Corvus (The Crow)

Small southern constellation of four bright stars near Spica.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Its four brightest stars form a distinctive sail shape that points observers to Spica in Virgo, earning it the old name "Spica's Satellite".
• In myth the crow was Apollo's messenger, sent for water and delayed by a fig tree, an excuse blamed on the water snake.
• The Antennae Galaxies, a pair of colliding spirals throwing off long tidal tails, lie within it.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: Gienah (γ Corvi)
• HEMISPHERE: Southern
• BEST VIEWED: April