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Hawaiian Astronomical Society

Constellations: Aquarius -- Water Bearer

Myth

Known as the water bearer, or cup bearer, this constellation of the zodiac frequently gets depicted as a god (often Zeus) pouring the waters of life into a wet region of the sky. In ancient times (and to a certain extent today) when the sun passes through Aquarius, it was the rainy season.

Maps

Each map can be clicked on to produce a 909x1199 version of it. They sport red labels, which look good on screen, but which disappear when used with red flashlights. Each map, therefore has a second link to a map better suited for printing in a graphics program, and using in the field. While they are quite large, they are all about 20-35k, and so are easy to view at today's modem speeds. The first map is a wide area view of the constellation, suitable for naked eye browsing. The next views are binocular width, showing stars to mag. 10, and labeling deepsky objects to magnitude 12.

Interactive, wide area map of Aquarius

Map thumbnail

Click the map for a 909x1199 version of the above. Click here for a map better suited for use in the field.

East Section

Map thumbnail

This is the north-east section of the constellation. The map displays stars to magnitude 10, and deepsky objects to magnitude 12. Click here for a map better suited for use in the field.

Central Section

Map thumbnail

Click here for a map better suited for use in the field.

North-West Region

Map thumbnail

Click here for a map better suited for use in the field.

Images

Image thumbnail34k JPEG M2 (NGC7089, Bennett 127) is a mag. 6.5 globular cluster, located 11° SSW of Enif (in Pegasus). 13' in size, M2 is a good object in a rather barren region of sky. Dreyer describes it as bright and large, brighter toward the middle, and very, very rich.
Map Printable Map More info.

Image thumbnail15k JPEG NGC7293 (Bennett 129, Best 5, Caldwell 63) is the Helix Nebula, a relatively large (12.8'), faint planetary nebula, dark skies and low power tease this object from the sky background.
Map Printable Map

Image thumbnailImage thumbnail NGC7009 (Bennett 126, Best 4, Caldwell 55) is called the Saturn Nebula. It is a planetary nebula described as very bright (mag. 8), small (1.7'), and elliptical. It is 1.3° west of Nu Aquarii. Dreyer cansiders this a showcase object, giving it three exclamation marks. The first image is taken by the Nordic Optical Telescope (39k JPEG), and is taken from Bill Arnett's Web Nebula. The second is by Pedro Ré (18k JPEG), and looks more like the visual view through a telescope.
Map Printable Map More info.

Image thumbnail13k JPEG M72 (NGC 6981, Bennett 125) is a mag. 9.4, 6' globular cluster, located in the south-west corner of the constellation, about 3.3° SSE of epsilon Aquarii. Not outstanding in any way, but Dreyer stresses it is easy to resolve. Photo by Scott Schell with the SUNY C14 and an ST-6 CCD camera.
Map Printable Map More info.

Image thumbnail11k JPEG M73 is an asterism of four stars located 1.3° east of M72. Photo by Scott Schell with the SUNY C14 and an ST-6 CCD camera.
Map Printable Map More info.

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