Apus

Apus is a faint constellation near the south celestial pole representing the bird of paradise. It contains no particularly bright stars and is largely unremarkable to casual observers. However, it holds several interesting deep-sky objects including globular clusters and galaxies.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Apus is best observed during July. It is located in the SQ3 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 4 main stars forming its asterism, with 12 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Apodis.

Mythology & History

Apus was introduced by Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman in the late 16th century. The name comes from the Greek apous meaning footless, referring to the bird of paradise, which Europeans once believed had no feet. It was first depicted on a celestial globe by Petrus Plancius in 1598.