Pegasus constellation. Constellations and stars of the autumn sky (October) A story about the constellation Pegasus

Ah, Pegasus! For those observing with the naked eye, the Great Square of Pegasus is a characteristic feature of the autumn sky in the Northern Hemisphere. Oddly enough, not all the stars from the "Pegasus Greater Square" are in Pegasus: the northeastern star is Alpha Andromedae. At one time, Alpha Andromeda was attributed to both constellations, but when drawing up the official boundaries of the constellations, the Great Square gave Andromeda one of its “cornerstones” - Alferaz. No question, Andromeda will be happy to return it if necessary.

Pegasus spans 1,121 square degrees of the sky: it is the seventh largest constellation in the entire sky. Yet, due to its position overlooking intergalactic space, there are quite a few bright objects for owners of small telescopes. If you are lucky enough to have an average telescope (8 inches and above), then Pegasus will keep you busy for a long time.

List of objects	Name	Type	Sound magnitude
	M15	globular cluster	6,3
	NGC 7331	galaxy	9,5
	NGC 7479	galaxy	10,9
	NGC 7814	galaxy	10,8
	NGC 7619	galaxy	11,1
	NGC 7626	galaxy	11,2
Complex object		galaxy cluster

The winged horse Pegasus is a rather intricate creature, especially if you consider only its front half in the night sky: both upside down and upright... If you find it difficult to see the horse in this constellation, believe me, you are not alone. But give it another try. Firstly, if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, your picture is upside down. Refer to the image below and notice that south now matches your upside-down view. Green lines are the neck and head, red is the body (without wings) and blue is the horse's front legs, extended in full gallop. Historically, we can trace Pegasus back to the ancient Greeks. He was the child of Medusa and was born from her neck after she was killed by Perseus. I think that science fiction and fantasy as a “new invention” should be very grateful to the ancients...

Thanks to Walter Scott Huston (author of “Deep Sky Wonders”), I was first introduced to the idea of using Pegasus as a test for the maximum magnitude visible to the naked eye. Huston writes that by counting the stars visible in the Great Square, you can determine your limiting magnitude. He notes that at magnitude 6 you should see 13 stars in the square. I think it would be fun to continue this scale. I suspect that many readers of this column have a sky worse than six.

Col. stars	Ultimate stellar
30	6.5
17	6.25
13	6
9	5.75
7	5.5
5	5.25
4	5
3	4.75
1	4.5
0	4 and worse

You may want to test your "stellar limit" at different positions of Pegasus. If the horizon at your viewing location allows, you will see that the NELM will increase as Pegasus approaches the meridian - an imaginary line that runs from north to south directly through the zenith (the zenith, which is the point directly above you). Depending on skyglow levels, humidity, local light pollution and other factors, your sky may appear much darker in some areas than others, and this information can be useful when planning your observations.
Let's take a look at the three corners of the Great Square that are actually in Pegasus. Starting at the southeast corner and moving counterclockwise around the square, we have:
Gamma Pegasus (Algenib) with a magnitude of 2.83, it is the third brightest star in the constellation. According to the Hipparchus satellite, it is located 333 light years away. So the light you see tonight left this star around 1670 ( note: article written in 2003). I give you an idea of the events of 1670: the Hudson Trading Company was founded; the kings of England and France met secretly to sign an agreement ending hostilities between their countries (at least for a while); phosphorus was discovered; Senegal was settled by the French; the Cossack uprising in Ukraine was suppressed; Henry Morgan captured Panama.
Alpha Pegasus (Markab) has a magnitude of 2.49 and is only 139 light years away ("Hipparchus" again) - the closest of the three. This means that the photons that will hit your eyes tonight were emitted around 1864. This year saw the continuation of the American Civil War, the entry of the Montana Territory into the United States, the death of 70,000 people from a cyclone that hit Calcutta, James Clerk Maxwell's discovery of microwave radiation, the death of Alfred Nobel's younger brother Emil while experimenting with nitroglycerin, the birth of American millionaire Jacob Astor and famous French artist Toulouse-Lautrec.
Beta Pegasus (Sheat) with a magnitude of about 2.4, it is located 199 light years away. 1804 marked the end of French rule in Haiti, the beginning of the first Barbary War, the advent of the first steam locomotive, the Louisiana Purchase, the beginning of the Louis and Clark expedition, Bonaparte proclaimed himself emperor (the first emperor of France in 1000 years), Spain declared war on Great Britain, and the German astronomer K L. Harding discovered the asteroid Juno. Think about what humanity is going through the moment you look back into the deep orange color of Sheat. Astronomy can become your personal time machine. But these targets are some of the closest we'll visit tonight. The rest of our stops, with one exception, will be in the depths of intergalactic space.
Fun fact: Andromeda's alpha (Alferaz) was also known as Pegasus's delta until Pegasus lost in a celestial tug-of-war...
Pegasus is not entirely devoid of bright objects, containing three Caldwells and one Messier. These objects are visible in fairly small telescopes (especially the M15), but you're truly lucky if you've already succumbed to the mind- and wallet-scarring disease of aperture fever and bought a telescope 8 inches in diameter or larger.
So, without further ado, let's continue our tour...
NGC 7814 (Caldwell 43)

