Vela
One of the 88 IAU constellations. Vela is part of the constellation Argo, The Ship, official abbreviation [Arg] defined in 1922. Yet, the ancient constellation Argo did not have sails; the stars of Vela which are mentioned in Ptolemy's star catalogue, form part of the ship's body.
Etymology and History
The Greek constellation ...
Origin of Constellation
Stars of Vela mentioned in the Almagest
Some (not all!) of the stars of Vela also formed part of the ancient Greek constellation Argo, The Ship.
| No. | Greek (Heiberg 1898) | English translation (Toomer 1984) | ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀργοῦς ἀστερισμός. | Argo (Almagest) | ||
| 23 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν | The middle one | d Vel HR 3477 |
| 24 | ὁ γότιος τῶν τριῶν. | The southernmost of the three | e Vel HR 3426 |
| 25 | τῶν ὑπὸ τούτους β συνεχῶν ὁ βορειότερος. | The northernmost of the 2 stars close together under these | *a Vel HR 3487 |
| 26 | ὁ νοτιώτερος αὐτῶν. | The southernmost of them | *b Vel HR 3445 |
| 31 | ὁ ὑποκάτω τῆς ν’ καὶ ἐπομένης ἀσπιδίσκης | The star below the 3rd and rearmost little shield | lam Vel |
| 32 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀποτομῆς τοῦ καταστρώματος. | The star on the cut-off of the deck | psi Vel |
| 35 | ὁ τούτῳ ἐπόμενος ὑπὸ τὸ κατάστρωμα λαμπρός | The bright star to the rear of this, under the deck | gam Vel |
| 37 | τῶν ἐπομένων τούτῳ ἢ ὁ προηγούμενος | The most advanced of the 3 stars to the rear of this | omi Vel |
| 38 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν. | The middle one | del Vel |
| 39 | ὁ ἐπόμενος τῶν τριῶν. | The rearmost of the three | HR 3498 |
| 40 | τῶν τούτοις ἐπομένων β ὁ πρὸς τῇ ἀποτομῇ ὁ προηγούμενος. | The more advanced of the 2 stars to the rear of these, near the cut-off | kap Vel |
| 41 | ὁ ἐπόμευος αὐτῶν . | The rearmost of them | N Vel HR 3803 |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Mythology
Weblinks
References
