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Centaurus

Genitive: Centauri

Southern Spring 1060 sq° Cen

Brightest star: Alpha Centauri (mag -0.27)

RA 13h 20m 0.0s · Dec -48d 00' 0"

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Centaurus - Mythology

Mythology

Represents Chiron, the wise and gentle centaur who tutored heroes like Achilles and Jason. Unlike other centaurs, Chiron was known for his knowledge of medicine and arts.

Observing Highlights

Contains Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to the Sun, and the magnificent globular cluster Omega Centauri (NGC 5139), the largest globular in the Milky Way.

When is Centaurus up?

Showing 50.0° N, 0.0° E. Save your location for a personalised chart.
12:0015:0018:0021:0000:0003:0006:0009:0012:00JanJan 00:00 — altitude -32°Jan 01:00 — altitude -25°Jan 02:00 — altitude -19°Jan 03:00 — altitude -14°Jan 04:00 — altitude -10°Jan 05:00 — altitude -8°Jan 06:00 — altitude -8° (twilight)Jan 07:00 — altitude -9° (twilight)Jan 08:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Jan 09:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Jan 10:00 — altitude -23° (daytime)Jan 11:00 — altitude -30° (daytime)Jan 12:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Jan 13:00 — altitude -46° (daytime)Jan 14:00 — altitude -55° (daytime)Jan 15:00 — altitude -64° (daytime)Jan 16:00 — altitude -74° (daytime)Jan 17:00 — altitude -83° (daytime)Jan 18:00 — altitude -86° (twilight)Jan 19:00 — altitude -77°Jan 20:00 — altitude -67°Jan 21:00 — altitude -58°Jan 22:00 — altitude -48°Jan 23:00 — altitude -40°FebFeb 00:00 — altitude -19°Feb 01:00 — altitude -14°Feb 02:00 — altitude -10°Feb 03:00 — altitude -8°Feb 04:00 — altitude -8°Feb 05:00 — altitude -10°Feb 06:00 — altitude -13° (twilight)Feb 07:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Feb 08:00 — altitude -23° (daytime)Feb 09:00 — altitude -30° (daytime)Feb 10:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Feb 11:00 — altitude -46° (daytime)Feb 12:00 — altitude -55° (daytime)Feb 13:00 — altitude -64° (daytime)Feb 14:00 — altitude -74° (daytime)Feb 15:00 — altitude -84° (daytime)Feb 16:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Feb 17:00 — altitude -76° (daytime)Feb 18:00 — altitude -67° (twilight)Feb 19:00 — altitude -57° (twilight)Feb 20:00 — altitude -48°Feb 21:00 — altitude -40°Feb 22:00 — altitude -32°Feb 23:00 — altitude -25°MarMar 00:00 — altitude -11°Mar 01:00 — altitude -9°Mar 02:00 — altitude -8°Mar 03:00 — altitude -9°Mar 04:00 — altitude -12°Mar 05:00 — altitude -16° (twilight)Mar 06:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Mar 07:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Mar 08:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)Mar 09:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Mar 10:00 — altitude -53° (daytime)Mar 11:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Mar 12:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)Mar 13:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Mar 14:00 — altitude -87° (daytime)Mar 15:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Mar 16:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Mar 17:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Mar 18:00 — altitude -50° (daytime)Mar 19:00 — altitude -41° (twilight)Mar 20:00 — altitude -33°Mar 21:00 — altitude -26°Mar 22:00 — altitude -19°Mar 23:00 — altitude -14°AprApr 00:00 — altitude -8°Apr 01:00 — altitude -9°Apr 02:00 — altitude -12°Apr 03:00 — altitude -16°Apr 04:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)Apr 05:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Apr 06:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Apr 07:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Apr 08:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Apr 09:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Apr 10:00 — altitude -73° (daytime)Apr 11:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Apr 12:00 — altitude -87° (daytime)Apr 13:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Apr 14:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Apr 15:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Apr 16:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Apr 17:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Apr 18:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Apr 19:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Apr 20:00 — altitude -19° (twilight)Apr 21:00 — altitude -14°Apr 22:00 — altitude -11°Apr 23:00 — altitude -8°MayMay 00:00 — altitude -12°May 01:00 — altitude -16°May 02:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)May 03:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)May 04:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)May 05:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)May 06:00 — altitude -53° (daytime)May 07:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)May 08:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)May 09:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)May 10:00 — altitude -87° (daytime)May 11:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)May 12:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)May 13:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)May 14:00 — altitude -50° (daytime)May 15:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)May 16:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)May 17:00 — altitude -26° (daytime)May 18:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)May 19:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)May 20:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)May 21:00 — altitude -8° (twilight)May 22:00 — altitude -8° (twilight)May 23:00 — altitude -9°JunJun 00:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)Jun 01:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)Jun 02:00 — altitude -36° (twilight)Jun 03:00 — altitude -45° (twilight)Jun 04:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Jun 05:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Jun 06:00 — altitude -73° (daytime)Jun 07:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Jun 08:00 — altitude -87° (daytime)Jun 09:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Jun 10:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Jun 11:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Jun 12:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Jun 13:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Jun 14:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Jun 15:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jun 16:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Jun 17:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Jun 18:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Jun 19:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jun 20:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jun 21:00 — altitude -9° (twilight)Jun 22:00 — altitude -12° (twilight)Jun 23:00 — altitude -17° (twilight)JulJul 00:00 — altitude -36°Jul 01:00 — altitude -45° (twilight)Jul 02:00 — altitude -53° (twilight)Jul 03:00 — altitude -63° (twilight)Jul 04:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)Jul 05:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Jul 06:00 — altitude -87° (daytime)Jul 07:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Jul 08:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Jul 09:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Jul 10:00 — altitude -50° (daytime)Jul 11:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Jul 12:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Jul 13:00 — altitude -26° (daytime)Jul 14:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Jul 15:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Jul 16:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Jul 17:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jul 18:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jul 19:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Jul 20:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Jul 21:00 — altitude -17° (twilight)Jul 22:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)Jul 23:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)AugAug 00:00 — altitude -54°Aug 01:00 — altitude -63°Aug 02:00 — altitude -73°Aug 03:00 — altitude -82° (twilight)Aug 04:00 — altitude -87° (twilight)Aug 05:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Aug 06:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Aug 07:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Aug 08:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Aug 09:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Aug 10:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Aug 11:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Aug 12:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Aug 13:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Aug 14:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Aug 15:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Aug 16:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Aug 17:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Aug 18:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Aug 19:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Aug 20:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)Aug 21:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)Aug 22:00 — altitude -37°Aug 23:00 — altitude -45°SepSep 00:00 — altitude -73°Sep 01:00 — altitude -83°Sep 02:00 — altitude -87°Sep 03:00 — altitude -77°Sep 04:00 — altitude -68° (twilight)Sep 05:00 — altitude -58° (twilight)Sep 06:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Sep 07:00 — altitude -40° (daytime)Sep 08:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Sep 09:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Sep 10:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Sep 11:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Sep 12:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Sep 13:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Sep 14:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Sep 15:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Sep 16:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Sep 17:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Sep 18:00 — altitude -23° (daytime)Sep 19:00 — altitude -30° (twilight)Sep 20:00 — altitude -37° (twilight)Sep 21:00 — altitude -46°Sep 22:00 — altitude -55°Sep 23:00 — altitude -64°OctOct 00:00 — altitude -87°Oct 01:00 — altitude -78°Oct 02:00 — altitude -68°Oct 03:00 — altitude -59°Oct 04:00 — altitude -49°Oct 05:00 — altitude -41° (twilight)Oct 06:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Oct 07:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Oct 08:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Oct 09:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Oct 10:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Oct 11:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Oct 12:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Oct 13:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Oct 14:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Oct 15:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Oct 16:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Oct 17:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Oct 18:00 — altitude -37° (twilight)Oct 19:00 — altitude -45°Oct 20:00 — altitude -54°Oct 21:00 — altitude -64°Oct 22:00 — altitude -73°Oct 23:00 — altitude -83°NovNov 00:00 — altitude -68°Nov 01:00 — altitude -58°Nov 02:00 — altitude -49°Nov 03:00 — altitude -41°Nov 04:00 — altitude -33°Nov 05:00 — altitude -25°Nov 06:00 — altitude -19° (twilight)Nov 07:00 — altitude -14° (daytime)Nov 08:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Nov 09:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Nov 10:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Nov 11:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Nov 12:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Nov 13:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Nov 14:00 — altitude -23° (daytime)Nov 15:00 — altitude -30° (daytime)Nov 16:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Nov 17:00 — altitude -46° (twilight)Nov 18:00 — altitude -55° (twilight)Nov 19:00 — altitude -64°Nov 20:00 — altitude -74°Nov 21:00 — altitude -83°Nov 22:00 — altitude -86°Nov 23:00 — altitude -77°DecDec 00:00 — altitude -49°Dec 01:00 — altitude -41°Dec 02:00 — altitude -33°Dec 03:00 — altitude -26°Dec 04:00 — altitude -19°Dec 05:00 — altitude -14°Dec 06:00 — altitude -11° (twilight)Dec 07:00 — altitude -8° (twilight)Dec 08:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Dec 09:00 — altitude -9° (daytime)Dec 10:00 — altitude -12° (daytime)Dec 11:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Dec 12:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Dec 13:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Dec 14:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Dec 15:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Dec 16:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Dec 17:00 — altitude -64° (twilight)Dec 18:00 — altitude -73°Dec 19:00 — altitude -83°Dec 20:00 — altitude -86°Dec 21:00 — altitude -77°Dec 22:00 — altitude -67°Dec 23:00 — altitude -58°
below horizon astronomical dark — low to high altitude twilight daytime (sun up) best night-time hour

