What it looks like
Pictor is a small southern constellation introduced by Lacaille in 1756, drawn as a painter's easel. It sits just west of brilliant Canopus in Carina, making it easy to locate even though its own stars are faint. The constellation contains the bright radio galaxy Pictor A, one of the strongest extragalactic radio sources in the southern sky.
Brightest stars
Pictor has no bright stars; its brightest, Alpha Pictoris, sits near magnitude 3.3.
| Star | Magnitude | Distance | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Pictoris | +3.27 | 97 ly | — |
| Beta Pictoris | +3.86 | 63 ly | — |
| Gamma Pictoris | +4.50 | 175 ly | — |
| Delta Pictoris | +4.72 | 1,200 ly | — |
Mythology and history
Pictor has no ancient mythology. It was created by Lacaille in 1756 and named after the painter's easel, one of his group of constellations celebrating arts and crafts.
The painter's easel
Pictor was introduced by Lacaille in 1756 under the name 'Equuleus Pictoris' — the painter's easel — and later shortened to Pictor. It is one of a small group of Lacaille's constellations named after the tools of artists and craftsmen, alongside Sculptor (the sculptor's workshop), Fornax (the furnace), Caelum (the chisel) and Antlia (the air pump). Placed near Canopus in the southern sky, Pictor is chiefly remembered today for its astronomy rather than its stars — the nearby star Beta Pictoris has a famous debris disc and a directly imaged planet.
How to find it
Find bright Canopus in Carina, then look just west for Pictor's faint stars.
- Canopus is the second-brightest star in the night sky — a reliable landmark.
- Pictor has no bright stars of its own — use a chart.
- Best from the southern hemisphere on summer and autumn evenings.
Key facts
- Abbreviation
- Pic
- Genitive
- Pictoris
- Meaning
- The Painter's Easel
- Brightest star
- Alpha Pictoris
- Main stars
- 4
- Area rank
- 59th
- Best visible
- January
- Declination
- -55°
- Meteor showers
- —
- Neighbours
- Caelum, Carina, Volans, Dorado, Columba, Puppis
Deep-sky objects
Pictor A is a bright radio galaxy about 500 million light-years away, famous for its jet and radio lobes. Beta Pictoris is a young star with a prominent debris disc and at least two directly imaged planets, and the constellation also contains the faint spiral galaxy NGC 1705.
Frequently asked questions
What does the constellation Pictor look like?
Pictor is a faint southern constellation known as the Painter's Easel, lying just west of brilliant Canopus and home to the radio galaxy Pictor A.
What is the brightest star in Pictor?
The brightest star in Pictor is Alpha Pictoris, shining at around magnitude 3.27.
When is Pictor best visible?
Pictor is best seen from southern hemisphere during January.
What is the story behind Pictor?
Pictor has no ancient mythology. It was created by Lacaille in 1756 and named after the painter's easel, one of his group of constellations celebrating arts and crafts.
Which constellations are near Pictor?
Pictor borders Caelum, Carina, Volans, Dorado, Columba and Puppis.
Carina
Caelum