Lynx Zigzags Lengthily Between Ursa Major and Auriga the Charioteer

Summary: Lynx zigzags faintly yet lengthily between Ursa Major the Great Bear and Auriga the Charioteer as a primarily northern hemisphere constellation.

Johannes Hevelius's 19-star Lynx constellation (center) neighbors with Ursa Major the Great Bear (upper right), Leo Minor the Lesser Lion (center right), Cancer the Crab (lower right), Gemini the Twins (bottom center), Auriga the Charioteer (center to lower left) and Camelopardalis the Giraffe (upper left); depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. Y: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

Lynx zigzags lengthily between Ursa Major the Great Bear and Auriga the Charioteer as a faint, primarily northern hemisphere constellation that also neighbors with Camelopardalis the Giraffe, Gemini the Twins, Cancer the Crab and Leo Minor the Lesser Lion.

Seventeenth-century Polish astronomer and selenographer Johannes Hevelius (Polish: Jan Heweliusz; Jan. 28, 1611-Jan. 28, 1687) formed Lynx as a new constellation in the faint starriness of the darkness between ancient circumpolar constellation Ursa Major and Greek mythology-influenced constellation Auriga. He presented Lynx as the fourth (pages 114-115) of his 10 self-visualized constellations in Prodromus Astronomiae, a three-volume astronomical compendium published posthumously by his wife, Polish astronomer Elisabeth Catherina Koopmann Hevelius (Polish: Elżbieta Koopman Heweliusz; Jan. 17, 1647–Dec. 22, 1693).

In a previous publication and elsewhere in the Prodromus, however, Hevelius designated Tiger as an alternative name for his feline constellation. He listed the constellation as "Lynx vel Tigris" ("Lynx or Tiger") in his Machinae Coelestis (Liber Quartus, pages 382-383), published in 1679. Hevelius identified the constellation as "Lynx sive Tigris" ("Lynx or Tiger") in Prodromus Astronomiae's second volume, Catalogus Stellarum Fixarum ("Catalog of Fixed Stars"; page 293).

Lynx constellation covers an area of 545.4 square degrees, which accounts for 1.322 percent of the area of the night sky, according to English astronomy writer Ian Ridpath (born May 1, 1947) in his table of constellations on his eponymous website (ianridpath.com). Lynx's area places it as the 28th largest of the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Right ascension (abbreviated RA; symbol α) coordinates for Lynx extend from 06 hours (h) 16 minutes (m) 76.79 seconds (s) to 09h 42m 50.2171s, according to the constellation boundary tables on the International Astronomical Union's website. The equatorial coordinate system's right ascension equates to terrestrial longitude.

Declination (abbreviated dec; symbol δ) coordinates for Lynx stretch from plus 32.9691162 to plus 61.9641266. In the equatorial coordinate system, declination compares with geographic latitude.

Earth-based observers located between latitudes 90 degrees north and 28 degrees south experience full visibility of constellation Lynx. Stargazers positioned between latitudes 28 degrees south and 57 degrees south experience partial visibility of Lynx.

Best placement of Hevelius's feline constellation for mid-northern latitude observers occurs from early winter to early summer, according to astronomer and science journalist Will Gater, English amateur astronomer, author, lecturer and media presenter Anton Vamplew (born Feb. 6, 1966) and British astronomer and writer Jacqueline Mitton (born July 10, 1948) in their night sky observing guide, The Practical Astronomer, published in 2010 (page 302). Lynx's high position in the sky in March facilitates great viewing of the constellation during spring's opening month in the northern hemisphere, according to science writer Kelly Kizer Whitt in "Meet the constellation Lynx, overhead in March," published March 25, 2022, on the EarthSky website.

(center) Leo Minor the Lesser Lion's open mouth seemingly hovers over Lynx's tail; depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. Z: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

A lively menagerie of diverse members of the biological kingdom Animalia share borders with Lynx. Camelopardalis the Giraffe and Ursa Major the Great Bear define the feline constellation's northern and northeastern borders, respectively. The giraffe also lingers along the upper section of Lynx's northwestern border. Ursa Major hugs most of Lynx's eastern border. Mythological Greek charioteer Auriga and his three goats mostly demarcate Lynx's western border. Gemini the Twins occur as Lynx's southwestern neighbor. Cancer the Crab and Leo Minor the Lesser Lion rim Lynx's southern and southeastern borders, respectively.

A quadripoint marks Lynx's southeasternmost extent. Opposite Lynx's southeastern corner, Leo the Lion inserts its northwestern corner between southwestern Leo Minor and northeastern Cancer to form a meeting of four corners. The quadruple convergence allows non-neighbor Leo the Lion to share a point in the constellatory sky with Lynx.

Lynx numbered among the constellations depicted in Firmamentum Sociescianum, the third volume of Hevelius's Prodromus Astronomiae. Hevelius's illustrations presented the constellatory figures from the perspective of looking inward from outside of astronomy's imaginary celestial globe. The view from outside reverses images obtained by looking outward from inside of the globe, as explained by English constellation history biographer Ian Ridpath (born May 1, 1947) in posts on "Hevelius and Firmamentum Sobiescianum" and "Hevelius’s depiction of Lynx" on his Star Tales website. Accordingly, Ursa Major and Auriga exchange positions along Lynx's north-south zigzag in the night sky.

Constellation Lynx (upper right) with neighbors Camelopardalis the Giraffe (upper center), Auriga the Charioteer (center) and Gemini the Twins (lower right); depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. X: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Johannes Hevelius's 19-star Lynx constellation (center) neighbors with Ursa Major the Great Bear (upper right), Leo Minor the Lesser Lion (center right), Cancer the Crab (lower right), Gemini the Twins (bottom center), Auriga the Charioteer (center to lower left) and Camelopardalis the Giraffe (upper left); depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. Y: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133925

(center) Leo Minor the Lesser Lion's open mouth seemingly hovers over Lynx's tail; depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. Z: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133927

Constellation Lynx (upper right) with neighbors Camelopardalis the Giraffe (upper center), Auriga the Charioteer (center) and Gemini the Twins (lower right); depiction from perspective of outsider looking into celestial globe reverses actual appearance of sky for Earth-based observer as insider looking outward at celestial globe; J. Hevelii, Firmamentum Sobiescianum (MDCXC [1690]), Fig. X: Public Domain, via ETH-Bibliothek e-rara @ https://www.e-rara.ch/zut/content/zoom/133923

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