Right now

Daytime
Below horizon (-47°)

Upcoming (local)

Never rises from this latitude

Across the year

Best month March
Peak altitude -8°
Circumpolar here no
Dark-sky hours / year —

Neighboring Constellations

Crux Lupus Hydra Vela

Showpieces in Centaurus

8
Omega Centauri survey image
Omega Centauri

NGC 5139

C80

3.9 mag 36 Easy
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha2 Cen

1.33 mag 8.1″ B: 1.3 K1V Easy
Lambda Centauri Nebula survey image
Lambda Centauri Nebula

IC 2944

C100

4.5 mag 75 Easy
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha1 Cen

-0.01 mag 9.4″ B: 1.3 G2V Easy
T Cen

HIP 66825

6.05 mag 5.56 - 8.44 RVA K0e-M4IIe Medium
Caldwell 97 survey image
Caldwell 97

NGC 3766

5.3 mag 12 Easy
Centaurus A survey image
Centaurus A

NGC 5128

C77

7.0 mag 18 S0 Easy
Caldwell 84 survey image
Caldwell 84

NGC 5286

7.6 mag 9 Easy

Main Stars in Centaurus

20
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha1 Cen

-0.01 mag 9.4″ B: 1.3 G2V Easy
Agena

HIP 68702; Beta Cen

0.61 mag 0.2″ B: 4.0 B1II-III Easy
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha2 Cen

1.33 mag 8.1″ B: 1.3 K1V Easy
Menkent

HIP 68933; Theta Cen; 5 Cen

2.06 mag K0III Easy
Gamma Cen

HIP 61932; Gamma Cen

2.17 mag 0.8″ B: 2.9 A1IV+ Very Hard
Epsilon Cen

HIP 66657; Epsilon Cen

2.30 mag B1 III Easy
Eta Cen

HIP 71352; Eta Cen

2.31 mag B1.5 VN Easy
Zeta Cen

HIP 68002; Zeta Cen

2.55 mag B2.5 IV Easy
Delta Cen

HIP 59196; Delta Cen

2.60 mag 269.1″ B: 4.4 B2Vne Easy
Iota Cen

HIP 65109; Iota Cen

2.75 mag A2 V Easy
Mu Cen

HIP 67472; Mu Cen

3.04 mag B2Vnep Easy
Lambda Cen

HIP 56561; Lambda Cen

3.13 mag 14.8″ B: 11.5 A1III Very Hard
Kappa Cen

HIP 73334; Kappa Cen

3.13 mag 4.0″ B: 11.5 B2 IV Very Hard
Nu Cen

HIP 67464; Nu Cen

3.41 mag B2 IV Easy
Phi Cen

HIP 68245; Phi Cen

3.83 mag B2 V Easy
Tau Cen

HIP 61622; Tau Cen

3.86 mag A1IVnn Easy
Upsilon Cen

HIP 68282; Upsilon1 Cen

3.87 mag B2 IV/V Easy
HIP 65936
3.88 mag 0.1″ B: 5.0 G8 II/III Easy
Pi Cen

HIP 55425; Pi Cen

3.89 mag 0.4″ B: 5.7 B5V Very Hard
Sigma Cen

HIP 60823; Sigma Cen

3.91 mag 0.1″ B: 6.6 B2 V Easy

Double Stars in Centaurus

15
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha2 Cen

1.33 mag 8.1″ B: 1.3 K1V Easy
Rigil Kentaurus

HIP 71681; Alpha1 Cen

-0.01 mag 9.4″ B: 1.3 G2V Easy
HIP 70264
4.92 mag 9.1″ B: 7.6 G8III+F5V Easy
3 Cen

