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Sextans

Genitive: Sextantis

Equatorial Spring 314 sq° Sex

Brightest star: Alpha Sextantis (mag 4.49)

RA 10h 07m 60.0s · Dec -2d 00' 0"

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Sextans - Mythology

Mythology

Created by Hevelius to represent his astronomical sextant destroyed in a fire in 1679. No classical mythology.

Observing Highlights

A faint equatorial constellation. Contains the Spindle Galaxy (NGC 3115) and several other galaxies for moderate-aperture telescopes.

When is Sextans 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 29°Jan 01:00 — altitude 35°Jan 02:00 — altitude 38°Jan 03:00 — altitude 38°Jan 04:00 — altitude 34°Jan 05:00 — altitude 29°Jan 06:00 — altitude 21° (twilight)Jan 07:00 — altitude 13° (twilight)Jan 08:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Jan 09:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jan 10:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Jan 11:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jan 12:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Jan 13:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Jan 14:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Jan 15:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Jan 16:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Jan 17:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Jan 18:00 — altitude -24° (twilight)Jan 19:00 — altitude -15°Jan 20:00 — altitude -6°Jan 21:00 — altitude 4°Jan 22:00 — altitude 13°Jan 23:00 — altitude 22°Jan: best around 02:00 localFebFeb 00:00 — altitude 38°Feb 01:00 — altitude 38°Feb 02:00 — altitude 34°Feb 03:00 — altitude 29°Feb 04:00 — altitude 21°Feb 05:00 — altitude 12°Feb 06:00 — altitude 3° (twilight)Feb 07:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Feb 08:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Feb 09:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Feb 10:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Feb 11:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Feb 12:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Feb 13:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Feb 14:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Feb 15:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Feb 16:00 — altitude -24° (daytime)Feb 17:00 — altitude -15° (daytime)Feb 18:00 — altitude -6° (twilight)Feb 19:00 — altitude 4° (twilight)Feb 20:00 — altitude 13°Feb 21:00 — altitude 22°Feb 22:00 — altitude 30°Feb 23:00 — altitude 35°Feb: best around 00:00 localMarMar 00:00 — altitude 35°Mar 01:00 — altitude 30°Mar 02:00 — altitude 22°Mar 03:00 — altitude 14°Mar 04:00 — altitude 4°Mar 05:00 — altitude -5° (twilight)Mar 06:00 — altitude -15° (daytime)Mar 07:00 — altitude -24° (daytime)Mar 08:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Mar 09:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Mar 10:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Mar 11:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Mar 12:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Mar 13:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Mar 14:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Mar 15:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Mar 16:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Mar 17:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Mar 18:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Mar 19:00 — altitude 21° (twilight)Mar 20:00 — altitude 28°Mar 21:00 — altitude 34°Mar 22:00 — altitude 37°Mar 23:00 — altitude 38°Mar: best around 23:00 localAprApr 00:00 — altitude 22°Apr 01:00 — altitude 13°Apr 02:00 — altitude 4°Apr 03:00 — altitude -6°Apr 04:00 — altitude -15° (twilight)Apr 05:00 — altitude -24° (daytime)Apr 06:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Apr 07:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Apr 08:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Apr 09:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Apr 10:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Apr 11:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Apr 12:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Apr 13:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Apr 14:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Apr 15:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Apr 16:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Apr 17:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Apr 18:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Apr 19:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Apr 20:00 — altitude 38° (twilight)Apr 21:00 — altitude 38°Apr 22:00 — altitude 35°Apr 23:00 — altitude 29°Apr: best around 21:00 localMayMay 00:00 — altitude 4°May 01:00 — altitude -5°May 02:00 — altitude -15° (twilight)May 03:00 — altitude -24° (twilight)May 04:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)May 05:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)May 06:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)May 07:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)May 08:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)May 09:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)May 10:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)May 11:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)May 12:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)May 13:00 — altitude 2° (daytime)May 14:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)May 15:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)May 16:00 — altitude 28° (daytime)May 17:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)May 18:00 — altitude 37° (daytime)May 19:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)May 20:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)May 21:00 — altitude 29° (twilight)May 22:00 — altitude 22° (twilight)May 23:00 — altitude 13°May: best around 23:00 localJunJun 00:00 — altitude -15° (twilight)Jun 01:00 — altitude -24° (twilight)Jun 02:00 — altitude -32° (twilight)Jun 03:00 — altitude -38° (twilight)Jun 04:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Jun 05:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Jun 06:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Jun 07:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Jun 08:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jun 09:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Jun 10:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jun 11:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Jun 12:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Jun 13:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Jun 14:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Jun 15:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Jun 16:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Jun 17:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Jun 18:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Jun 19:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Jun 20:00 — altitude 22° (daytime)Jun 21:00 — altitude 13° (twilight)Jun 22:00 — altitude 3° (twilight)Jun 23:00 — altitude -6° (twilight)JulJul 00:00 — altitude -32°Jul 01:00 — altitude -38° (twilight)Jul 02:00 — altitude -41° (twilight)Jul 03:00 — altitude -42° (twilight)Jul 04:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Jul 05:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Jul 06:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jul 07:00 — altitude -17° (daytime)Jul 08:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jul 09:00 — altitude 2° (daytime)Jul 10:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Jul 11:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Jul 12:00 — altitude 28° (daytime)Jul 13:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Jul 14:00 — altitude 37° (daytime)Jul 15:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Jul 16:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Jul 17:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Jul 18:00 — altitude 22° (daytime)Jul 19:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Jul 20:00 — altitude 4° (daytime)Jul 21:00 — altitude -6° (twilight)Jul 22:00 — altitude -15° (twilight)Jul 23:00 — altitude -24° (twilight)AugAug 00:00 — altitude -41°Aug 01:00 — altitude -42°Aug 02:00 — altitude -39°Aug 03:00 — altitude -33° (twilight)Aug 04:00 — altitude -25° (twilight)Aug 05:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Aug 06:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Aug 07:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Aug 08:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Aug 09:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Aug 10:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Aug 11:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Aug 12:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Aug 13:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Aug 14:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Aug 15:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Aug 16:00 — altitude 22° (daytime)Aug 17:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Aug 18:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Aug 19:00 — altitude -6° (daytime)Aug 20:00 — altitude -16° (twilight)Aug 21:00 — altitude -25° (twilight)Aug 22:00 — altitude -32°Aug 23:00 — altitude -38°SepSep 00:00 — altitude -38°Sep 01:00 — altitude -33°Sep 02:00 — altitude -25°Sep 03:00 — altitude -16°Sep 04:00 — altitude -7° (twilight)Sep 05:00 — altitude 3° (twilight)Sep 06:00 — altitude 12° (daytime)Sep 07:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Sep 08:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Sep 09:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Sep 10:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Sep 11:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Sep 12:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Sep 13:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Sep 14:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Sep 15:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Sep 16:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Sep 17:00 — altitude -6° (daytime)Sep 18:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Sep 19:00 — altitude -25° (twilight)Sep 20:00 — altitude -33° (twilight)Sep 21:00 — altitude -38°Sep 22:00 — altitude -42°Sep 23:00 — altitude -42°OctOct 00:00 — altitude -25°Oct 01:00 — altitude -16°Oct 02:00 — altitude -7°Oct 03:00 — altitude 3°Oct 04:00 — altitude 12°Oct 05:00 — altitude 21° (twilight)Oct 06:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Oct 07:00 — altitude 34° (daytime)Oct 08:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Oct 09:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Oct 10:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Oct 11:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Oct 12:00 — altitude 22° (daytime)Oct 13:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Oct 14:00 — altitude 4° (daytime)Oct 15:00 — altitude -6° (daytime)Oct 16:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Oct 17:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Oct 18:00 — altitude -32° (twilight)Oct 19:00 — altitude -38°Oct 20:00 — altitude -42°Oct 21:00 — altitude -42°Oct 22:00 — altitude -38°Oct 23:00 — altitude -32°Oct: best around 04:00 localNovNov 00:00 — altitude -7°Nov 01:00 — altitude 3°Nov 02:00 — altitude 12°Nov 03:00 — altitude 21°Nov 04:00 — altitude 29°Nov 05:00 — altitude 34°Nov 06:00 — altitude 38° (twilight)Nov 07:00 — altitude 38° (daytime)Nov 08:00 — altitude 35° (daytime)Nov 09:00 — altitude 29° (daytime)Nov 10:00 — altitude 21° (daytime)Nov 11:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Nov 12:00 — altitude 3° (daytime)Nov 13:00 — altitude -6° (daytime)Nov 14:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Nov 15:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Nov 16:00 — altitude -33° (daytime)Nov 17:00 — altitude -38° (twilight)Nov 18:00 — altitude -42° (twilight)Nov 19:00 — altitude -42°Nov 20:00 — altitude -38°Nov 21:00 — altitude -32°Nov 22:00 — altitude -24°Nov 23:00 — altitude -15°Nov: best around 05:00 localDecDec 00:00 — altitude 12°Dec 01:00 — altitude 21°Dec 02:00 — altitude 29°Dec 03:00 — altitude 34°Dec 04:00 — altitude 38°Dec 05:00 — altitude 38°Dec 06:00 — altitude 35° (twilight)Dec 07:00 — altitude 29° (twilight)Dec 08:00 — altitude 22° (daytime)Dec 09:00 — altitude 13° (daytime)Dec 10:00 — altitude 4° (daytime)Dec 11:00 — altitude -6° (daytime)Dec 12:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Dec 13:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Dec 14:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Dec 15:00 — altitude -38° (daytime)Dec 16:00 — altitude -42° (daytime)Dec 17:00 — altitude -42° (twilight)Dec 18:00 — altitude -38°Dec 19:00 — altitude -32°Dec 20:00 — altitude -25°Dec 21:00 — altitude -16°Dec 22:00 — altitude -6°Dec 23:00 — altitude 3°Dec: best around 05:00 local
below horizon astronomical dark — low to high altitude twilight daytime (sun up) best night-time hour

