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Vela

Genitive: Velorum

Southern Spring 500 sq° Vel

Brightest star: Gamma Velorum (mag 1.78)

RA 09h 20m 0.0s · Dec -47d 00' 0"

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Vela - Mythology

Mythology

The Sails of the great ship Argo Navis, divided by Lacaille into Carina, Puppis, and Vela.

Observing Highlights

Contains Gamma Velorum (Regor), the nearest Wolf-Rayet star and a brilliant multiple system. Home to the Vela Supernova Remnant and the open clusters NGC 2547 and IC 2391.

When is Vela 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 -9°Jan 01:00 — altitude -7°Jan 02:00 — altitude -7°Jan 03:00 — altitude -8°Jan 04:00 — altitude -12°Jan 05:00 — altitude -16°Jan 06:00 — altitude -22° (twilight)Jan 07:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)Jan 08:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Jan 09:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Jan 10:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Jan 11:00 — altitude -64° (daytime)Jan 12:00 — altitude -73° (daytime)Jan 13:00 — altitude -83° (daytime)Jan 14:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Jan 15:00 — altitude -76° (daytime)Jan 16:00 — altitude -67° (daytime)Jan 17:00 — altitude -57° (daytime)Jan 18:00 — altitude -48° (twilight)Jan 19:00 — altitude -39°Jan 20:00 — altitude -31°Jan 21:00 — altitude -24°Jan 22:00 — altitude -18°Jan 23:00 — altitude -13°FebFeb 00:00 — altitude -7°Feb 01:00 — altitude -9°Feb 02:00 — altitude -12°Feb 03:00 — altitude -16°Feb 04:00 — altitude -22°Feb 05:00 — altitude -29°Feb 06:00 — altitude -37° (twilight)Feb 07:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Feb 08:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Feb 09:00 — altitude -64° (daytime)Feb 10:00 — altitude -74° (daytime)Feb 11:00 — altitude -83° (daytime)Feb 12:00 — altitude -85° (daytime)Feb 13:00 — altitude -76° (daytime)Feb 14:00 — altitude -66° (daytime)Feb 15:00 — altitude -57° (daytime)Feb 16:00 — altitude -48° (daytime)Feb 17:00 — altitude -39° (daytime)Feb 18:00 — altitude -31° (twilight)Feb 19:00 — altitude -24° (twilight)Feb 20:00 — altitude -18°Feb 21:00 — altitude -13°Feb 22:00 — altitude -9°Feb 23:00 — altitude -7°MarMar 00:00 — altitude -11°Mar 01:00 — altitude -15°Mar 02:00 — altitude -21°Mar 03:00 — altitude -28°Mar 04:00 — altitude -36°Mar 05:00 — altitude -44° (twilight)Mar 06:00 — altitude -53° (daytime)Mar 07:00 — altitude -62° (daytime)Mar 08:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)Mar 09:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Mar 10:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Mar 11:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)Mar 12:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Mar 13:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Mar 14:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Mar 15:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Mar 16:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Mar 17:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Mar 18:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Mar 19:00 — altitude -13° (twilight)Mar 20:00 — altitude -10°Mar 21:00 — altitude -8°Mar 22:00 — altitude -7°Mar 23:00 — altitude -8°AprApr 00:00 — altitude -21°Apr 01:00 — altitude -28°Apr 02:00 — altitude -36°Apr 03:00 — altitude -44°Apr 04:00 — altitude -53° (twilight)Apr 05:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Apr 06:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)Apr 07:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Apr 08:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Apr 09:00 — altitude -77° (daytime)Apr 10:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Apr 11:00 — altitude -58° (daytime)Apr 12:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Apr 13:00 — altitude -40° (daytime)Apr 14:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Apr 15:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Apr 16:00 — altitude -18° (daytime)Apr 17:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)Apr 18:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Apr 19:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Apr 20:00 — altitude -7° (twilight)Apr 21:00 — altitude -8°Apr 22:00 — altitude -11°Apr 23:00 — altitude -16°MayMay 00:00 — altitude -36°May 01:00 — altitude -44°May 02:00 — altitude -53° (twilight)May 03:00 — altitude -62° (twilight)May 04:00 — altitude -72° (daytime)May 05:00 — altitude -81° (daytime)May 06:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)May 07:00 — altitude -78° (daytime)May 08:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)May 09:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)May 10:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)May 11:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)May 12:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)May 13:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)May 14:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)May 15:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)May 16:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)May 17:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)May 18:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)May 19:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)May 20:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)May 21:00 — altitude -16° (twilight)May 22:00 — altitude -21° (twilight)May 23:00 — altitude -28°JunJun 00:00 — altitude -53° (twilight)Jun 01:00 — altitude -63° (twilight)Jun 02:00 — altitude -72° (twilight)Jun 03:00 — altitude -82° (twilight)Jun 04:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Jun 05:00 — altitude -77° (daytime)Jun 06:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Jun 07:00 — altitude -58° (daytime)Jun 08:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Jun 09:00 — altitude -40° (daytime)Jun 10:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Jun 11:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jun 12:00 — altitude -18° (daytime)Jun 13:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)Jun 14:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Jun 15:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jun 16:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jun 17:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jun 18:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Jun 19:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Jun 20:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Jun 21:00 — altitude -29° (twilight)Jun 22:00 — altitude -36° (twilight)Jun 23:00 — altitude -45° (twilight)JulJul 00:00 — altitude -72°Jul 01:00 — altitude -81° (twilight)Jul 02:00 — altitude -86° (twilight)Jul 03:00 — altitude -78° (twilight)Jul 04:00 — altitude -68° (daytime)Jul 05:00 — altitude -59° (daytime)Jul 06:00 — altitude -49° (daytime)Jul 07:00 — altitude -41° (daytime)Jul 08:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Jul 09:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Jul 10:00 — altitude -19° (daytime)Jul 11:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)Jul 12:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Jul 13:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jul 14:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Jul 15:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Jul 16:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Jul 17:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Jul 18:00 — altitude -21° (daytime)Jul 19:00 — altitude -28° (daytime)Jul 20:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)Jul 21:00 — altitude -45° (twilight)Jul 22:00 — altitude -54° (twilight)Jul 23:00 — altitude -63° (twilight)AugAug 00:00 — altitude -86°Aug 01:00 — altitude -77°Aug 02:00 — altitude -68°Aug 03:00 — altitude -58° (twilight)Aug 04:00 — altitude -49° (twilight)Aug 05:00 — altitude -40° (daytime)Aug 06:00 — altitude -32° (daytime)Aug 07:00 — altitude -25° (daytime)Aug 08:00 — altitude -18° (daytime)Aug 09:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)Aug 10:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Aug 11:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Aug 12:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Aug 13:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Aug 14:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Aug 15:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Aug 16:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Aug 17:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Aug 18:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)Aug 19:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Aug 20:00 — altitude -54° (twilight)Aug 21:00 — altitude -63° (twilight)Aug 22:00 — altitude -73°Aug 23:00 — altitude -82°SepSep 00:00 — altitude -67°Sep 01:00 — altitude -58°Sep 02:00 — altitude -49°Sep 03:00 — altitude -40°Sep 04:00 — altitude -32° (twilight)Sep 05:00 — altitude -25° (twilight)Sep 06:00 — altitude -18° (daytime)Sep 07:00 — altitude -13° (daytime)Sep 08:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Sep 09:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Sep 10:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Sep 11:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Sep 12:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Sep 13:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Sep 14:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Sep 15:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Sep 16:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Sep 17:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Sep 18:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Sep 19:00 — altitude -63° (twilight)Sep 20:00 — altitude -73° (twilight)Sep 21:00 — altitude -83°Sep 22:00 — altitude -86°Sep 23:00 — altitude -77°OctOct 00:00 — altitude -49°Oct 01:00 — altitude -40°Oct 02:00 — altitude -32°Oct 03:00 — altitude -25°Oct 04:00 — altitude -18°Oct 05:00 — altitude -13° (twilight)Oct 06:00 — altitude -10° (daytime)Oct 07:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Oct 08:00 — altitude -7° (daytime)Oct 09:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Oct 10:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Oct 11:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Oct 12:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Oct 13:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Oct 14:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)Oct 15:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Oct 16:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Oct 17:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Oct 18:00 — altitude -73° (twilight)Oct 19:00 — altitude -82°Oct 20:00 — altitude -86°Oct 21:00 — altitude -77°Oct 22:00 — altitude -67°Oct 23:00 — altitude -58°NovNov 00:00 — altitude -32°Nov 01:00 — altitude -25°Nov 02:00 — altitude -18°Nov 03:00 — altitude -13°Nov 04:00 — altitude -10°Nov 05:00 — altitude -7°Nov 06:00 — altitude -7° (twilight)Nov 07:00 — altitude -8° (daytime)Nov 08:00 — altitude -11° (daytime)Nov 09:00 — altitude -16° (daytime)Nov 10:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Nov 11:00 — altitude -29° (daytime)Nov 12:00 — altitude -37° (daytime)Nov 13:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Nov 14:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Nov 15:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Nov 16:00 — altitude -73° (daytime)Nov 17:00 — altitude -83° (twilight)Nov 18:00 — altitude -86° (twilight)Nov 19:00 — altitude -77°Nov 20:00 — altitude -67°Nov 21:00 — altitude -57°Nov 22:00 — altitude -48°Nov 23:00 — altitude -39°DecDec 00:00 — altitude -18°Dec 01:00 — altitude -13°Dec 02:00 — altitude -10°Dec 03:00 — altitude -7°Dec 04:00 — altitude -7°Dec 05:00 — altitude -8°Dec 06:00 — altitude -11° (twilight)Dec 07:00 — altitude -16° (twilight)Dec 08:00 — altitude -22° (daytime)Dec 09:00 — altitude -28° (daytime)Dec 10:00 — altitude -36° (daytime)Dec 11:00 — altitude -45° (daytime)Dec 12:00 — altitude -54° (daytime)Dec 13:00 — altitude -63° (daytime)Dec 14:00 — altitude -73° (daytime)Dec 15:00 — altitude -82° (daytime)Dec 16:00 — altitude -86° (daytime)Dec 17:00 — altitude -77° (twilight)Dec 18:00 — altitude -67°Dec 19:00 — altitude -58°Dec 20:00 — altitude -49°Dec 21:00 — altitude -40°Dec 22:00 — altitude -32°Dec 23:00 — altitude -24°
below horizon astronomical dark — low to high altitude twilight daytime (sun up) best night-time hour

