Constellations

The Deep Photographic Guide to the
Constellations

The constellation of the month
DECEMBER

Reticulum, Horologium

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Names:

Latin: Reticulum, Horologium (Ret, Hor)
English: Net, Clock Spanish: Retícula, Reloj
German: Netz, Pendeluhr French: Réticule, Horloge

Reticulum and Horologium are southern constellations only visible from latitudes below 20 degrees north. Reticulum is a quite small constellation but stands out clearly in the sky with its conspicious shape and stars of magnitude 3 to 4. Horologium on the other hand is larger and very hard to find in the sky. The brightest star Alpha Hor is 4th magnitude, whereas the other members are 5 mag or even fainter (see lines). Both constellations can be found just north of the Magellanic Clouds, our two neighboring galaxies. The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) can be seen at the lower image border.

In mid of December the shown field culminates at about 10 pm local time. The declination of the constellation borders reaches from -67 to -40 degrees.

Deep Sky observers can find, beside the LMC, a couple of galaxies with about 9 mag and an 8 mag globular cluster in this field of view (see also the magnifications).

© all photographs taken by Till Credner and Sven Kohle