Hydrus

"The Male Water Snake"

By IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine (Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Abbreviation: Hyi
Genitive: Hydri
Constellation family: Bayer Group
Nearest constellations: Dorado, Eridanus, Horologium, Mensa, Octans, Phoenix, Reticulum, and Tucana
Right ascension: 2.46h
Declination: -72.28°
Visible between latitudes: +5° and -90°
Square degrees: 243
Luminary: Beta Hydri
Notable deep sky objects: NGC 1473, NGC 1511

About

Hydrus is a small constellation in the southern hemisphere that is best seen in December. It is one of twelve constellations named by Johann Bayer in his star atlas Uranometria, which was published in 1603.

While they share similar names, Hydrus should not be confused with Hydra, a significantly larger and separate constellation.

Mythology

There is no mythology associated with this constellation.

Gallery of objects in Hydrus

PGC 6240 (elliptical galaxy):

By ESA/Hubble & NASA, acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt [CC-BY-3.0], via ESA/Hubble

HD 10180 (star):

By ESO and Digitized Sky Survey 2, acknowledgement: Davide De Martin [CC-BY-4.0], via Wikimedia Commons