HIP 67669; 3 Cen

4.56 mag 7.8″ B: 6.0 B5IIIp Easy
3 Cen

HIP 67669; 3 Cen

6.06 mag 7.9″ B: 6.0 B8V Easy
HIP 56000
5.08 mag 13.2″ B: 7.4 B9V Easy
HIP 67703
5.25 mag 18.5″ B: 7.5 B9V Easy
4 Cen

HIP 67786; 4 Cen

4.73 mag 14.8″ B: 8.5 B4IV Easy
HIP 59654
5.31 mag 2.7″ B: 7.0 K3III Medium
HIP 66821
5.01 mag 5.6″ B: 6.5 B8Vn Easy
HIP 60549
6.25 mag 10.0″ B: 8.4 K2-3III Easy
HIP 67408
6.53 mag 11.9″ B: 10.2 G3IV-V Medium
V790 Cen

HR 5034

6.18 mag 10.0″ B: 9.6 B2.5Vn Medium
HIP 65479
5.31 mag 22.0″ B: 10.9 F2III Hard
V766 Cen

HIP 67261

6.51 mag 9.3″ B: 9.9 K00-Iae Medium

Variable Stars in Centaurus

5
R Cen

HIP 69754

6.39 mag 5.30 - 11.80 M M5IIe Very Hard
T Cen

HIP 66825

6.05 mag 5.56 - 8.44 RVA K0e-M4IIe Medium
V744 Cen

HIP 66666

6.00 mag 4.83 - 6.95 SRB M5III Easy
V716 Cen

HIP 69491

6.11 mag 5.96 - 6.52 EB/KE B5Ve Medium
V Cen

HIP 71116

6.93 mag 6.43 - 7.21 DCEP F5Ia Medium

Deep Sky Objects in Centaurus

30
Open Cluster (13)
Caldwell 97 survey image
Caldwell 97

NGC 3766

5.3 mag 12 Easy
NGC 5460 survey image
NGC 5460
5.6 mag 25. Easy
NGC 5662 survey image
NGC 5662
5.5 mag 12. Easy
NGC 5316 survey image
NGC 5316
6.0 mag 14. Easy
NGC 5617 survey image
NGC 5617
6.3 mag 10. Easy
NGC 5281 survey image
NGC 5281
5.9 mag 5. Easy
NGC 3680 survey image
NGC 3680
7.6 mag 12. Easy
NGC 5138 survey image
NGC 5138
7.6 mag 8. Easy
NGC 4852 survey image
NGC 4852
9.0 mag 11. Easy
NGC 3960 survey image
NGC 3960
8.3 mag 7. Easy
NGC 4230 survey image
NGC 4230
9.0 mag 6. Easy
NGC 5606 survey image
NGC 5606
7.7 mag 3. Easy
NGC 5168 survey image
NGC 5168
9.1 mag 4. Easy
Globular Cluster (2)
Omega Centauri survey image
Omega Centauri

NGC 5139

C80

3.9 mag 36 Easy
Caldwell 84 survey image
Caldwell 84

NGC 5286

7.6 mag 9 Easy
Galaxy (13)
Caldwell 83 survey image
Caldwell 83

NGC 4945

8.6 mag 20 SBc Very Hard
Centaurus A survey image
Centaurus A

NGC 5128

C77

7.0 mag 18 S0 Easy
NGC 5102 survey image
NGC 5102
9.7 mag 9.3 E-S0 Easy
NGC 5253 survey image
NGC 5253
10.6 mag 4.0 SBm Medium
NGC 5161 survey image
NGC 5161
12.0 mag 5.4 Sc Very Hard
NGC 4219 survey image
NGC 4219
12.0 mag 4.5 Sbc Hard
NGC 5121 survey image
NGC 5121
12.0 mag 2.3 Sa Very Hard
NGC 3557 survey image
NGC 3557
10.4 mag 4.0 E Medium
NGC 3783 survey image
NGC 3783
13.0 mag 1.9 SBa Very Hard
NGC 4696 survey image
NGC 4696
10.7 mag 3.5 E1 pec Medium
NGC 4976 survey image
NGC 4976
10.2 mag 4.3 E Medium
NGC 4373 survey image
NGC 4373
11.1 mag 3.2 E-S0 Hard
NGC 5188 survey image
NGC 5188
13.0 mag Sb Very Hard
Planetary Nebula (1)
Blue planetary survey image
Blue planetary

NGC 3918

8.0 mag 0.2 Medium
Emission Nebula (1)
Lambda Centauri Nebula survey image
Lambda Centauri Nebula

IC 2944

C100

4.5 mag 75 Easy