Sextans Constellation Myths and Facts

Sextans: The Sextant

Pronunciation: SEX-tunz
Sextans, The Sextant
Sextans 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.
Sextans Constellation Profile
Abbreviation: Sex Genitive: Sextantis
Origin: Hevelius Location: Celestial Equator
Best View (North): Spring Best View (South):
Bordering Constellations: Leo, Hydra, Crater

The Myth Behind the Constellation Sextans

Sextans, “The Sextant” is another modern constellation created by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in the late seventeenth century.  It represents a large astronomer’s sextant used to create accurate star charts.  His own sextant was destroyed in a fire in September of 1679.

Sextans Constellation Points of Interest

Interesting stars and objects.

Bright Stars in Sextans

There are no stars in Sextans with a magnitude of 3.0 or brighter.