A constellation introduced in 1687 by the
Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius, who depicted it as a
double figure of a fox, Vulpecula, carrying in its jaws a
goose, spelt both as Anser and Ansere. Since then the goose has
flown (or been eaten), leaving just the fox. Hevelius placed
the fox near two other hunting animals, the eagle (the
constellation Aquila) and the vulture (which was an alternative
identification for Lyra). He explained that the fox was taking
the goose to neighbouring Cerberus, another of his inventions
– although this part of the tableau has been spoilt, as
Cerberus is now obsolete. Hevelius himself was somewhat
inconsistent in his naming of this constellation. In his star
catalogue he named the pair “Vulpecula cum Ansere”,
the fox with goose, but showed them separately as “Anser” and “Vulpecula” on
his Firmamentum Sobiescianum star atlas. Others preferred the slightly
amended title fox and goose.
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The fox and the goose shown as “Vulpec. & Anser” on the Atlas Coelestis of John Flamsteed (1729). The Fox and Goose is a traditional pub name in Britain. For the original depiction by Hevelius, see here.
Vulpecula contains no named stars and has
no legends. Although its brightest stars are of only fourth
magnitude it is notable for the Dumbbell Nebula, reputedly the
most conspicuous of the class of so-called planetary nebulae.
The Dumbbell Nebula consists of gas thrown off from a dying
star; it takes its name from the double-lobed structure, like a
bar-bell, as seen on long-exposure photographs.
© Ian Ridpath. All rights reserved
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