Dorado (The Dolphinfish) Constellation
Dorado (pronounced dəˈrɑːdoʊ) is the Latin name of a large constellation (in fact it extends itself for about 31 degrees across the sky) situated south of the celestial equator. As such, it is more easily visible from the southern hemisphere.
In English language this constellation is also known as "The Dolphinfish" while in astronomical texts and literature this constellation is often abbreviated as "Dor" (according to the standard of the International Astronomical Union - IAU) or as "Dora" (according to a naming convention used by NASA).
The Latin genitive of the constellation name is "Doradus" (pronounced dəˈreɪdəs) 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 Doradus (the brightest star of Dorado based on the Bayer catalog); or 23 Doradus (the 23th star in the constellation of Dorado based on the Flamsteed catalog).
Sky Chart of Dorado Constellation
Here we provide a simplified sky chart of the Dorado constellation. Alternatively it is possible to locate Dorado in the night sky using our Online Interactive Planetarium.
Visibility of Dorado Constellation
Location: Greenwich, UK
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Dorado is currently not visible from Greenwich, UK
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 (like Dorado actually is) these times can have little relevance.
Bright Stars in Dorado Constellation
The table below lists the top 20 brightest stars in the Dorado constellation. See also the complete list of 33 stars brighter than magnitude 6.5 (approximate) in the constellation of Dorado. Click on each star to see more details about it.
| HR Number(*) | Star designation | Proper name | Visual magnitude | Color | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
HR1465 | α Doradus | 3.27 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | |
|
HR1922 | β Doradus | 3.76 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR1338 | γ Doradus | 4.25 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2015 | δ Doradus | 4.35 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2102 | 4.65 | ⬤ | |||
|
HR1674 | ζ Doradus | 4.72 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1744 | θ Doradus | 4.83 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2245 | η2 Doradus | 5.01 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR2221 | ν Doradus | 5.06 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2064 | ε Doradus | 5.11 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR1836 | λ Doradus | 5.14 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1695 | 5.2 | ⬤ | Variable; | ||
|
HR1530 | κ Doradus | 5.27 | ⬤ | Variable; | |
|
HR1917 | 5.34 | ⬤ | |||
|
HR2377 | π2 Doradus | 5.38 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1492 | 5.4 | ⬤ | Variable; Multiple; | ||
|
HR2352 | π1 Doradus | 5.56 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR2194 | η1 Doradus | 5.71 | ⬤ | ||
|
HR1859 | 6.03 | ⬤ | Double; | ||
|
HR1365 | 6.09 | ⬤ | Double; | ||
| ...go to the complete list of 33 bright stars in the constellation of Dorado | ||||||
(*) HR stands for Harvard Revised Bright Star Catalogue, which is also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars.
Deep Sky Objects in Dorado Constellation
The table below lists the 20 brightest deep sky objects in the Dorado constellation. See also the complete list of 338 deep sky objects in the constellation of Dorado. The list includes objects from the Messier, New General Catalogue (NGC) and Index Catalogue (IC).
