Zorra
Little Fox (Vulpeculae)
Vulpecula, the Little Fox, is a small, faint constellation in the northern summer sky, nestled in the rich star fields of the Milky Way between Cygnus and Sagitta. Created by Johannes Hevelius in 1687, it's home to the first pulsar ever discovered and the beautiful Dumbbell Nebula (M27), one of the brightest planetary nebulae in the sky.
📜 Mitología
Vulpecula is a modern constellation with no classical mythology. It was created by Johannes Hevelius in 1687, originally named 'Vulpecula cum Ansere' (the Little Fox with the Goose). In early depictions, a fox was shown carrying a goose in its jaws - perhaps representing a fox stealing poultry from a farmyard. The goose was later separated as a sub-constellation but eventually dropped, leaving just the fox. The area had no ancient designation, filling a gap between older constellations.
💡 Datos curiosos
- ✦The Dumbbell Nebula (M27) was the first planetary nebula ever discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764
- ✦PSR B1919+21, the first pulsar discovered (in 1967), lies in Vulpecula
- ✦Brocchi's Cluster (the 'Coathanger') is a striking asterism straddling Vulpecula and Sagitta