Canes Venatici Constellation Myths and Facts

Canes Venatici: The Hunting Dogs

Pronunciation: CANE-eez ve-NAT-iss-eye
Canes Venatici, The Hunting Dogs
Canes Venatici 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.
Canes Venatici Constellation Profile
Abbreviation: CVn Genitive: Canum Venaticorum
Origin: Hevelius Location: Northern Hemisphere
Best View (North): Spring Best View (South):
Bordering Constellations: Ursa Major, Coma Berenices, Bootes

The Myth Behind the Constellation Canes Venatici

Canes Venatici respresents Asterion and Chara, the hunting dogs of Bootes. They lead him in persuit of the bears Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. They are frequently show as greyhounds.

Canes Venatici Constellation Points of Interest

Interesting Objects in the Constellation Canes Venatici
Name Messier NGC Type Visibility
M3 NGC 5272 Globular Cluster Binoculars
Whirlpool Galaxy M51 NGC 5194/5195 Spiral Galaxy Binoculars
Sunflower Galaxy M63 NGC 5055 Spiral Galaxy Binoculars
M94 NGC 4736 Spiral Galaxy Binoculars
M106 NGC 4258 Spiral Galaxy Binoculars

Bright Stars in Canes Venatici

These are the stars in Canes Venatici with a minimum magnitude of 3.0.
Name Bayer Name Magnitude Color Luminosity Distance
Cor Caroli Alpha Canum Venaticorum 2.81  White 5.6 suns 110 ly