Lynx constellation
Latin Lynx, genitive Lyncis, abbreviation Lyn
North up, east to the left, as you see the sky. The lines are a common figure; the stars are from the catalogue.
The myth
Johannes Hevelius of Danzig introduced it around 1690 and named it Lynx because one would need a lynx's eyes to see it. A chain of faint stars between the Great Bear and the Charioteer.
When can Lynx be seen?
It stands highest around 10 pm in February. It can be seen from everywhere north of 33°S, and it never sets north of 56°N.
The brightest stars
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| – | α Lyn | 3.13 | reddish |
| – | 38 Lyn | 3.82 | white |
| Alsciaukat | 31 Lyn | 4.25 | reddish |
| – | 15 Lyn | 4.35 | yellow |
| – | 2 Lyn | 4.48 | white |
| – | 21 Lyn | 4.64 | bluish |
| – | 27 Lyn | 4.84 | white |
| – | 12 Lyn | 4.87 | white |
The smaller the number, the brighter: below 1 are the brightest stars of the sky, 4 is hard to see under a city sky. Greek letters after Johann Bayer (1603).