First, let's stop two degrees west-northwest of the Pegasus gamma - at the galaxy NGC 7814 whose gloss is 10.5. It looks spectacular in the picture, but owners of a small telescope will have to be content with finding a small ball of cotton wool floating in intergalactic space.

If you have a larger telescope, be careful not to settle on NGC 14. This 12th magnitude galaxy may briefly confuse you as it lies almost exactly between 7814 and gamma, but at magnitude 12.2 it is much dimmer (at compared to 10.8).
In very, very dark areas, the galaxy can be seen in a small 4" telescope, but I usually need at least 6-8" to pick it out. Oddly enough, the Night Sky Users Guide mentions 7814 as a binocular object. I have my doubts, but I have to admit that I've never actually tackled it with binoculars. Perhaps one of you can tell me the smallest aperture with which you can isolate this dim galaxy. Can you really spot it with binoculars? As with other faint galaxies, try to minimize light pollution when searching: even the Moon can seriously affect your ability to see it. Once you find it, try alternating between high and low magnifications and note the results.
You need to know that the size of a galaxy indicated in the catalog is not necessarily the best indicator of its visibility. Cataloged quantities can actually be (and often are) photo quantities, and the sensitivities of the emulsion film and the human eye differ. In addition, the magnitude describes the brightness of an object compressed into a point, such as a star. And the light from galaxies is distributed over a larger region of the sky. The best indicator of a galaxy's visibility is its surface brightness, usually measured in magnitudes divided by square arcseconds—the brightness of a unit area. However, never give up on looking for objects with low magnitude or surface brightness - you may be surprised!
NGC 7479 (Caldwell 44)

And now - to one of my favorite galaxies in Pegasus, NGC 7479. Continue along the base of the Great Square until you reach the alpha, then move three degrees south.
This very nice barred spiral galaxy serves as an excellent illustration of what can be done with a large aperture and a dark sky. As the diameter of the telescope increases, it reveals more and more detail. In a small telescope you need to look for a symmetrical beam of light, which can resemble an edge-on or lenticular galaxy; larger telescopes will begin to show more and more detail. The image on the left is very similar to the view through my 18" telescope at ~200x magnification in a dark area - a stellar core, an obvious bar and two clearly visible arms.

The drawing shown in Caldwell Objects by Stephen James O'Meara is also very similar to the DSS image above. Surprisingly, he observed with a modest 4-inch telescope. It's worth considering that this was under the perfect Hawaiian sky, but still, it just goes to show what dark skies (and excellent, well-trained eyes) can achieve.
NGC 7619 and the Pegasus I galaxy cluster.

Let me say right away that this goal is not that good. It really should have been classified as a complex object, but this month I wanted to reserve that category for something special. So don't be discouraged if you can't find it, but if you can, let your mind become aware of what it is you are seeing. This is a fairly loose cluster of galaxies located approximately 250 million light years away. Everything's right 7619 - the center of the Pegasus I galaxy cluster.

If you look closely, you'll find galaxies scattered across multiple fields of view, with the brightest being NGC 7619 (center) and NGC 7626 (left), so you have a good chance of picking them out. I wasn't quite able to handle them with a 4-inch telescope, but my friend Ron Bee snatched them both, plus NGC 7611.

No doubt an impressive feat for a 4" telescope. Point every aperture you have at this galaxy cluster and see what you can see. Take notes and then compare with the DSS image above. Be sure to take time to adjust your eyes to complete darkness. You can try putting your head under a dark towel or sheet while observing to block out all extraneous light. When scanning the field, use your peripheral vision and move the telescope very slowly (we perceive dim objects a little better if they appear to be moving). After all, who cares what the neighbors think?!
M15

Typically, I like to start an observing session with an exciting object like M15, move on to the dull fluffs, and after my eyes get used to looking for dull targets, end the observation with a pair of bright pearls. After all those dim, colorless galaxies, M15 is a sensation to the eye.

