Constellation Lupus (Wolf)

Properties

The constellation Lupus stands in a branch of the Milky Way ribbon, south of Libra, the claws of Scorpio and east of Centaurus. The area of the constellation is 334 square degrees and the center culminates around midnight on May 9th. ^{[9, 15]}

Data for constellation Lupus ^[150]
IAU Name	Lupus
IAU Genitive	Lupi
IAU Abbr.	Lup
English Name	Wolf
Season (47° N)	April … May
Right Ascension	14^h 17^m 49^s … 16^h 08^m 37^s
Declination	-55° 34' 48" … -29° 50' 16"
Area	334 deg²
Neighbours (N↻)	Lib, Hya, Cen, Cir, Nor, Sco

Mythologie und Geschichte

According to a story by Eratostenes, Lupus is the bloodthirsty King Lykaon of Arcadia. He is said to have killed almost all of his numerous sons. Zeus had a son named Arkas with Lykaon's daughter. One day Zeus was invited to dinner in the palace of the Lykaon. To check whether the guest really was the mighty Zeus, Lykaon cut up his son-in-law Arkas and served him as a meal for Zeus. However, Zeus immediately recognized the flesh of his poor son and, in a furious rage, knocked over the table, killed Lycaon's sons with a lightning bolt, and turned Lykaon himself into a wolf. Then Zeus put the parts of his son back together and handed him over to the Pleiade Maia, who raised him. The centaur Chiron now holds Lycaon, transformed into a wolf, in check for all eternity. ^[20]

According to ^[7], the Greeks and Romans saw Lupus as an unspecified wild animal that Centaurus should sacrifice to the gods. The identification with a wolf apparently only occurred in the age of the Renaissance.

Catalogs

Yale Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Hoffleit+, 1991) ^[154]
HR	B	F	RA [hms]	Dec [dms]	vMag	spType	dMag	Sep ["]
5354	ι		14 19 24.2	-46 03 28	3.55	B2.5IV
5395	τ¹		14 26 08.2	-45 13 17	4.56	B2IV	4.7	158.2
5396	τ²		14 26 10.8	-45 22 46	4.35	F4IV+A7:	0.1	0.1
5425	σ		14 32 36.9	-50 27 25	4.42	B2III
5453	ρ		14 37 53.2	-49 25 33	4.05	B5V
5469	α		14 41 55.8	-47 23 18	2.30	B1.5III/Vn	11.1	27.6
5528	ο		14 51 38.4	-43 34 32	4.32	B5IV	0.0	0.1
5571	β		14 58 31.9	-43 08 02	2.68	B2III/IV
5605	π		15 05 07.2	-47 03 04	4.72 H	B5V	0.1	1.8
5606	π		15 05 07.2	-47 03 04	4.82 H	B5IV	0.1	1.8
5626	λ		15 08 50.6	-45 16 47	4.05	B3V	0.2	0.4
5646	κ¹		15 11 56.1	-48 44 16	3.87	B9.5Vne	1.9	26.6
5647	κ²		15 11 57.6	-48 44 37	5.69	A3IV	1.9	26.6
5649	ζ		15 12 17.1	-52 05 57	3.41	G8III	3.6	71.9
5660		1	15 14 37.3	-31 31 09	4.91	F1II
5683	μ		15 18 32.0	-47 52 30	4.27	B8Ve	0.1	1.3
5686		2	15 17 49.9	-30 08 56	4.34	G9IIIaFe1
5695	δ		15 21 22.3	-40 38 51	3.22	B1.5IV
5698	ν¹		15 22 08.3	-47 55 40	5.00	F8V
5699	ν²		15 21 48.2	-48 19 04	5.65	G3-5V
5705	φ¹		15 21 48.4	-36 15 41	3.56	K5III e	10.9	17.3
5708	ε		15 22 40.9	-44 41 22	3.37	B2IV-V	1.5	0.4
5712	φ²		15 23 09.4	-36 51 31	4.54	B4V
5719	υ		15 24 44.9	-39 42 37	5.37	A0pSi v	5.5	1.4
5776	γ		15 35 08.5	-41 10 01	2.78	B2IV e	0.1	0.6
5797	ω		15 38 03.2	-42 34 03	4.33	K4.5III	6.7	11.8
5820	ψ¹	3	15 39 46.0	-34 24 43	4.67	G8III
5839	ψ²	4	15 42 41.0	-34 42 38	4.75	B5V
5883	χ	5	15 50 57.5	-33 37 38	3.95	B9IV
5925	ξ¹		15 56 53.5	-33 57 59	5.12	A3V	0.5	10.3
5926	ξ²		15 56 54.2	-33 57 51	5.62	B9V	0.5	10.3
5948	η		16 00 07.3	-38 23 49	3.41	B2.5IV	4.4	15.0
5987	θ		16 06 35.5	-36 48 08	4.23	B2.5Vn

