Canes Venatici

Abbreviation: CVn
Genitive: Canum Venaticorum
Translation: The Hunting Dogs
Peoria Astronomical Society Canes Venatici Page
Interactive star chart (Java applet)

Position in the Sky

Explanation of the following information
Right Ascension: 13 hours
Declination: 40 degrees
Visible between latitudes 90 and -40 degrees
Best seen in May (at 9:00 PM)

Named Stars

COR CAROLI (Alpha 2 CVn)
Chara (Beta CVn)

Messier Objects

M3 (globular cluster)
M51 The Whirlpool Galaxy (spiral galaxy)
M63 The Sunflower Galaxy (spiral galaxy)
M94 (spiral galaxy)
M106 (spiral galaxy)

These are the Hunting Dogs (no relation to Orion's dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor) held on a leash by Boötes as he hunts for the bears Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. This minor constellations was invented by Johannes Hevelius in 1687.

Back to Constellations Home Page

Canes Venatici

Position in the Sky

Named Stars

Messier Objects

Chris Dolan's Home Page