Canis Major (The Greater Dog) Constellation
Canis Major (pronounced ˈkeɪnɪs ˈmeɪdʒər) is the Latin name of a constellation situated close to the celestial equator. As such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The Greater dog" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "CMa" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "CMaj" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Canis Majoris" (pronounced ˈkeɪnɪs məˈdʒɒrɪs) and it is used to identify some of the brightest stars in this constellation based on the Bayer or Flamsteed star naming convention. For instance: α Canis Majoris (the brightest star of Canis Major based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Canis Majoris (the 23th star in the constellation of Canis Major based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Canis Major Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Canis Major constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Canis Major in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Canis Major Constellation
Location: Greenwich, UK
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Canis Major rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, UK are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
The rise and set times provided here are just directional indications and they refer to a point approximately placed at the center of the constellation. In case of very large constellations these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Canis Major Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Canis Major constellation. See also the complete list of 155 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Canis Major. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR2491 | α Canis Majoris | Sirius | -1.46 | ⬤ | Multiple; |
|
HR2618 | ε Canis Majoris | Adhara | 1.5 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR2693 | δ Canis Majoris | Wezen | 1.84 | ⬤ | Variable; |
|
HR2294 | β Canis Majoris | Mirzam | 1.98 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR2827 | η Canis Majoris | Aludra | 2.45 | ⬤ | Double; |
|
HR2282 | ζ Canis Majoris | Furud | 3.02 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR2653 | ο2 Canis Majoris | 3.02 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2646 | σ Canis Majoris | Unurgunite | 3.47 | ⬤ | Variable; Double; |
|
HR2749 | ω Canis Majoris | 3.85 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2580 | ο1 Canis Majoris | 3.87 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2429 | ν2 Canis Majoris | 3.95 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2538 | κ Canis Majoris | 3.96 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2574 | θ Canis Majoris | 4.07 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2657 | γ Canis Majoris | Muliphein | 4.12 | ⬤ | |
|
HR2387 | ξ1 Canis Majoris | 4.33 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR2596 | ι Canis Majoris | 4.37 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2782 | τ Canis Majoris | 4.4 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR2443 | ν3 Canis Majoris | 4.43 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2361 | λ Canis Majoris | 4.48 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2414 | ξ2 Canis Majoris | 4.54 | ⬤ | ||
| ...go to the complete list of 155 bright stars in the constellation of Canis Major | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Canis Major Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Canis Major constellation. See also the complete list of 45 deep sky objects in the constellation of Canis Major. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