In dark terrain, the M15 is an object to the naked eye and an easy target for almost any binocular. With my 4" refractor, the best view is at 100x with a field of view of just under a degree. I like to add magnification as the aperture increases. When I get to larger telescopes, I like to split that ball into pieces at 400 or 500 magnification!
How much magnification will your telescope need before the cluster appears resolved across its entire surface? And will this happen at all?

M15 hides a prize for the keen observer - a very special planetary nebula! Pease 1, discovered by Francis Pease in 1928, was the first planetary nebula ever discovered in a globular cluster. Pease 1 is located so far away that it appears starry in an amateur telescope at any magnification. The only real way to identify her is to aim at her specified location and then flash the OIII filter. Planetary nebulae have high emission in the OIII range, so when the rest of the stars dim, the one that remains bright is the planetary nebula. Most observers who mention seeing Pease 1 have found it with large apertures (12" or larger), but there is evidence that it has been captured in 8" telescopes. If you are interested in Pease 1, be sure to visit the site mentioned in the list of links in end of the article.
NGC 7331 - Deer Lick group (aka Caldwell 30)

Welcome to one of the best galaxies in the autumn sky (and also to the group of galaxies). This galaxy is used in astronomical texts to illustrate what the Milky Way would look like from a similar point. NGC 7331- without a doubt the dominant member of the "Deer Lick Group", which apparently got its name in memory of a superb observation night on a patch of salt marsh where deer licked salt (called the "Deer Lick"), near the park's Blue Trail Ridge in the mountains of North Carolina.

I can easily see it in a 4" telescope at 40x and note "...a fantastic needle that shows a slight distinct mosaic" at higher magnification. 7331 looks spectacular on its own at any aperture, but larger telescopes provide glimpses of its surroundings. With a large enough aperture, it becomes like Gulliver surrounded by an army of Lilliputians. Looking at it through a 15-inch telescope, I noted, “This mag 9.5 Sb galaxy is simply superb... The 99x magnification makes it stand out beautifully in its surroundings and even shows hints of a sort of dust lane on the western side from time to time. The core itself appears non-stellar and perhaps even a bit mosaic. Adding magnification to 243x further darkens the sky and reveals the featureless NGC 7335 and NGC 7337 . Be sure to look NGC 7336, which masquerades as a double star. Its “companion,” a 10th magnitude star, is nearby to the north.”

It is within the capabilities of any telescope; in the book “Caldwell Objects,” O’Meara says that NGC7331 is among the largest known galaxies. Its diameter (based on a distance of 47 million light-years) is 130,000 light-years, which is equal to the size and mass of the large Andromeda galaxy, M31.

This is a fairly bright galaxy and should be easy to pick out when scanning the sky, but choosing a starting point for your search may be difficult. Fortunately, there is a solution. If you can see Pi and Eta with the naked eye, imagine a right triangle. 7331 is located right at the 90 degree angle. If you can't see these stars with the naked eye, you can use the star trail method, start with beta and "round the corner," so to speak. Whichever method you choose, you won't lose - 7331 is worth the effort.
Besides being a beautiful object in its own right, 7331 is the starting point for this month's final, challenging object.
Complex object: Stephan Quintet

- 5 galaxies squeezed into 3.5" of sky that are on any serious deep sky observer's list. Unfortunately, even the brightest of the group, NGC 7320, is quite dim: its magnitude is 12.5. In moderately dark areas I have seen all 5 galaxies in a 10" telescope, so under decent skies 7320 should be visible in a smaller telescope. But ultimately, you won't know until you try it yourself.

Fun fact: Something of a rising screen star, the Stephen Quintet was used to portray a group of angels in the 1946 Christmas movie It's a Wonderful Life. Some may find this group a bit challenging for the typical small telescope owner, but I am constantly surprised by the information I receive from various people: some seem to get to difficult objects with little to no difficulty, so I suggest answering the following questions:

What is the smallest telescope that will allow you to discern at least one of Stefan's stars? With what smallest telescope can you see all 5 members of the quintet? If you see the quintet in its entirety, you've climbed one of amateur astronomy's coveted peaks. Congratulations!