Right now

Daytime
Below horizon (-56°)

Upcoming (local)

Never rises from this latitude

Across the year

Best month March
Peak altitude -7°
Circumpolar here no
Dark-sky hours / year —

Neighboring Constellations

Carina Puppis Antlia Centaurus

Showpieces in Vela

8
Omicron Velorum Cluster survey image
Omicron Velorum Cluster

IC 2391

C85

2.5 mag 50 Easy
Caldwell 79 survey image
Caldwell 79

NGC 3201

6.8 mag 18 Easy
NGC 2547 survey image
NGC 2547
4.7 mag 20. Easy
Eight Burst Nebula survey image
Eight Burst Nebula

NGC 3132

C74

8.0 mag 0.8 Medium
HIP 51561
5.74 mag 13.7″ B: 6.0 B6II Easy
HIP 52154
4.28 mag 51.8″ B: 6.1 G2-3Ib Easy
HIP 50676
4.50 mag 7.2″ B: 7.2 B3IIIe Easy
NGC 3228 survey image
NGC 3228
6.0 mag 18. Easy

Main Stars in Vela

20
Suhail al Muhlif

HIP 39953; Gamma2 Vel

1.78 mag 41.2″ B: 4.1 WC 8 Easy
Alsephina

HIP 42913; Delta Vel

1.96 mag 1.3″ B: 5.6 A1Va(n) Very Hard
Alsuhail

HIP 44816; Lambda Vel

2.21 mag K4Ib Easy
Markeb

HIP 45941; Kappa Vel

2.50 mag B2IV Easy
Mu Vel

HIP 52727; Mu Vel

2.69 mag 2.3″ B: 5.7 G6III Hard
N Vel

HIP 46701

3.13 mag K5III Easy
Phi Vel

HIP 48774; Phi Vel

3.54 mag B6II Easy
Psi Vel

HIP 46651; Psi Vel

3.60 mag 0.6″ B: 5.1 F3V Fe-0.7 Very Hard
o Vel

HIP 42536

3.62 mag B2.5IV Easy
HIP 44511
3.75 mag K2III Easy
HIP 42570
3.84 mag 37.2″ B: 10.3 F0Ia Medium
HIP 51986
3.84 mag 0.4″ B: 5.8 A0. :V COMP,SB Very Hard
HIP 50191
3.85 mag A2Va Easy
HIP 43023
3.91 mag A1II Easy
HIP 42884
4.07 mag 45.7″ B: 10.6 G5III Hard
HIP 42312
4.14 mag A6II Easy
Gamma Vel

