Circinus - Revision history

Sushoff at 11:55, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T11:55:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:55, 27 February 2026
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	=== Origin of the Constellation ===		=== Origin of the Constellation ===
	[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]		[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]
	In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a "compass of the surveyor" around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.		<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a "compass of the surveyor" around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.

	Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.		Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.

Sushoff at 18:21, 24 February 2026

2026-02-24T18:21:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:21, 24 February 2026
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	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==

			=== Origin of the Constellation ===
	[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]		[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]
	In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a "compass of the surveyor" around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.		In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a "compass of the surveyor" around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.
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	Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.		Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.

	Incidentally, the stars of Circinus were already visible and above the horizon in ancient times. However, due to precession and their proper motion, they would have been shifted so that the more northerly of the two legs of the compass would have passed through α Centauri. For ancient astronomers, the figure would therefore have been unclear and implausible even if we could show them our current view: The brightest star is only 3.2 mag, the other two are at 4 and almost 5 mag, so that they appear very inconspicuous against the background of the Milky Way and next to the bright Centaurus stars.		==== Classical Antiquity ====
			Incidentally, the stars of Circinus were already visible and above the horizon in ancient times. The Centaur is located at the southern boundary of the ancient constellation. Its front hooves are formed by the bright stars α and β Centauri, and there is nothing below the hooves. The southernmost of the stars, α Cen, rose only 14° above the horizon in central Egypt (Syene) in the 4th century BC, and only 5° in Babylon. Faint stars further south were therefore very difficult or impossible to detect.

			However, due to precession and their proper motion, they would have been shifted so that the more northerly of the two legs of the compass would have passed through α Centauri. For ancient astronomers, the figure would therefore have been unclear and implausible even if we could show them our current view: The brightest star is only 3.2 mag, the other two are at 4 and almost 5 mag, so that they appear very inconspicuous against the background of the Milky Way and next to the bright Centaurus stars.

			It was not until European expeditions to the southern hemisphere that these stars were recorded in star catalogs. However, this was not done systematically: in the 16th century

	=== Image Gallery ===		==== Image Gallery ====
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here).		File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here).
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	The language groups of Khoe and San cover a wide range each. Most of these languages are now moribund. The Khoekhoe dialect /Xam is one such language which was fortunately recorded, however there are no speakers surviving.		The language groups of Khoe and San cover a wide range each. Most of these languages are now moribund. The Khoekhoe dialect /Xam is one such language which was fortunately recorded, however there are no speakers surviving.

			== Mythology ==
			Naturally, there is no myth surrounding technical drawing.

	== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==		== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==

Sushoff at 13:15, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T13:15:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:15, 20 January 2026
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			Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:Circinus IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|IAU Constellation Circinus (CC BY IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]		[[File:Circinus IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|IAU Constellation Circinus (CC BY IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)]]
	[[File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus\|thumb\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here). ]]		[[File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus\|thumb\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here). ]]

Sushoff at 07:43, 18 April 2025

2025-04-18T07:43:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:43, 18 April 2025
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	* [[References (Medieval and Early Modern)\|References (medieval)]]		* [[References (Medieval and Early Modern)\|References (medieval)]]

	[[Category:Eurasia]] [[Category:Constellation]] ~~[[Category:Almagest]]~~ [[Category:European]] [[Category:Modern]]		[[Category:Eurasia]] [[Category:Constellation]] [[Category:European]] [[Category:Modern]]
	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]

Sushoff: /* Image Gallery */

2025-01-26T18:17:12Z

Image Gallery

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:17, 26 January 2025
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	=== Image Gallery ===		=== Image Gallery ===
	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus~~\|thumb~~\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here).		File:Cir+cen hiCirc.jpg\|alt=first star chart of Circinus\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's original definition (1756). It is formed of faint stars neighbouring alpha Centauri (also highlighted here).
	File:Cir intrumentGroup hiCir.jpg\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's first map with his newly defined constellations (in French 1756). It forms a group with other drawing tools.		File:Cir intrumentGroup hiCir.jpg\|Constellation Le Compas (Circinus) in Lacaille's first map with his newly defined constellations (in French 1756). It forms a group with other drawing tools.
			File:Cir Fortin1795.jpg\|Circinus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Sushoff: /* Etymology and History */

2025-01-25T07:23:06Z

Etymology and History

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:23, 25 January 2025
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	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]		[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]
	In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a compass of the ~~geometre~~ around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.		In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a "compass of the surveyor" around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.

	Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.		Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.