Posted by Tom Trusock
Adapted translation from English website
Published with permission of the author.
Original version of the article at

So, Pegasus is a large constellation that is visible in the northern hemisphere of our starry sky. It is located slightly southwest of Andromeda and includes as many as 166 stars. It is worth noting that all stars, without exception, can be seen by us, “mere mortals,” without the use of any telescopes. In addition, one of the oldest constellations covers an area of as much as 1120.8 square degrees.

View of the constellation in the planetarium program

To easily find the constellation Pegasus in the sky, you should wait until August, because the most favorable conditions for observing it fall from August to September. In the evening in the eastern part of the horizon it can be seen in the summer, but with the beginning of autumn it rises to a rather impressive height and becomes easier to detect. Often, to find your bearings when searching for it, it is enough to look west from the chain of stars of the Andromeda constellation. Please note that in most ancient images this constellation is shown upside down.

In the constellation Pegasus, three largest characteristic stars can be distinguished: Enif, Markab and Sheat. They, together with Andromeda’s alpha, form a kind of huge square, which characterizes Pegasus. Near the western vertices of this square you can see scatterings of faint stars that look more like tentacles. Therefore, to recognize the winged horse from ancient Greek myths in this drawing, you need to have imagination. To see the front legs of the horse, it is worth finding two winding lines, the first of which begins with this Pegasus and goes to its mouth guard, and the second is limited to mu Pegasus and 1 Pegasus. The neck and head of the horse are formed by another curved path of stars.

The main components of Pegasus

Enif

First, let's say a few words about the main stars in the constellation. The brightest of them is Enif, also known as Epsilon Pegasus. Despite being designated by the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, it has a magnitude of 2.39m. Enif, which means “nose of a horse” in Arabic, is also referred to as Os or Thomas. This star is special, and primarily because it relates to

Sheat

The next brightest star is Sheat or Beta Pegasus. From Arabic its name can be translated as “knee” or “shoulder”. This star is a red giant and has a variable magnitude of 2.47m. Sheat is a characteristic variable star, so its magnitude can vary within the range of 2.31m...2.74m. This circumstance can be explained by the pulsations of the star itself, as well as the presence of a gas shell around it, which was created by the stellar wind flowing from Sheat.

Makrab

The third brightest star in the constellation in question is Makrab. The translation of this traditional name from Arabic means “saddle” or “cart”. The magnitude of Makrab is 2.49m. This celestial body is located at the very end of stellar evolution, represented on the main sequence of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Observations of the star suggest that it will soon enter the helium combustion stage and become a red giant. The same fate will soon await the Sun. Scientists believe that Makrab will end his stellar life as a white dwarf.

Interesting objects in the constellation

In addition to the three main stars Makrab, Enif and Sheat described above (as well as 163 others), entire galaxies and globular clusters have been discovered within this constellation. This undoubtedly makes one of the oldest constellations in the sky also one of the most special. So, what else is lurking in the vicinity of the winged constellation?

M15

The first is the M15 cluster. Listed by Messier, M15 is a stellar globular cluster. This cluster is located 34,000 light years from our planet and has a magnitude of 6.4m. Interesting fact: the globular cluster M15 is perhaps the densest in our galaxy, because it contains approximately one hundred thousand different stars.

Another interesting object is the star 51 Pegasi. This star is similar to our Sun, and is notable for the fact that a planet also revolves around it. The planet was discovered only about a dozen years ago by Swiss astronomers. The planet rotates very quickly around its sun, which is 51Peg, passing the entire trajectory in about four days, heating up to 1000 C.

The next special object is called the Einstein Cross. This is an unusual phenomenon, which in science is called a quasar. It is located 8 billion years ago from a certain galaxy, the distance to which is approximately 400 million light years. This galaxy is surrounded by four quasar images, which arose as a result of the splitting of gravitational waves that the quasar itself creates by the gravitational field of the galaxy. Thus, the Einstein cross is an almost ideal cross, in the center of which the specified galaxy is located.

NGC 7331

Last on the list, but not least, the object is the spectral Seyfert galaxy NGC 7331, which is 38 million light years away from us. Images of this galaxy, discovered in 1784, are used to give an idea of the appearance of our galaxy.

Also in the constellation is the famous Stephen's Quintet - a group of 5 galaxies that is well known to astronomy lovers.

