Musca

Musca is a small constellation just south of Crux in the rich southern Milky Way. It contains the globular clusters NGC 4833 and NGC 4372, as well as the Dark Doodad Nebula. The constellation lies in a region with excellent deep-sky viewing.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Musca is best observed during May. It is located in the SQ3 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 6 main stars forming its asterism, with 18 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Muscae.

Mythology & History

Musca was introduced by Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman in the late 16th century, originally as Apis (the Bee). Lacaille renamed it Musca Australis (the Southern Fly) to distinguish it from the now-defunct Musca Borealis.