«Revised New General Catalogue and Index Catalogue», Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke, 2021 ^[277]
Name	RA	Dec	Type	Bmag	Vmag	Dim	Dreyer Description	Identification
NGC 5530	14 18 27.1	-43 23 13	Gx (SBbc)	12.1	11.3	4.20 × 1.8	!, vF, pmE, esvmbM * 12	ESO 272-3, MCG -7-29-13, IRAS 14152-4309
NGC 5593	14 25 40.0	-54 47 54	OCL (III1p)			6.00	Cl, vlRi, vlC, st 10	OCL 926, ESO 175-SC8
NGC 5643	14 32 40.7	-44 10 28	Gx (SBc)	10.7	10.0	4.70 × 4.2	pB, L, R, vglbM, st inv	ESO 272-16, MCG -7-30-3, AM 1429-435, IRAS 14294-4357
NGC 5670	14 35 36.1	-45 58 00	Gx (S0)	13.0	12.0	1.50 × 0.7	vF, S, cE, bet 2 st	ESO 272-19
NGC 5688	14 39 35.1	-45 01 07	Gx (SBc)	12.8	11.9	3.10 × 1.9	F, S, vgbM, am st	ESO 272-22, MCG -7-30-4, AM 1436-444, IRAS 14363-4448
NGC 5749	14 48 48.8	-54 29 37	OCL (IV1p)		8.8	10.00	Cl, pL, pRi, lC, st 10…11	OCL 930, ESO 176-SC4
NGC 5764	14 53 31.8	-52 40 16	OCL (II2p)		12.6	3.00	Cl, vF, vS, vC	OCL 934, ESO 223-SC4
NGC 5800	15 01 47.8	-51 55 06	OCL	8.0		5.00	Cl, pL, pRi, lC	ESO 223-SC11, *Grp ?
NGC 5822	15 04 02.3	-54 20 21	OCL (II1r)		6.5	35.00	Cl, vL, Ri lC, st 9…12	OCL 937, ESO 176-SC9
NGC 5824	15 03 58.5	-33 04 02	I		9.1	7.40	pB, S, stell, N	NGC 5834, ESO 387-SC1, GCL 31
NGC 5834	15 03 58.5	-33 04 02	GCL (I)		9.1	7.40	eeF? (Marth: B, stellar)	NGC 5824, ESO 387-SC1, GCL 31
NGC 5843	15 07 27.8	-36 19 42	Gx (SBb)	13.0	12.2	1.90 × 1.1	vF, S, lE, vlbM, r	ESO 387-4, MCG -6-33-13, IRAS 15043-3608
NGC 5873	15 12 50.7	-38 07 31	PN	13.3	11.0	0.22	planetary, stellar = 9.5 mag	PK 331+16.1, ESO 328-PN34, CS=13.6
NGC 5882	15 16 50.0	-45 38 56	PN	10.5	9.4	0.33	planetary, vS, R, quite sharp	IC 1108, PK 327+10.1, ESO 274-PN7, CS=12.0
NGC 5927	15 28 00.5	-50 40 20	GCL (VIII)		8.0	6.00	globular, cB, L, R, vgbM, rrr, st 15	GCL 35, ESO 224-SC4
NGC 5968	15 39 57.0	-30 33 11	Gx (SBab)	13.1	12.2	2.10 × 1.9	vF, L, R, gbM, r	ESO 450-5, MCG -5-37-1, IRAS 15368-3023
NGC 5986	15 46 03.5	-37 47 08	GCL (VII)		7.6	9.60	!, globular, vB, L, R, vgbM, st 13…15	GCL 37, ESO 329-SC18
NGC 6026	16 01 21.0	-34 32 37	PN	13.2	12.9	0.67	F, S, R, gpmbM, Δ of st np	PK 341+13.1, ESO 389-PN7, AM 1558-342
IC 1108	15 16 50.0	-45 38 56	PN	10.5	9.4	0.33	Stellar, gaseous spectrum	NGC 5882, PK 327+10.1, ESO 274-PN7, CS=12.0
IC 4402	14 21 12.9	-46 17 54	Gx (Sb)	12.0	11.6	4.20 × 0.9	L, eE 125°, pointed ends	ESO 272-5, IRAS 14179-4604
