What it looks like
Volans is a modest southern constellation introduced by Petrus Plancius in 1598, drawn as a flying fish. It sits between Carina and Dorado, just east of the Large Magellanic Cloud, in a faint, star-poor region of the sky. Its brightest star, Beta Volantis, is only magnitude 3.8.
Brightest stars
Volans has no bright stars; its brightest, Beta Volantis, sits near magnitude 3.8.
| Star | Magnitude | Distance | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta Volantis | +3.77 | 108 ly | — |
| Gamma Volantis | +3.78 | 142 ly | — |
| Zeta Volantis | +3.93 | 134 ly | — |
| Delta Volantis | +3.97 | 660 ly | — |
Mythology and history
Volans has no ancient mythology. It was created in 1598 by Petrus Plancius and named after the flying fish, the fish that glides above the surface of tropical oceans.
The fish that flies
Volans was introduced by Petrus Plancius in 1598 from star positions recorded by Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman. The flying fish is a real creature of warm oceans, capable of gliding above the surface on wing-like pectoral fins, and it appears repeatedly in Dutch maritime records of the era. Volans sits in a faint corner of the southern sky, its small stars overshadowed by the neighbouring Large Magellanic Cloud that spills across Dorado and Mensa to its west.
How to find it
Look just east of the Large Magellanic Cloud on summer evenings from the southern hemisphere.
- Find the Large Magellanic Cloud, then look east.
- All stars are faint — use a chart or planetarium app.
- Best from the southern hemisphere on summer and autumn evenings.
Key facts
- Abbreviation
- Vol
- Genitive
- Volantis
- Meaning
- The Flying Fish
- Brightest star
- Beta Volantis
- Main stars
- 3
- Area rank
- 76th
- Best visible
- February
- Declination
- -70°
- Meteor showers
- —
- Neighbours
- Carina, Pictor, Dorado, Mensa, Chamaeleon
Deep-sky objects
Volans contains several faint galaxies, including the spiral NGC 2442, nicknamed the Meathook Galaxy for its distorted shape. The constellation also contains the faint open cluster NGC 2467, sometimes called the Skull and Crossbones Nebula, just across the border in Puppis.
Frequently asked questions
What does the constellation Volans look like?
Volans is a small southern constellation known as the Flying Fish, introduced in 1598 and lying just east of the Large Magellanic Cloud.
What is the brightest star in Volans?
The brightest star in Volans is Beta Volantis, shining at around magnitude 3.77.
When is Volans best visible?
Volans is best seen from southern hemisphere during February.
What is the story behind Volans?
Volans has no ancient mythology. It was created in 1598 by Petrus Plancius and named after the flying fish, the fish that glides above the surface of tropical oceans.
Which constellations are near Volans?
Volans borders Carina, Pictor, Dorado, Mensa and Chamaeleon.
Carina
Dorado