Chamaeleon (The Chameleon)

Small south-polar constellation of the navigator's bestiary.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Keyser and de Houtman charted it around 1598, filling the previously empty south polar sky with exotic animals.
• It sits close to the south celestial pole and never rises for northern observers.
• Nearby dark clouds in Chamaeleon are among the closest star-forming regions to the Sun.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: α Chamaeleontis
• HEMISPHERE: Southern
• BEST VIEWED: May