Right now

Daytime
Below horizon (-41°)

Upcoming (local)

Rise 10:25
Transit 16:13 38°
Set 22:03

Across the year

Best month March
Peak altitude 38°
Circumpolar here no
Dark-sky hours / year 1522

Neighboring Constellations

Leo Hydra Crater

Showpieces in Sextans

2
35 Sex

HIP 52452; 35 Sex

5.79 mag 6.8″ B: 7.1 K3III+K0III Easy
Spindle Galaxy survey image
Spindle Galaxy

NGC 3115

C53

8.9 mag 8 E-S0 Easy

Main Stars in Sextans

20
Alpha Sex

HIP 49641; Alpha Sex; 15 Sex

4.49 mag A0III Easy
Gamma Sex

HIP 48437; Gamma Sex; 8 Sex

5.05 mag 0.3″ B: 6.4 A1V Easy
Beta Sex

HIP 51437; Beta Sex; 30 Sex

5.09 mag B6V Easy
Delta Sex

HIP 51362; Delta Sex; 29 Sex

5.21 mag B9.5V Easy
Epsilon Sex

HIP 50414; Epsilon Sex; 22 Sex

5.24 mag F2III Easy
HIP 51046
5.57 mag K5:IIIbFe-0.5 Easy
18 Sex

HIP 49865; 18 Sex

5.65 mag K2III Easy
HIP 47960
5.65 mag F4IV Easy
19 Sex

HIP 50027; 19 Sex

5.77 mag gK0 Easy
35 Sex

HIP 52452; 35 Sex

5.79 mag 6.8″ B: 7.1 K3III+K0III Easy
41 Sex

HIP 52980; 41 Sex

5.79 mag 28.1″ B: 11.7 A3m Very Hard
HIP 52948
5.86 mag gG8 Easy
17 Sex

HIP 49812; 17 Sex

5.91 mag 0.2″ B: 9.3 A1V Easy
HIP 52863
5.93 mag M2III Easy
HIP 48519
5.95 mag M2III Easy
HIP 53035
5.95 mag K2 Easy
25 Sex