History of the constellation

Finally, a few words about the interesting history of the Pegasus constellation itself. According to ancient Greek myth, the winged horse appeared in the sky thanks to the exploits of Perseus. At that moment, when Perseus beheaded the Gorgon Medusa, a horse emerged from her body and drops of blood, which, hitting the ground with its hoof, gave life to a miraculous source. It is from this source, according to legend, that poets of all times and peoples took inspiration.

Pegasus (lat. Pegasus) is a constellation of the northern hemisphere of the starry sky. Located southwest of Andromeda. It occupies an area of 1120.8 square degrees in the sky and contains 166 stars visible to the naked eye.

Pegasus
Lat. Name	Pegasus (genus: Pegasi)
Reduction	Peg
Symbol	Pegasus
Right ascension	from 21 h 03 m to 0 h 08 m
Declension	from +1° 45’ to +36° 00’
Square	1121 sq. degrees (7th place)
Brightest stars (value< 3 m)	Enif (ε Peg) – 2.38m Sheat (β Peg) – 2.4–2.8m< Маркаб (α Peg) – 2,49m Альгениб (γ Peg) – 2,83m Матар (η Peg) – 2,93m
Meteor showers	Pegasids
Neighboring constellations	Andromeda Lizard Swan Chanterelle Dolphin Lesser Horse Aquarius Pisces
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +90° to -54°. The best time to observe is February.

History of the study

The constellation Pegasus is a large equatorial constellation containing more than one and a half hundred stars visible to the naked eye. The constellation was first mentioned in the 2nd century BC. by Pseudo-eratosthenes, the anonymous author of the ancient scientific poem “Catasterisms”. Pegasus is included in Claudius Ptolemy’s catalog of the starry sky “Almagest” under the name “Horse”; this constellation was also called by the Babylonians. The ancient Greeks called the constellation “The Great Horse”; this name was retained by the Arabs in our time - Al-faras Al-azam.

The brightest stars in the constellation are Enif (epsilon Pegasus) (translated from Arabic as “nose”) and Markab (a Pegasus) (translated as “saddle” or “carriage”). The Pegasus stars Markab, Sheat (“shoulder”), Algenib (“horse’s navel”), together with Alpherats (and Andromeda) form the “Great Square of Pegasus” asterism.

It is worth noting that Alferaz, located in the upper left corner of the square, was originally the star Delta Pegasus, but by the decision of the International Astronomical Union in 1928 it was assigned to the constellation Andromeda.

The main components of Pegasus

Enif

Sheat

Makrab

M15

M 15 – one of the densest globular clusters in our Milky Way galaxy. The globular cluster contains a lot of pulsars and variable stars. To date, scientists have discovered about 120 variable stars. Most of them are Cepheids. It is interesting that astronomers are still not sure what is hiding under the veil of stars in the very core of the cluster: a giant black hole or a colossal density of stars.

51 Pegasus

Einstein Cross

The next special object is called the Einstein Cross. This is an unusual phenomenon, which in science is called a gravitationally lensed quasar. It is located 8 billion light years ago from a certain galaxy, the distance to which is approximately 400 million light years. This galaxy is surrounded by four quasar images, which arose as a result of the splitting of gravitational waves that the quasar itself creates by the gravitational field of the galaxy. Thus, the Einstein cross is an almost ideal cross, in the center of which the specified galaxy is located.

NGC 7331

NGC 7331 – This is the spectral Seyfert galaxy NGC 7331, which is 38 million light years away from us. Images of this galaxy, discovered in 1784, are used to give an idea of the appearance of our galaxy.

Stefan's Quintet galaxy group

Raise your hand if you've never heard of a group of intertwined galaxies like Stefan Quintet?! In fact, in books on astronomy, on various astronomical portals and forums, in magazines and thematic newspapers, you can find images of the interaction of several galaxies at the same time. Many people try to find this group with their 100 - 150 mm telescopes, but to no avail. First of all, it is important to understand that the total brightness of galaxies is below the 13th magnitude. Galaxies are very far away from us - about 270 million light years. In order to somehow discern all this cosmic beauty at the level of a glitch, you will need a telescope with a main mirror diameter of 250 millimeters or more. I won’t even mention the ideal weather conditions.

Spiral galaxy NGC 7814

Beautiful Sb-type spiral galaxy NGC 7814 edge turned towards us. It has elongated angular dimensions - 5.5′ × 2.3′, apparent magnitude - 10.8 m.

