What it looks like
Reticulum is a small, faint southern constellation introduced by Lacaille in 1756 and named after the reticle, the fine measuring grid he used in his telescope to record star positions. It sits between Hydrus and Dorado in the southern sky, drawn as a small diamond shape. Its brightest star, Alpha Reticuli, reaches only magnitude 3.3.
Brightest stars
Reticulum has no bright stars; its brightest, Alpha Reticuli, sits near magnitude 3.3.
| Star | Magnitude | Distance | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Reticuli | +3.35 | 162 ly | — |
| Beta Reticuli | +3.85 | 100 ly | — |
| Epsilon Reticuli | +4.44 | 59 ly | — |
| Gamma Reticuli | +4.48 | 490 ly | — |
Mythology and history
Reticulum has no ancient mythology. It was created by Lacaille in 1756 and named after the reticle, the measuring grid he used in his telescope while cataloguing the southern sky.
The astronomer's grid
Reticulum was introduced by Lacaille in 1756 as 'Reticulum Rhomboidalis' — the rhomboidal net — and named after the reticle, a grid of fine lines placed in the eyepiece of his telescope to measure the positions of stars precisely. It is the only constellation named after an instrument Lacaille used himself, making it a kind of self-portrait of the astronomer at work. Along with its neighbours Dorado, Horologium and Caelum, it belongs to his scientific family of constellations.
How to find it
Look between bright Achernar and the Large Magellanic Cloud on late autumn and winter evenings from the southern hemisphere.
- Find Achernar in Eridanus, then look south for Reticulum.
- The diamond shape is small but distinct under dark skies.
- Best from the southern hemisphere on autumn and winter evenings.
Key facts
- Abbreviation
- Ret
- Genitive
- Reticuli
- Meaning
- The Reticle
- Brightest star
- Alpha Reticuli
- Main stars
- 4
- Area rank
- 82nd
- Best visible
- January
- Declination
- -60°
- Meteor showers
- —
- Neighbours
- Hydrus, Horologium, Dorado
Deep-sky objects
NGC 1313 is a bright, asymmetric barred spiral galaxy in Reticulum, often called the Topsy-Turvy Galaxy. The constellation also contains the faint spiral galaxy NGC 1559 and the Reticulum Dwarf galaxy.
Frequently asked questions
What does the constellation Reticulum look like?
Reticulum is a small southern constellation representing the reticle — the crosshair grid in a telescope eyepiece — introduced by Lacaille in 1756.
What is the brightest star in Reticulum?
The brightest star in Reticulum is Alpha Reticuli, shining at around magnitude 3.35.
When is Reticulum best visible?
Reticulum is best seen from southern hemisphere during January.
What is the story behind Reticulum?
Reticulum has no ancient mythology. It was created by Lacaille in 1756 and named after the reticle, the measuring grid he used in his telescope while cataloguing the southern sky.
Which constellations are near Reticulum?
Reticulum borders Hydrus, Horologium and Dorado.
Hydrus
Dorado