Pegasus (constellation)
Pegasus is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy, and is one of the 88 constellations recognised today.
| Constellation | |
| Abbreviation | Peg |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Pegasi |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpɛɡəsəs/, genitive /ˈpɛɡəsaɪ/ |
| Symbolism | the Winged Horse |
| Right ascension | 21h 12.6m to 00h 14.6m |
| Declination | +2.33° to +36.61° |
| Quadrant | NQ4 |
| Area | 1121 sq. deg. (7th) |
| Main stars | 9, 17 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 88 |
| Stars with planets | 12 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 5 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 3 |
| Brightest star | ε Peg (Enif) (2.38m) |
| Messier objects | 1 |
| Meteor showers | July Pegasids |
| Bordering constellations | Andromeda Lacerta Cygnus Vulpecula Delphinus Equuleus Aquarius Pisces |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −60°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of October. | |
With an apparent magnitude varying between 2.37 and 2.45, the brightest star in Pegasus is the orange supergiant Epsilon Pegasi, also known as Enif, which marks the horse's muzzle. Alpha (Markab), Beta (Scheat), and Gamma (Algenib), together with Alpha Andromedae (Alpheratz) form the large asterism known as the Square of Pegasus. Twelve star systems have been found to have exoplanets. 51 Pegasi was the first Sun-like star discovered to have an exoplanet companion.
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