Mensa

"The Table Mountain"

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

Abbreviation: Men
Genitive: Mensae
Constellation family: Lacaille
Nearest constellations: Chamaeleon, Dorado, Hydrus, Octans, and Volans
Right ascension: 5.39h
Declination: -77.78°
Visible between latitudes: +5° and -90°
Square degrees: 153
Luminary: Alpha Mensae
Notable deep sky objects: Large Magellanic Cloud

About

Mensa is a small constellation in the Southern Hemisphere that is best viewed in January.

Mensa was created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the mid-1700s and originally named Mons Mensa, which directly translates to "the Table Mountain." The constellation retains the translation of its original name but Mons Mensa was shortened to Mensa.

Mythology

There is no mythology associated with this constellation.

Gallery of objects in Mensa

BAT99-49 (double star) and surrounding nebula:

By ESO [CC-BY-4.0], via ESO

OGLE-LMC-CEP0227 (double star at center of image):

By ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2, acknowledgement: Davide de Martin [CC-BY-4.0], via ESO