Constellations of the Month: February – Camelopardalis:
We start February with the first constellation of the month, Camelopardalis, “The Giraffe.”

Camelopardalis constellation map courtesy of Openverse

Camelopardalis, “The Giraffe” – The Camelopardalis constellation is located in the northern hemisphere, and the 4^th northernmost constellation. Its name is derived from the Latin word for “giraffe.” Camelopardalis, The term camelopardalis is derived from the Greek words for camel (kamēlos) and leopard (pardalis). The giraffe was referred to as the “camel-leopard” due to its long neck resembling that of a camel and its spotted body akin to that of a leopard. This constellation was established by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius and later recorded by the German astronomer Jakob Bartsch in 1624. It features Kemble’s Cascade, an asterism characterized by a series of relatively dim stars, along with several significant deep-sky objects, including the open cluster NGC 1502, the Oyster Nebula (NGC 1501), the spiral galaxy NGC 2403, and the dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 1569. The constellation known as Camelopardalis is pronounced /kəˌmɛloʊˈpɑːrdəlɪs/. In English, it is referred to as the Giraffe. The genitive form of Camelopardalis, which is utilized in the naming of stars, remains Camelopardalis (pronunciation: /kəˌmɛloʊˈpɑːrdəlɪs/). The three-letter abbreviation, established by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1922, is Cam.

Camelopardalis courtesy of Openverse

Key points regarding Camelopardalis:

• Meaning: The term “Camelopardalis” translates to “The Giraffe” in Latin.
• Notable stars: Alpha Camelopardalis is a blue supergiant star in the constellation Camelopardalis, located about 6,000 light-years away and much brighter than the Sun. Beta Camelopardalis is the brightest star in the constellation, a binary star 1,000 light-years away. CS Camelopardalis is the second brightest, also a binary star around 3,000 light-years distant. Sigma 1694 Camelopardalis is a binary star 300 light-years away. VZ Camelopardalis is an M-type red giant, about 470 light-years away, with variable luminosity.
• Other features: Kemble’s Cascade is an asterism of over 20 stars that forms a line in the sky, ending at the open star cluster NGC 1502. It was named by Walter Scott Houston after Father Lucian J. Kemble described it. NGC 2403 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 8 million light years away, discovered by Frederick William Herschel. It is part of the M81 Group and has known Cepheid variables. NGC 1502 contains about 45 stars, with Struve 485 at its center. NGC 2366 is an irregular galaxy with a star forming region. IC 342 is another intermediate spiral galaxy, discovered in 1895, but is difficult to observe due to interstellar dust.
• Mythology: Camelopardalis, The Giraffe constellation is relatively dim, lacking any stars that exceed a fourth magnitude in brightness. The ancient Greeks did not identify any stars within Camelopardalis, perceiving this area of the sky, along with what is now known as the constellation Lynx, as devoid of celestial bodies. Consequently, there are no associated myths, as the constellation was established only in the 17th century. Although the name “giraffe” does not derive from mythology, it has been suggested that it may reference the Book of Genesis in the Bible, though this interpretation is uncertain. In 1624, Jacob Bartsch included Camelopardalis in his star map, describing it as a camel upon which Rebecca traveled into Canaan to marry Isaac. However, given that Camelopardalis depicts a giraffe rather than a camel, this explanation appears implausible.
• Visibility: Camelopardalis ranks as the 18th largest constellation in the night sky, covering an area of 757 square degrees. It is situated in the second quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ2) and is observable at latitudes ranging from +90° to -10°. The constellations that border Camelopardalis include Auriga, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Lynx, Perseus, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. This constellation is part of the Ursa Major family, which also encompasses Boötes, Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, Corona Borealis, Draco, Leo Minor, Lynx, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. Camelopardalis features three stars that host known exoplanets and does not contain any Messier objects. The most luminous star within this constellation is Beta Camelopardalis. Additionally, the Camelopardalids meteor shower is the sole meteor shower linked to this constellation. Camelopardalis is home to two stars that have been formally named, with the International Astronomical Union (IAU) designating them as Mago and Tonatiuh.

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Constellations:

NGC 2403 CDK Large 04 courtesy of Openverse

Constellations of the Month:
February – Camelopardalis

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