Chamaeleon

Chamaeleon is a small, faint constellation near the south celestial pole. It lies close to the bright constellation Carina and the south pole constellation Octans. The constellation contains several faint deep-sky objects and the young stellar association Eta Chamaeleontis.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Chamaeleon is best observed during April. It is located in the SQ2 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 4 main stars forming its asterism, with 16 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Chamaeleontis.

Mythology & History

Chamaeleon was introduced by Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman in the late 16th century and first appeared on a celestial globe by Petrus Plancius in 1598. It was later included in Johann Bayer's Uranometria atlas of 1603. The constellation has no mythological background, simply representing the chameleon lizard.