Grus (The Crane)

Southern constellation of the crane, created in the age of exploration.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Keyser and de Houtman charted it in the 1590s from the decks of Dutch ships rounding the Cape.
• It is not among Ptolemy's 48 — the crane is one of the first constellations invented for the far southern sky.
• Its brightest stars, Alnair and Al Dhanab, take their Arabic names from the crane's bright wing and tail.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: Alnair (α Gru)
• HEMISPHERE: Southern
• BEST VIEWED: September