HIP 50885; 25 Sex

5.97 mag B9pSiCr:Sr: Easy
6 Sex

HIP 48341; 6 Sex

6.01 mag A8III Easy
7 Sex

HIP 48414; 7 Sex

6.02 mag A0V s Easy
HIP 51302
6.05 mag A1pSr: Easy

Double Stars in Sextans

10
35 Sex

HIP 52452; 35 Sex

5.79 mag 6.8″ B: 7.1 K3III+K0III Easy
HIP 51490
6.20 mag 2.8″ B: 8.8 K5III+F6V Hard
HIP 51907
6.57 mag 7.2″ B: 9.8 F0V Medium
40 Sex

HIP 52913; 40 Sex

6.61 mag 2.5″ B: 7.8 A2IV Hard
41 Sex

HIP 52980; 41 Sex

5.79 mag 28.1″ B: 11.7 A3m Very Hard
13 Sex

HIP 49329; 13 Sex

6.45 mag F4V Easy
HIP 50870
6.54 mag F6V Easy
HIP 50939
6.32 mag G9V Easy
HIP 51046
5.57 mag K5:IIIbFe-0.5 Easy
HIP 52948
5.86 mag gG8 Easy

Deep Sky Objects in Sextans

29
Galaxy (29)
Spindle Galaxy survey image
Spindle Galaxy

NGC 3115

C53

8.9 mag 8 E-S0 Easy
NGC 3169 survey image
NGC 3169
10.5 mag 4.8 Sa Very Hard
NGC 3423 survey image
NGC 3423
11.2 mag 3.9 Sc Hard
NGC 3166 survey image
NGC 3166
10.6 mag 5.2 S0-a Medium
NGC 3044 survey image
NGC 3044
12.0 mag 4.8 SBc Very Hard
NGC 2974 survey image
NGC 2974
10.8 mag 3.4 E Medium
NGC 2978 survey image
NGC 2978
14.0 mag 1.2 SABb Very Hard
NGC 3083 survey image
NGC 3083
14.0 mag SBa Very Hard
NGC 3110 survey image
NGC 3110
13.0 mag SBb Very Hard
NGC 2979 survey image
NGC 2979
14.0 mag SABa Very Hard
NGC 3156 survey image
NGC 3156
13.0 mag 2.1 S0 Very Hard
NGC 3015 survey image
NGC 3015
14.0 mag S0-a Very Hard
NGC 3042 survey image
NGC 3042
14.0 mag S0-a Very Hard
NGC 3092 survey image
NGC 3092
14.0 mag S0-a Very Hard
NGC 3142 survey image
NGC 3142
14.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3375 survey image
NGC 3375
13.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3376 survey image
NGC 3376
14.0 mag S0-a Very Hard
NGC 3385 survey image
NGC 3385
13.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3007 survey image
NGC 3007
15.0 mag S0-a Very Hard
NGC 3022 survey image
NGC 3022
14.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3093 survey image
NGC 3093
15.0 mag E Very Hard
NGC 3117 survey image
NGC 3117
14.0 mag E Very Hard
NGC 3243 survey image
NGC 3243
14.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3292 survey image
NGC 3292
14.0 mag S0 Very Hard
NGC 3017 survey image
NGC 3017
14.0 mag E Very Hard
NGC 3090 survey image
NGC 3090
14.0 mag E Very Hard
NGC 3325 survey image
NGC 3325
14.0 mag E Very Hard
NGC 3337 survey image
NGC 3337
15.0 mag E-S0 Very Hard
NGC 3386 survey image
NGC 3386
15.0 mag E Very Hard