Vela: The Sails
Pronunciation: VEE-luh/VAY-luh
| Vela Constellation Profile | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation: Vel | Genitive: Velorum |
| Origin: Lacaille | Location: Southern Hemisphere |
| Best View (North): Spring | Best View (South): |
| Bordering Constellations: Carina, Centaurus, Antlia, Pyxis, Puppis | |
The Myth Behind the Constellation Vela
Vela, “The Sails”, 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.Vela Constellation Points of Interest
Interesting stars and objects.Bright Stars in Vela
These are the stars in Vela with a minimum magnitude of 3.0.| Name | Bayer Name | Magnitude | Color | Luminosity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regor | Gamma Velorum | 1.75 | Blue | 28,095 suns | 847 ly |
| Koo She | Delta Velorum | 1.93 | White | 102 suns | 80 ly |
| Al Suhail | Lambda Velorum | 2.21 | Orange | 41,660 suns | 577 ly |
| Markab | Kappa Velorum | 2.47 | Blue-White | 5,712 suns | 539 ly |
| Peregrini | Mu Velorum | 2.69 | Yellow | 123 suns | 116 ly |