IC 4406	14 22 26.4	-44 09 02	PN	10.6	10.2	1.77	Planetary, stellar, 10 mag, E 80°	PK 319+15.1, ESO 272-PN6, AM 1419-435, CS=14.7
IC 4441	14 31 38.8	-43 25 06	Gx (SBbc)	12.0	11.4	1.50 × 1.3	pF, pS, R	IC 4444, ESO 272-14, MCG -7-30-2, AM 1428-431, IRAS 14284-4311
IC 4444	14 31 38.8	-43 25 06	SBbc	12.0	11.4	1.50 × 1.3	vF, vS, * M, spir or annular	IC 4441, ESO 272-14, MCG -7-30-2, AM 1428-431, IRAS 14284-4311
IC 4445	14 31 54.3	-46 02 07	Gx (Sc)	14.7	14.0	1.20 × 0.4	F, cS, E 160°	ESO 272-15, IRAS 14285-4548
IC 4472	14 40 10.5	-44 18 56	Gx (Sc)	13.6	12.9	2.20 × 0.5	L, eE 180°, bet 2 st ns, doubtful	ESO 272-23, MCG -7-30-5, AM 1436-440, IRAS 14369-4406
IC 4518	14 57 45.2	-43 07 52	Gx (Sbc)	14.3	13.5	2.20 × 0.6	eS, R, also one pL, eE 100°	ESO 273-12, MCG -7-31-3, VV 780, IRAS 14544-4255, AM 1454-425, Beta Lup (2.7) 8' f
IC 4518 A	14 57 41.0	-43 07 53	Gx (Sc)	15.0	14.3	0.90 × 0.3	eS, R, also one pL, eE 100°	ESO 273-12, MCG -7-31-1, VV 780, AM 1454-425, Beta Lup (2.7) 8' f
IC 4518 B	14 57 41.2	-43 07 25	Gx (Sc)	17.0	16.3	1.30 × 0.1	eS, R, also one pL, eE 100°	ESO 273-12A, MCG -7-31-2, VV 780, AM 1454-425, Beta Lup (2.7) 8' f
IC 4523	15 05 10.5	-43 30 35	Gx (SBc)	13.9	13.2	2.00 × 1.4	bM, magn 14	ESO 273-15, MCG -7-31-5, IRAS 15018-4318
IC 4527	15 05 41.0	-42 26 56	Gx (SBbc)	14.1	13.3	1.30 × 0.7	cS, E 225°, bM	ESO 328-15, MCG -7-31-6, IRAS 15023-4215
IC 4529	15 06 25.7	-43 14 00	Gx (Sbc)	15.0	14.2	0.70 × 0.6	bM, magn 14	ESO 273-19, MCG -7-31-7, IRAS 15031-4302

References

7	«Der grosse Kosmos-Himmelsführer» von Ian Ridpath und Wil Tirion; Kosmos Verlag; ISBN 3-440-05787-9
9	«Drehbare Sternkarte SIRIUS» von H. Suter-Haug; Hallwag-Verlag, Bern
15	«Hartung's Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes» by David Malin and David J. Frew; Melbourne University Press 1995; ISBN 0-522-84553-3
20	«Sternbilder und ihre Mythen» von Gerhard Fasching; Zweite, verbesserte Auflage; Springer Verlag Wien, New York; ISBN 3-211-82552-5 (Wien); ISBN 0-387-82552-5 (New York)
150	IAU: The Constellations, 11. Oktober 2020; iau.org/public/themes/constellations
154	Yale Bright Star Catalog, 15. Oktober 2020; tdc-www.harvard.edu/catalogs/bsc5.html
277	«Historische Deep-Sky Kataloge» von Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke; klima-luft.de/steinicke (2021-02-17)