In telescopes with an aperture of 300 millimeters, a dark dust lane can be seen in the central plane of the galaxy. Unfortunately, telescopes with a smaller diameter primary mirror do not show such details. For example, with a 254 mm telescope it was possible to discern only an oval oblate shape and a pronounced central region of the galaxy.

Finding it in the sky will not be difficult: the route should be laid starting from the fourth brightest star of the constellation Algenib ( γ Peg) and slightly lift and rotate the telescope tube clockwise. With peripheral vision, the galaxy is clearly distinguishable among the many stars in its vicinity.

Spiral galaxy NGC 7479

This very nice barred spiral galaxy serves as an excellent illustration of what can be done with a large aperture and a dark sky. As the diameter of the telescope increases, it reveals more and more detail. In a small telescope you need to look for a symmetrical beam of light, which can resemble an edge-on or lenticular galaxy; larger telescopes will begin to show more and more detail.

In the Caldwell catalog it is listed under serial number 44. In a 10-inch telescope, the arms of the galaxy and the very vertically elongated center of the galaxy are clearly visible. It will not be possible to see large details. The photo above is a picture taken from a French observatory using a 2-meter telescope.

The search for a galaxy should start from the star Markab (α Peg), which is the third brightest star in the constellation Pegasus. The situation with the Latin designation of stars looks a little confusing when the Alpha star has a brightness lower than Epsilon or Gamma. You shouldn't pay much attention to this. Further from the Markab star, following the landmarks marked on the map below, you can gradually get closer to the desired galaxy. Do not try to bring it directly into the center of the eyepiece's field of view; with peripheral vision at the edge of the field of view, the galaxy shows much more detail.

Legend constellations Pegasus

There are several versions of the appearance of Pegasus. According to one of them, the snow-white winged horse appeared as a result of the love affair between the gorgon Medusa and Poseidon and was born at the source of the Ocean. "Pegasus" means "Source" in Greek.

According to another version, Pegasus arose from drops of Medusa’s blood after a battle with Perseus. After birth, the winged horse was ascended by Zeus to Olympus, where he served him, delivering thunder and lightning.

We all know that Pegasus is also called the “horse of the muses.” The fact is that, according to one of the myths, one day, while on Helicon, he hit a rock with his hoof. From the crack that appeared, the Hippocrene spring (“horse spring”) gushed out, the water of which gave inspiration to poets.

How to find a constellation?

For observers located in the Northern Hemisphere, it is most convenient to look at the constellation starting in late summer. At this time, Pegasus rises high above the horizon, and remains in this position until the end of autumn. If those who want to look at the constellation are in the Southern Hemisphere, they should start doing this in late autumn, as well as in early spring. Throughout the spring, various objects located in the constellation Pegasus will be available for maximum detailed examination.

If you have knowledge of astronomy and experience in stargazing, then you should know about the constellation Andromeda and what it looks like. Focusing on the chain of stars of this constellation, move your gaze to the west. Take a close look. And behind the luminaries of Andromeda you will see the constellation Pegasus. Another way to find a winged horse is to focus on the Northern Cross, whose stars border it. The most favorable time to observe Pegasus is autumn and late summer. For people with little experience and knowledge, it will not be difficult to find it in the Great Square of Pegasus.

Interesting facts about the winged horse constellation

All the stars in the Pegasus constellation are related to the horse. Their names come from Arabic. So Enif in translation means “nose”, Sheat means “shoulder”, Markab means “saddle” or “cart”, Algenib means “horse navel”. The brightest luminaries (Enif, Sheat and Markab) form the Great Square of Pegasus. Actually, anyone can find this constellation using it.

The constellation Pegasus has a distinctive feature: it lacks the star Delta Pegasus. Until 1928, this star, located between Andromeda and Pegasus, belonged to a winged horse. But later they began to attribute it to Andromeda, so Delta Pegasus became Alpha Andromeda. An interesting fact is that in the constellation there is the source of the Pegasid meteor shower, as well as several galaxies, including NGC 73331. This is a Seyfert spiral galaxy, the image of which is most often used to represent the appearance of our Galaxy.

(lat. Pegasus) - constellation of the northern hemisphere of the starry sky. Located southwest of. It occupies an area of 1120.8 square degrees in the sky and contains 166 stars visible to the naked eye, but only five of them are brighter than third magnitude.

