Star lore
Sextans
Direct answer
Sextans is a faint equatorial constellation representing the astronomical sextant of Johannes Hevelius.
Sextans is Hevelius's Sextant, a sparse region between Leo and Hydra.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Scutum, Serpens, Taurus Constellation, Telescopium
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The story behind Sextans
Hevelius introduced Sextans in the late seventeenth century to commemorate his large observing instrument.
A one-minute story
The Road of the Sun
Where the twelve signs came from, and why they carry the names they do.
Why Sextans matters
Sextans’s name memorializes precision naked-eye measurement and the observatory instrument lost in Hevelius's 1679 fire.
Sextans in practice: an example
The Spindle Galaxy, NGC 3115, is a bright edge-on lenticular galaxy within its boundary.
Where readings of Sextans go wrong
Sextans the constellation is distinct from Sextant the portable marine instrument and from the existing dictionary entry for it.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- International Astronomical Union: The Constellations - Official names, abbreviations, and boundaries for the 88 modern constellations.
- NASA Space Place: What Are Constellations? - NASA introduction to constellation regions, patterns, visibility, and seasonal sky changes.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is Sextans?
Sextans is a faint equatorial constellation representing the astronomical sextant of Johannes Hevelius.
What do people get wrong about Sextans?
Sextans the constellation is distinct from Sextant the portable marine instrument and from the existing dictionary entry for it.
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