Argo Navis the Ship of the Argonauts

Vincenzo Coronelli, Celestial Globe Gores (Paris, 1693; reprint ca. 1800)

Asterism Visual Appearance

Argo Navis is located between between Antlia, Centaurus, Chamaeleon, and Musca. Canopus, once alpha-Argus, now lies in Carina.

Asterism Origin and History

An ancient constellation, the only one of Ptolemy's 48 no longer used. In the 18th century, the French astronomer Lacaille dismantled Argo Navis into three smaller constellations: Carina the Keel, Puppis the Stern or Poop, and Vela the Sail. Small Pyxis the Compass is located nearby.

Asterism Skylore

Argo Navis was the ship which Argus built for Jason and his crew, the Argonauts, to carry them on their quest for the Golden Fleece. After their many adventures, Athena raised their ship to the sky.

Image	Representation	Date
Image	Bayer, Uranometria (1661): Argo Navis	1661
Image	Bayer, Uranometria (1661): Argo Navis, detail	1661
Image	Bode (1801), Plate 18	1801
Image	Bode (1801), Plate 18: Argo Navis	1801
Image	Bode (1801), Plate 18: Lochium Funis	1801
Image	Bode (1801), Plate 19: Argo Navis	1801
Image	Bode (1801), plate 2: ArgoNavis	1801
Image	Bode (1801), plate 2: Libra Planisphere *Uranographia Tab II. Stellatum Hemisphaeri um Librae.* Bode included two planisphere plates. They are not southern and northern hemispheres; each one has Polaris at the top and the south pole at the bottom. Each…	1801
Image	Hyginus (1485) figure: Argo Navis	1485