Vulpecula (The Fox)

Small northern constellation of the fox and goose in the Milky Way.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Hevelius created it in 1687 as Vulpecula cum Ansere, the little fox with its goose; later atlases kept the fox and let the goose go.
• The Dumbbell Nebula (M27), the first planetary nebula ever recorded, lies within it.
• The Coathanger, a perfect line of six stars under a loop, hangs in its Milky Way star fields.

Specifications & Metrics

• BRIGHTEST STAR: Anser (α Vul)
• HEMISPHERE: Northern
• BEST VIEWED: August