Carina

Carina (kurē'nu) [key][Lat.,=the keel], southern constellation, representing the keel of the ancient constellation Argo Navis, or Ship of the Argonauts. Carina contains Canopus, the second brightest star in the sky. It also contains the False Cross, a combination of four stars very similar to the Southern Cross (see Crux); however, the long axis of the False Cross does not point toward the south celestial pole. In 1843 a nova was observed in Carina. Carina reaches its highest point in the evening sky in March.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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