The 88 Modern Constellations - FINAL PART (Phoenix - Vulpecula)

64. Phoenix

Area: (37th)

Symbolism: The phoenix, a mythological bird that is reborn from its ashes. The name comes from φοίνος which means deep red. Red is the colour, that most depictions of the Phoenix use for its body.

65. Pictor

Area: (59th)

Symbolism: The easel, it also means painter. The constellation is located between Canopus and the Large Magellanic Cloud.

66. Pisces

Area: (14th)

Symbolism: The fishes. A myth according to Hygnius says that Aphrodite and Eros, while visiting Syria fled from the monster Typhon by leaping into the Euphrates river and transforming into fishes

67. Piscis Austrinus

Area: (60th)

Symbolism: The Southern Fish, it is portrayed as swallowing the water being poured out by Aquarius, the water-bearer constellation.

68. Puppis

Area: (20th)

Symbolism: The poop-deck of Argo, the ship of the Argonauts. The other 2 constellations that make up Argo are Carina and Vela. It's also the largest constellation listed by Lacaille.

69. Pyxis

Area: (65th)

Symbolism: The mariner's compass, it's different from Circinus which is the draftsman's compass.

70. Reticulum

Area: (82nd)

Symbolism: The reticle- a net of crosshairs at the focus of telescope eyepiece that is used to measure star positions.

71. Sagitta

Area: (86th)

Symbolism: The arrow which Hercules shot towards the Stymphalian birds, or the arrow he used to kill the eagle (Aquila) of Zeus.

72. Sagittarius

Area: (15th)

Symbolism: The archer. It is identified as the satyr Crotus, son of Pan. Greeks credited him as the inventor of archery. According to myth. One day he requested Zeus to place him in the sky, where he is seen demonstrating archery.

73. Scorpius

Area: (33rd)

Symbolism: The scorpion. It was the scorpion of Gaia. She wanted to dispatch Orion because he said he will kill every animal on Earth. It's brightest star is Antares.

74. Sculptor

Area: (36th)

Symbolism: The sculpture of a man.

75. Scutum

Area: The shield

76. Serpens

Area: (23rd)

Symbolism: The snake held by Asclepius, the god of medicine referred as Ophiuchus. In ancient Greece people thought that snakes were wiseful creatures and symbol of rebirth.This constellation is unique, since its split up in two parts. Serpens Caput, the serpent's head, and Serpens Cauda, the tail of the serpent.

77. Sextans

Area: (47th)

Symbolism: The astronomical sextant. Hevelius, the astronomer who listed this constellation, made a frequent use of it.

78. Taurus

Area: (17th)

Symbolism: The bull chased by Orion. Another legend states that one day Zeus wanted to abduct Europa, a Phoenician princess, so he decided to transform into a bull. This story is also featured in the Greek 2-euro coin.

79. Telescopium

Area: (57th)

Symbolism: The telescope. One of the first words that come up to your mind when you think of astronomy. It is a Latinized version for the Greek word τηλεσκόπιο. It is made up from the words τηλε- which means "far"and σκόπειν which means "to see". In other words, far-seeing.

80. Triangulum

Area: (78th)

Symbolism: The triangle. The Ancient Greeks called it Deltoton (Δελτωτόν) since it symbolises the Greek letter Delta (Δ)

81. Triangulum Australe

Area: (83rd)

Symbolism: The southern triangle.

82. Tucana

Area: (48th)

Symbolism: The toucan, a South American bird. This constellation appears in the Southern Hemisphere, and this is also where South America is located...

83. Ursa Major

Area: (3rd)

Symbolism: One of the largest and most well-known constellations in the night-sky. It symbolizes the Great Bear. The constellation is primarily known for the Big Dipper, a spoon-looking asterism. It appears in the flags of:

- Alaska

- The Irish Citizen Army (1930s)

- The Cherokee Nation

The constellation is a symbol of the north. A myth states that Hera turned Callisto into a bear because she discovered she had a son named Arcas. Callisto, in bear form encounters her son Arcas. Arcas almost shoots the bear, but to avert the tragedy, Zeus turns Arcas into a bear too and puts them both in the sky. Ursa Major is Callisto and her son Arcas is Ursa Minor.

84. Ursa Minor

Area: (56th)

Symbolism: The Little Bear, as we stated before. The Little Bear is Arcas, and his mother Callisto is Ursa Major. The Little Dipper and Polaris, the north pole star are located in this constellation. This constellation also contains H1504+65, the hottest white dwarf yet discovered.

85. Vela

Area: (32nd)

Symbolism: The sails. One of the three constellations that make up Argo, the other ones are Carina and Puppis.

86. Virgo

Area: (2nd)

Symbolism: The 2nd largest constellation in the night sky, and the largest zodiac constellation. It can be easily found thanks to its brightest star Spica. The Ancient Greeks identified the constellation with the goddess of wheat and agriculture, Demeter. It was also sometimes identified as Iustitia (Lady Justice) holding the scales of Justice (symbolizing the bordering constellation of Libra, the scales). Another figure who is associated with this constellation is the spring goddess Persephone, wife of Hades. To make a long story short, there were many women in Greek mythology that were classified as "virgins"

87. Volans

Area: (76th)

Symbolism: The flying fish

88. Vulpecula

Area: (55th)

Symbolism: The little fox.