Hydrus


A small and faint constellation of southern hemisphere. The only object notable for the amateur observer is the optical double pi Hyi, an unrelated pair of an orange (K2III, 5.69 mag) and a red giant (K2III) of 5.55 mag.
Hydrus was one of Johann Bayer's constellations, found in his 1603 publication Uranometria. It was meant to be the southern hemisphere's answer to Hydra. Hydrus is a rather stiff snake, perhaps mostly resembling a cobra, with its head upright and body curled. Bayer created this constellation out of some left over stars near the south celestial pole.

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