Columba - The Dove

Columba is a southern constellation flanked by Lepus, Caelum, Pictor, Puppis, and Canis Major. It is located about 30 degrees south of Orion. This makes it a winter constellation for northern observers, but it is low in the southern sky.

History and Mythology

The name of this constellation comes from an attempt to immortalize biblical events. It was originally called Columba Novae. Columba was said to be the dove that was released from the ark by Noah. It was introduced by the Frenchman, Augustine Royer, in 1679. He saw it as a dove with a sprig of leaves in its bill.

Notable Objects

There are only two bright stars in Columba. Phact is the brighter star, and has an apparent magnitude of 2.75. Its name is an Arabic word for "dove". Wezn is the other star, with a magnitude of 3.1.

Mu Columbae is one of the sky's classic "runaway stars"; the other is AE Aurigae. Both stars are moving directly away from each other, and appear to have been ejected from the Orion Nebula in a supernova explosion more than 2.5 million years ago.

Columba contains an 8th magnitude globular cluster, NGC 1851. This large globular cluster can be seen with a 10-inch telescope. Columba also has the 11th magnitude galaxy NGC 1792 and a few degrees away is the fainter galaxy NGC 1808.