Vela
Sails (Velorum)
Vela, the Sails, was once part of the massive ancient constellation Argo Navis before being divided into three parts. Lying in the rich southern Milky Way, Vela contains brilliant stars, stunning clusters, and the famous Vela Supernova Remnant. Delta Velorum is part of the 'False Cross,' often confused with the smaller Southern Cross.
📜 Mythology
Vela represents the sails of the ship Argo, which carried Jason and the Argonauts on their quest for the Golden Fleece. The ship was built by Argus with the help of Athena, who fitted a prophetic timber from the sacred oak at Dodona into its prow. The massive constellation Argo Navis was divided into Vela (Sails), Puppis (Stern), and Carina (Keel) by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. Like its sibling constellations, Vela retains Greek-letter designations from the original constellation.
💡 Facts
- ✦Gamma Velorum (Regor) is the brightest Wolf-Rayet star in the sky - a hot, massive star losing mass rapidly
- ✦The Vela Supernova Remnant is about 11,000 years old and 800 light-years away, spanning 8° of sky
- ✦The Vela Pulsar, within the remnant, rotates 11 times per second and powers the surrounding nebula