Celestial Atlas
Antlia <—     Apus: The Bird of Paradise     —> Aquarius
(possessive form Apodis, abbreviation Aps)
Hold the cursor over any Greek letter shown in the text to see its English transliteration
Constellations Bordering Apus
(tba)

One of twelve southern constellations mapped by Dutch explorer Frederick de Houtman and navigator Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser in 1595-97, and formed into constellations by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius. Plancius called it Paradysvogel Apis Indica, "Paradysvogel" meaning "Bird of Paradise", and "Apis" meaning "footless" (early specimens of the birds having had their feet and wings removed); this was shortened to Apis Indica by Bayer, and subsequent atlases used various corruptions of the name.


Illustrations of Apus
From Bayer's 1603 Uranometria
(Image from the USNO copy of the 1661 edition of Bayer's Uranometria)
Portion of Bayer's Uranometria showing the region near Apus

From Bode's 1801 Uranographia
(Image Credit and © Tartu Observatory Virtual Museum; used by permission)
Portion of Bode's Uranographia showing the region near Apus

Map of Apus
Modified version of Wikimedia Commons map by Torsten Bronger


Stars in Apus

     None of the stars in Apus had names at the time it was created. Right ascension and declination are given in 2000.0 coordinates.

α Aps

β Aps

γ Aps

δ Aps

ε Aps


Celestial Atlas
Antlia <—     Apus: The Bird of Paradise     —> Aquarius