Musca

Musca star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)

One of the 88 IAU constellations. The constellation was invented by Dutch sailors in the 1590s, perhaps a navigation aid.

Etymology and History

de Houtman (1603) "de Vlieghe", the Fly (Musca). screenshot of star catalogue.

Origin of Constellation

The Southern Cross, today's constellation Crux, had been used for almost a century by the time of the invention of Musca. A kite-like pattern of stars, however, is not unique in the sky, and sailors had occasionally misnavigated with the asterism of the False Cross (a pattern of stars in Vela). It is somehow striking that the same Dutch sailors who enlarged the body of The Ship, Argo, so that it contains the False Cross, also created this extra constellation next to the real cross (Crux). They do not give any explanation for their inventions but the practical purpose seem obvious as their Hydrus also curled towards the south pole.

However, the image of the fly is much closer to Chamaeleon than to any other constellation. As the creators also depicted the hunting scene of Dorado and Volans, they perhaps also considered Musca the prey of the Chamaeleon. This way, the whole group might have served navigational purpose - or star hopping/ recognition purposes for the sake of navigation.

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

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  Musca labelled as "Apis", The Bee, in Bayer (1603).

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  Musca in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).

IAU WGSN Discussion

Following one of the principles of modern star naming, WGSN discussed the option of naming the brightest star of the constellation with the original Dutch constellation name. However, there is a Wardaman (Australian Aboriginal) name for this star, too: Burangalul, "forehead band" of the "Buran" [Boomerang = Musca] ("Dark Sparklers", Cairns & Harney 2003: p.202).

References

• References (general)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)