Sushoff at 07:22, 25 January 2025

2025-01-25T07:22:02Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:22, 25 January 2025
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	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a ~~circle~~ around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.		[[File:Lacaille text newConst1752 Cir.JPG\|alt=screenshot of text\|thumb\|Lacaille on Circinus 1752]]
			In the 16th century, the Dutch cartographer Plancius commissioned two ship navigators to bring back star charts from the East Indies exploration - they formed the constellation ‘Southern Triangle’ (Triangulum Australe) under the Centaur, which consists of four stars similar to the classical Greek constellation of the triangle: one on each point and another in the centre of the baseline of the isosceles triangle. Between this and the centaur's hoof, there was a gap into which the French astronomer and surveyor Nicolas de Lacaille squeezed the figure of a compass of the geometre around 160 years later. The constellation consists of three stars intended to represent the slender folded drawing tool. He may well have symbolised one of his most important daily tools here.

	Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.		Lacaille named the constellation in French Le Compas and grouped<ref>Ian Ridpath's Star Tales ([http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/lacaillenormaetc.html on grouping online edition])</ref> them together with Norma (his invention) and the Southern Triangle (Triangulum Australe) invented earlier by the Dutch.

Sushoff: /* Indigenous Constellations in this Area */

2024-12-14T10:34:26Z

Indigenous Constellations in this Area

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:34, 14 December 2024
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	The South African people of the Khoekhoe<ref name=":0">Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and Lucy C. Lloyd (1911). Specimens of Bushman Folklore, London: George Allen. </ref><ref>John Parkington, Janette Deacon, David Morris, Katriena Swartz, Sophia Adams, Dawid Abrahams, Serena Renier, Klaas Priega, Neil Rusch, Simon Hall, José Manuel de Prada-Samper, Pam Christie, Russ Taylor (2021). Karoo \|xam-ka !au and \|xam Cosmos, SAAO+SARAO, Cape Town.</ref> who lived in the area at the time when the constellation was invented, have named the two bright stars "the eyes of the beast" ('''Xami Di Mura'''), where the beast (xami) is a lion and the two eyes are "mura". If the two bright stars are imagined the eyes, the face of this creature is seen in the adjacent areas, covering also the star α Circini.		The South African people of the Khoekhoe<ref name=":0">Wilhelm H. I. Bleek and Lucy C. Lloyd (1911). Specimens of Bushman Folklore, London: George Allen. </ref><ref>John Parkington, Janette Deacon, David Morris, Katriena Swartz, Sophia Adams, Dawid Abrahams, Serena Renier, Klaas Priega, Neil Rusch, Simon Hall, José Manuel de Prada-Samper, Pam Christie, Russ Taylor (2021). Karoo \|xam-ka !au and \|xam Cosmos, SAAO+SARAO, Cape Town.</ref> who lived in the area at the time when the constellation was invented, have named the two bright stars "the eyes of the beast" ('''Xami Di Mura'''), where the beast (xami) is a lion and the two eyes are "mura". If the two bright stars are imagined the eyes, the face of this creature is seen in the adjacent areas, covering also the star α Circini.

	The language groups of Khoe and San cover a wide range each. Most of these languages are now moribund. The Khoekhoe dialect \Xam is one such language which was fortunately recorded, however there are no speakers surviving.		The language groups of Khoe and San cover a wide range each. Most of these languages are now moribund. The Khoekhoe dialect /Xam is one such language which was fortunately recorded, however there are no speakers surviving.

	== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==		== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==

Sushoff: /* IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names */

2024-12-14T10:32:34Z

IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:32, 14 December 2024
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	== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==		== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==
	In 2024, it was suggested to use the Khoe term "Xami" (from the \Xam dialect) to designate the 3.19 mag-star α Circini ([https://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=alf+Cir&submit=SIMBAD+search SIMBAD]) with a term from one of the peoples who are native to the place where the constellation was invented. This star was named [[Xami]] in 2024.		In 2024, it was suggested to use the Khoe term "Xami" (from the /Xam dialect) to designate the 3.19 mag-star α Circini ([https://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=alf+Cir&submit=SIMBAD+search SIMBAD]) with a term from one of the peoples who are native to the place where the constellation was invented. This star was named [[Xami]] in 2024.

	== Weblinks ==		== Weblinks ==

Sushoff: /* IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names */

2024-12-14T10:25:17Z

IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:25, 14 December 2024
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	== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==		== IAU WGSN Catalog of Star Names ==
	In 2024, it was suggested to use the Khoe term "Xami" (from the \Xam dialect) to designate the star Circini with a term from one of the peoples who are native to the place where the constellation was invented.		In 2024, it was suggested to use the Khoe term "Xami" (from the \Xam dialect) to designate the 3.19 mag-star α Circini ([https://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=alf+Cir&submit=SIMBAD+search SIMBAD]) with a term from one of the peoples who are native to the place where the constellation was invented. This star was named [[Xami]] in 2024.

	== Weblinks ==		== Weblinks ==