Tucana

Tucana is best known for containing the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a Milky Way satellite galaxy. It also hosts 47 Tucanae (NGC 104), the second brightest globular cluster after Omega Centauri and one of the most spectacular deep-sky objects.

Location in the Sky

When to Observe

Tucana is best observed during November. It is located in the SQ4 quadrant and is primarily visible from the southern hemisphere. The constellation contains 6 main stars forming its asterism, with 13 Bayer/Flamsteed designated stars in total. Its brightest star is Alpha Tucanae.

Mythology & History

Tucana was introduced by Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman in the late 16th century, representing a toucan. It appeared on Plancius's celestial globe of 1598 and later in Bayer's Uranometria. It has no mythological associations.