Carina Constellation Myths and Facts

Carina: The Keel

Pronunciation: cuh-RYE-nuh/cuh-REE-nuh
Carina, The Keel
Carina was part of Argo Navis, depicted here by Johannes Hevelius in his Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia (1687). Source image provided by www.RareMaps.com — Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.
Carina Constellation Profile
Abbreviation: Car Genitive: Carinae
Origin: Lacaille Location: Southern Hemisphere
Best View (North): Spring Best View (South):
Bordering Constellations: Vela, Puppis, Pictor, Volans, Chamaeleon, Musca, Centaurus

The Myth Behind the Constellation Carina

Carina, “The Keel”, was part of a much larger constellation known as Argo Navis, the ship Argo.  Argo was the vessel that Jason and the Argonauts sailed on during their quest for the Golden Fleece (see Aries.)  In the mid-eighteenth century French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de La Caille divided this super constellation into three parts; Carina, Puppis and Vela.  He also created a fourth constellation, Pyxis, using stars from part of this vast group.

Carina Constellation Points of Interest

Interesting stars and objects.

Bright Stars in Carina

These are the stars in Carina with a minimum magnitude of 3.0.
Name Bayer Name Magnitude Color Luminosity Distance
Canopus Alpha Alpha Carinae -0.72  Yellow-White 15,100  suns 313 ly
Miaplacidus Beta Carinae 1.67  White 246 suns 111 ly
Avior Epsilon Carinae 1.86  Orange 13,728 suns 633 ly
Aspidiske Iota Carinae 2.21  White 5,497 suns 694 ly
Theta Carinae Theta Carinae 2.74  Blue-White 6,871 suns 441 ly
Upsilon Carinae Upsilon Carinae 2.92  Blue-White 15,155 suns 1622 ly