosthenes; Hyginus, C. Julius (1997). Star myths of the Greeks and Romans: a sourcebook containing the Constellations of Pseudo-Eratosthenes and the Poetic astronomy of Hyginus. Translated by Condos, Theony. Red Wheel/Weiser. pp. 163–164. ISBN 1-890482-93-5.
  8. ^ Condos, Theony (1997). Star Myths of the Greeks and Romans: A Sourcebook. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Phanes Press. pp. 163–65. ISBN 9781609256784.
  9. Russell, Henry Norris (1922). "The new international symbols for the constellations". Popular Astronomy. 30: 469. Bibcode:1922PA.....30..469R.
  10. ^ Ridpath, Ian. "Piscis Austrinus - The Southern Fish". Star Tales. self-published. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  11. ^ Wagman, Morton (2003). Lost Stars: Lost, Missing and Troublesome Stars from the Catalogues of Johannes Bayer, Nicholas Louis de Lacaille, John Flamsteed, and Sundry Others. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company. pp. 251–54, 457–58. ISBN 978-0-939923-78-6.
  12. "Piscis Austrinus, constellation boundary". The Constellations. International Astronomical Union. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  13. ^ Ian Ridpath. "Constellations: Lacerta–Vulpecula". Star Tales. Self-published. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  14. Bortle, John E. (February 2001). "The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale". Sky & Telescope. Sky Publishing Corporation. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  15. Mamajek, Eric E. (August 2012). "On the Age and Binarity of Fomalhaut". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 754 (2): L20. arXiv:1206.6353. Bibcode:2012ApJ...754L..20M. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/754/2/L20. S2CID 119191190.
  16. ^ Moore, Patrick (2011). Patrick Moore's Data Book of Astronomy. Cambridge University Press. p. 472. ISBN 978-0521899352.
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  19. Zorec, J.; Royer, F. (2012). "Rotational velocities of A-type stars. IV. Evolution of rotational velocities". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 537: A120. arXiv:1201.2052. Bibcode:2012A&A...537A.120Z. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201117691. S2CID 55586789.
  20. "Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Piscis Australis, the Southern Fish".
  21. van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the New Hipparcos Reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–64. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. S2CID 18759600.
  22. Houk, Nancy (1979). Michigan catalogue of two-dimensional spectral types for the HD stars. Vol. 3. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan. Bibcode:1982mcts.book.....H.
  23. Liu, Y. J.; Zhao, G.; Shi, J. R.; Pietrzyński, G.; Gieren, W. (2007). "The abundances of nearby red clump giants". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 382 (2): 553–66. Bibcode:2007MNRAS.382..553L. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11852.x.
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  28. López-Morales, Mercedes; Butler, R. Paul; Fischer, Debra A.; Minniti, Dante; Shectman, Stephen A.; Takeda, Genya; Adams, Fred C.; Wright, Jason T.; Arriagada, Pamela (2008). "Two Jupiter-Mass Planets Orbiting HD 154672 and HD 205739". The Astronomical Journal. 136 (5): 1901–1905. arXiv:0809.1037. Bibcode:2008AJ....136.1901L. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/136/5/1901. S2CID 119242543.
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