Pavo Constellation Myths and Facts

Pavo: The Peacock

Pronunciation: PAY-vo
Indus, The Indian and Pavo, The Peacock
Pavo as depicted by Johann Bayer in his Uranometria (1603). Source image provided by www.RareMaps.com — Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc.
Pavo Constellation Profile
Abbreviation: Pav Genitive: Pavonis
Origin: Keyser/de Houtman Location: Southern Hemisphere
Best View (North): Summer Best View (South):
Bordering Constellations: Octans, Indus, Telescopium, Ara, Apus

The Myth Behind the Constellation Pavo

Pavo, “The Peacock”, is a modern constellation created in the late sixteenth-century. As with most of their creations, Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman selected an animal to name their star group after. In Greek mythology, the peacock was sacred for Hera.  When Hermes killed Argus, the one-hundred-eyed giant, Hera placed the monsters eyes on the tail of the peacock.

Pavo Constellation Points of Interest

Interesting stars and objects.

Bright Stars in Pavo

These are the stars in Pavo with a minimum magnitude of 3.0.
Name Bayer Name Magnitude Color Luminosity Distance
Peacock Star Alpha Pavonis 1.94  Blue-White 890 suns 183 ly