Pyxis - The Compass

Pyxis is a southern constellation which is difficult to see for northern observers. In the early spring, it can be seen near the southern horizon. In the Southern Hemisphere it is seen high in the sky. The Milky Way runs through the western portion of the Pyxis.

History and Mythology

Pyxis was first described by the French astronomer Nicholas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. It is part of the old constellation, Argo Navis, the legendary Ship Argo from the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. See the description of Puppis for the mythology associated with this constellation.

Notable Objects

There are no prominent stars in this constellation. Alpha Pyxidis is a 4th magnitude star about 850 light-years away. The star is occasionally called by the Arabic name Al Sumut, meaning "the compass bearing".

Beta Pyxidis is a yellow giant star of 4th magnitude, and Gamma Pyxidis is an orange giant of 4th magnitude. T Pyxidis is a recurrent novae. It has erupted more often than any other nova. Eruptions have taken place in 1890, 1902, 1920, 1944, and 1967.

Since Pyxis overlaps the southern Milky Way, it is best seen in wide-field binoculars. NGC 2627 is an 8th magnitude galactic cluster with about 40 stars. NGC 2658 is an open cluster of about 20 stars of 9th magnitude. NGC 2818 is a distant planetary nebula that is superimposed on a nearby star cluster. The cluster is rather faint with about thirty 11th magnitude stars. NGC 2613 is a spiral galaxy of 10th magnitude.