Telescopium

Telescopium is a faint southern constellation with no stars brighter than magnitude 3.5. It lies south of Sagittarius and Corona Australis. It contains several faint galaxies and the planetary nebula IC 4699.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Telescopium is best observed during August. It is located in the SQ4 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 2 main stars forming its asterism, with 12 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Telescopii.

Mythology & History

Telescopium was introduced by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 1750s to honor the telescope. Originally larger, its borders were reduced when the IAU standardized boundaries in 1930, with some stars reassigned to neighboring constellations.