Fact About the Constellations Lupus and Norma

Observing the Wolf and the Set Square in the Southern Hemisphere

Mar 16, 2009

The southern constellations of Lupus and Norma lie along the Milky Way and are made up of mostly dim stars.

Lupus and Norma are unassuming constellations that are boxed in by two larger, brighter, and better known constellations, Scorpius on the ecliptic and Centaurus.

How to Find Lupus and Norma

Lupus and Norma are located south of the ecliptic and best seen from the Southern Hemisphere or from the state of Florida southward. They can be found in the fall from the Southern Hemisphere or spring in the lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. The constellations sit side by side inside the curve of Scorpius and its claws and east of Centaurus. The stars in both constellations are dim, therefore it is easiest to find by first tracing out the forms of the Scorpion and Centaur and looking in between them to the dark patch of sky. Of Lupus and Norma, Lupus has the brighter stars and sits farther north.

Stars of Lupus

Lupus looks only vaguely like the wolf it represents. The main stars in Lupus are mostly 2nd and 3rd magnitude. The stars near the pincers of Scorpius form a triangle that marks the head of Lupus the Wolf. These stars are magnitude 3.42 Eta Lupi at a distance of 493 light-years, magnitude 4.22 Theta Lupi at a distance of 411 light-years, and magnitude 3.97 Chi Lupi at a distance of 206 light-years.

Four stars mark the curve of the Wolf's body starting near the neck and curving under to his hind leg. The first of these is magnitude 2.80 Gamma Lupi at a distance of 567 light-years. Next is magnitude 3.22 Delta Lupi at a distance of 510 light-years. Third is magnitude 2.68 Beta Lupi at a distance of 524 light-years. Lastly is the brightest star in Lupus, magnitude 2.29 Alpha Lupi at a distance of 548 light-years.

Two brighter stars seem to hang down from Beta Lupi and mark the front leg of the wolf, however these stars are classified as part of Centaurus the Centaur.

Scanning the boundaries of the constellation Lupus with a telescope will reveal many double stars and star clusters. Although Lupus is juxtaposed on the Milky Way, it does not have many bright deep-sky observing targets for binocular users.

Stars of Norma

The region of Norma is truly dark. Stargazers in large cities will probably see nothing but a grayish black patch of sky here because all the stars are 4th magnitude and dimmer. Norma is supposed to represent a set square, which is an instrument used around the time that the constellation was named. The brightest star in Norma is magnitude 4.01 Gamma Normae, a double star that is hardly distinguishable from its neighbors. Gamma Normae lies 128 light-years away.

The deep-sky observing targets of Norma are not much better than Lupus, although they are a bit brighter. A couple of star clusters shine at 5th magnitude and then they get dimmer from there. NGC 6067 is a magnitude 5.6 cluster and lies a half degree north of Kappa Normae, a magnitude 4.95 star. NGC 6087 is a magnitude 5.4 open cluster almost four degrees below NGC 6067.

The copyright of the article Fact About the Constellations Lupus and Norma in Stargazing is owned by Kelly Whitt. Permission to republish Fact About the Constellations Lupus and Norma in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.