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Octans and Apus circle the south celestial pole

Octans and Apus are 2 constellations that you have to be in the Southern Hemisphere to see. Plus, Octans is home to the south celestial pole. The post Octans and Apus circle the south celestial pole first appeared on EarthSky .

Octans and Apus circle the south celestial pole

Octans and Apus are two constellations that are only visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Octans, known as the Octant, is home to the south celestial pole, while Apus, the Bird of Paradise, lies next to Octans. Both constellations are circumpolar, meaning they circle the south celestial pole. Octans is key in locating the south celestial pole, as there is no bright star near it in the Southern Hemisphere, unlike the North Pole which has Polaris.

The brightest star in Octans is Nu Octantis, which hosts a super-Jovian exoplanet. Apus, on the other hand, is a small constellation with a relatively dim brightest star, Alpha Apodis.

Written by urgent.news from EarthSky's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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