Constellations · Constellation · Sextantis · Sex
Constellation
Sextans
The sextant with which Johannes Hevelius measured star positions — lost when fire destroyed his observatory in 1679.
- Genitive
- Sextantis
- Area
- 314 square degrees · 47th of 88
- Brightest star
- · magnitude 4.48
- Naked-eye stars
- 39 brighter than magnitude 6.5
- Highest at midnight
- late February
History
Hevelius measured the stars by eye, with sighting instruments, even after telescopes were common — and did it as accurately as anyone of his time.