Monoceros

Monoceros lies in the winter Milky Way between Orion and Canis Major. It contains the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237), a large emission nebula. The constellation also hosts the Christmas Tree Cluster, Cone Nebula, and Hubble's Variable Nebula. Beta Monocerotis is one of the finest triple stars.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Monoceros is best observed during February. It is located in the NQ2 quadrant and is primarily visible from the both hemispheres. The constellation contains 4 main stars forming its asterism, with 30 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Beta Monocerotis.

Mythology & History

Monoceros was created by Petrus Plancius in 1613 and later included by Jakob Bartsch in 1624. It represents the mythical unicorn. Some scholars have suggested a connection to the biblical re'em, sometimes translated as unicorn. The constellation has no strong classical mythological associations.