Lince
Lynx (Lyncis)
IAU: Lyn
Lynx, the Lynx, is a large but very faint constellation in the northern sky between Ursa Major, Auriga, and Gemini. Created by Johannes Hevelius in 1687, its stars are so dim that Hevelius reportedly said 'you need the eyes of a lynx to see it.' Despite its faintness, Lynx contains several interesting galaxies.
Estrella más brillante
⭐ Alpha Lyncis (3.14 mag)
Mejor época de observación
📅 February - March
Visibilidad
🌍 Northern Hemisphere, parts of Southern
📜 Mitología
Lynx is a modern constellation with no classical mythology. Johannes Hevelius created it in 1687 to fill an area of sky between older constellations. When criticized for the constellation's faintness, Hevelius replied that you would need the keen eyesight of a lynx to see it - hence the name. The lynx was admired in mythology for its exceptional vision, and some ancient sources claimed it could see through solid objects.
💡 Datos curiosos
- ✦Only one star in Lynx is brighter than 4th magnitude, making it one of the faintest constellations
- ✦NGC 2419 is a distant globular cluster sometimes called the 'Intergalactic Wanderer' at 300,000 light-years away
- ✦Lynx is the 28th largest constellation despite its lack of bright stars