The mythical single-horned beast, the
unicorn, is represented by this constellation. Monoceros was
first depicted in 1612 on a globe by the Dutch theologian and
cartographer Petrus Plancius, who apparently introduced the
constellation because a unicorn appears several times in the
Old Testament of the Bible.
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Monoceros prances between Canis Major (below it) and Canis Minor (above) on the Atlas Coelestis of John Flamsteed.
Monoceros fills a large area between Hydra
and Orion, separating Orion’s two dogs. It is not
prominent (its brightest stars are of fourth magnitude) but it
lies in the Milky Way and contains a host of fascinating
objects, most notably the Rosette Nebula, a wreath-shaped mass
of glowing gas with embedded stars.
There are no legends associated with the
constellation, as it is a modern figure, and none of its stars
have names.
© Ian Ridpath. All rights reserved
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