images

Constellations Pyxis, Puppis, Vela and Carina

by

C.Picking/Novapix

Reference

a-cst07-00002

Date

2007-02-05

This large constellation was one of the 48 constellations described by the ancient astronomer Ptolemy in his Almagest. It is the ship which Argus built for Jason and his crew, the Argonauts, to carry them on their quest for the Golden Fleece. In the 18th century the French astronomer Lacaille divided it into three smaller constellations, Carina the Keel, Puppis the Stern or Poop, and Vela the Sail.