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.
None of the stars of Vulpecula featured in the Chinese constellation system.
© Ian Ridpath. All rights reserved
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