Delphinus: The Dolphin
del-FINE-us/del-FIN-us
Delphinus as depicted by Johannes Hevelius in his Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia (1687). Source image provided by www.RareMaps.com — Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.
| Delphinus Constellation Profile | ||
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviation: Del | Genitive: Delphini | Origin: Ancient |
| Location: Northern Hemisphere | Size/Area: 189 sq. deg. | Size Rank: 69 |
| On Meridian: 9pm September 15th | Best View (North): Summer | Best View (South): |
| Bordering Constellations: Vulpecula, Sagitta, Aquila, Aquarius, Equuleus, Pegasus | ||
The Myth Behind the Constellation Delphinus
Delphinus, “The Dolphin” earned his place in the night sky by helping out the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. The deity was in love with Amphitrite, a Nereid, but she was not interested. After many rebuffed attempts he decided to try a new approach. He sent out many messengers with his proposal, and it was the dolphin that convinced Amphitrite to marry the god. For that, Poseidon placed him amongst the stars.
Delphinus Constellation Points of Interest
Interesting stars and objects.
Bright Stars in Delphinus
There are no stars in Delphinus with a magnitude of 3.0 or brighter.