The three brightest stars in the constellation Pegasus, together with the star α, form a large square - a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation Pegasus. Near the western vertices of this square, irregular rows of faint stars are visible, resembling huge tentacles. Still, you need a very rich imagination to see in this figure the mythical winged horse Pegasus, as he is depicted on ancient star maps and star atlases.

PEGASUS belongs to the largest constellations in the celestial sphere. It lies high above the horizon and is best observed at night from August to October. Near Pegasus are the constellations Pisces, the Lesser Horse, and the Lizard.

Stars

The brightest stars in the constellation Pegasus: Enif (ε) - 2.38m and Markab (α) - 2.49m. The fairly bright star Sheat (β) is a semi-regular variable star, the brightness of which varies from 2.4m to 2.8m without a pronounced period.

The translations from Arabic of the names of the brightest stars of the constellation are curious: Markab - “Saddle” or “Cart”, Sheat - “Shoulder”, Algenib - “Navel of the Horse”, Enif - “Nose”.

Notable objects

α (Markab), β (Sheat), γ (Algenib) Pegasus together with the star? (Alferats) forms an asterism Great Square of Pegasus. There is no star in Pegasus labeled δ; Alferats, located on the border of Pegasus and, was finally assigned to (α) in 1928.
M15 - large globular cluster near the “head” (ε Peg, Enif) of Pegasus.
NGC 7331- so-called Seyfert spiral galaxy, the image of which is often used to give an idea of the appearance of our Galaxy.
51 Peg is the first solar-type star to have an exoplanet discovered.
Stefan Quintet- a group of five interacting galaxies.

Interesting star β Pegasus, clearly visible to the naked eye. Until recently, it was considered a variable star of uncertain type. As a result of systematic observations, it was proven that this is an irregular variable star, the luminosity of which varies from 2m.4 to 2m.8, but no pattern in the change in its brightness was discovered. This star, which is a red giant, appears to be an interesting object for observation and research.

There is a radiant in the constellation Pegasus near the star λ Pegasid meteor shower, observed from July 19 to July 31. The maximum of this flow is not associated with a specific date, but with a time interval of five days (from July 24 to July 29). Regular observations of this interesting meteor shower are advisable.

Story

Ancient constellation. Included in the starry sky catalog "" under the name "Horse".

In Greek mythology, a winged horse born from drops of the blood of Medusa the Gorgon. The Babylonians called this constellation simply " horse", among the ancient Greeks - Big Horse. The Arabs still call the constellation Big Horse- Al-faras Al-azam.

Searching the sky

The best conditions for observations are in August-September. The constellation in the evening is shown in the summer, above the eastern side of the horizon. By late autumn it has already risen to a considerable height. It is usually found as a continuation of the chain of stars to the west. The last star on the left of this chain is Alferats (α) is the northeastern corner of the asterism Great Square of Pegasus.

In ancient drawings this constellation is depicted “upside down”. Neck and head of the “horse” - a chain of stars from the southwestern corner Square, Markaba to Enif. Two chains of stars extending from Shat are his “front legs”.

click on the image to enlarge it


Lat. Name	Pegasus (genus: Pegasi)
Reduction	Peg
Symbol
Right ascension	from 21 h 03 m to 0 h 08 m
Declension	from +1° 45’ to +36° 00’
Square	1121 sq. degrees (7th place)
Brightest stars (value< 3 m)	Enif (ε Peg) - 2.38m Sheat (β Peg) - 2.4-2.8m Markab (α Peg) - 2.49m Algenib (γ Peg) - 2.83m Matar (η Peg) - 2.93m
Meteor showers	Pegasids
Neighboring constellations	Lizard Small Horse
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +90° to -54°. The best time to observe is February.

Constellation Pegasus from the Atlas "Uranographia" by John Hevelius (1690)

Constellation Pegasus from the Atlas "Uranographia" by J. E. Bode (Berlin 1801)

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Constellation Pegasus from the Atlas "Urania's Mirror" (London, 1825)

Mythology

The winged horse, the offspring of Medusa the Gorgon and Poseidon, was born from Medusa when he cut off her head.

Eratosthenes, however, deprives the constellation Pegasus of the honor of being Pegasus, because, he says, Pegasus is winged, and this constellation (which at that time was called simply “Horse”) is wingless.

Hyginus attributes to Pegasus variations on the theme of Thea, which, of course, are more appropriate for the Small Horse. As an argument, he cites an astronomical fact: the lower part of the body of the celestial horse is indistinguishable - so that it cannot be recognized as a woman. The argument is compelling, but not sufficient.