HIP 39953; Gamma1 Vel

4.27 mag 60.9″ B: 7.3 B1IV Easy
HIP 52154
4.28 mag 51.8″ B: 6.1 G2-3Ib Easy
HIP 47175
4.35 mag A5IV-V Easy
HIP 53773
4.39 mag A3IV Easy

Double Stars in Vela

15
HIP 51561
5.74 mag 13.7″ B: 6.0 B6II Easy
HIP 52154
4.28 mag 51.8″ B: 6.1 G2-3Ib Easy
HIP 50676
4.50 mag 7.2″ B: 7.2 B3IIIe Easy
Suhail al Muhlif

HIP 39953; Gamma2 Vel

1.78 mag 41.2″ B: 4.1 WC 8 Easy
HY Vel

HIP 42726

4.86 mag 76.3″ B: 5.5 B3IV Easy
HIP 45344
5.25 mag 5.9″ B: 9.2 B4V Medium
HIP 41616
5.33 mag 3.5″ B: 7.2 B2IV Medium
HIP 42504
5.19 mag 16.8″ B: 8.7 B4IV Easy
HIP 48561
5.71 mag 5.6″ B: 8.2 B3V Easy
HIP 40285
5.13 mag 34.8″ B: 10.1 B2.5IV Medium
HIP 41639
4.99 mag 4.7″ B: 7.0 B2IV Easy
HIP 42540
5.20 mag 4.6″ B: 9.1 B9V Hard
KL Vel

HIP 45189

5.57 mag 2.9″ B: 6.8 B8Vp:Si: Medium
HIP 51523
4.89 mag 80.9″ B: 8.6 F6V Easy
HIP 46914
5.12 mag 2.0″ B: 6.2 B4IV Hard

Variable Stars in Vela

1
AH Vel

HIP 40155

5.76 mag 5.50 - 5.89 DCEPS F7Ib-II Hard

Deep Sky Objects in Vela

19
Open Cluster (16)
Omicron Velorum Cluster survey image
Omicron Velorum Cluster

IC 2391

C85

2.5 mag 50 Easy
NGC 2547 survey image
NGC 2547
4.7 mag 20. Easy
NGC 3228 survey image
NGC 3228
6.0 mag 18. Easy
NGC 2669 survey image
NGC 2669
6.1 mag 12. Easy
IC 2488 survey image
IC 2488
7.0 mag 15. Easy
IC 2395 survey image
IC 2395
4.6 mag 8. Easy
NGC 2925 survey image
NGC 2925
8.0 mag 12. Easy
NGC 2670 survey image
NGC 2670
7.8 mag 9. Easy
NGC 2910 survey image
NGC 2910
7.2 mag 5. Easy
NGC 3330 survey image
NGC 3330
7.4 mag 7. Easy
NGC 3033 survey image
NGC 3033
8.8 mag 5. Easy
NGC 2660 survey image
NGC 2660
8.8 mag 4. Easy
NGC 2659 survey image
NGC 2659
8.6 mag 3. Easy
NGC 2972 survey image
NGC 2972
9.9 mag 4. Medium
NGC 3105 survey image
NGC 3105
9.7 mag 2. Medium
NGC 2671 survey image
NGC 2671
12.0 mag 4. Very Hard
Globular Cluster (1)
Caldwell 79 survey image
Caldwell 79

NGC 3201

6.8 mag 18 Easy
Galaxy (1)
NGC 3256 survey image
NGC 3256
11.3 mag 3.5 Sbc Hard
Planetary Nebula (1)
Eight Burst Nebula survey image
Eight Burst Nebula

NGC 3132

C74

8.0 mag 0.8 Medium