Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog

Connected to Canis Major, Canis Minor, meaning “lesser dog” or “the smaller dog” in Latin, is the smaller constellation of the two at an area of 183 square degrees. This constellation was cataloged in the 2nd century and represented the smaller hunting dog that follows Orion in the sky.

Canis Minor is home to many notable objects. The first of which is the star Procyon, one of the brightest stars in the sky. Additionally, Canis Minor also holds the spiral galaxy NGC 2485 as well as Luyten’s Star, one of the closest stars to Earth. In total, Canis Minor contains two formally named stars: Gomeisa and Procyon.

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NAME: The Lesser Dog

AREA (in square degrees): 183.367

QUADRANT: NQ2

VISIBLE BETWEEN LATITUDES: 90°N – 75°S