Fornax Constellation

Fornax Constellation [Stellarium]

Constellation Fornax the Furnace is a southern constellation bordering Eridanus, Cetus, Sculptor and Phoenix. It was introduced by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1752 and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. Fornax spans 33 degrees of the zodiac in the Signs of Aries and Taurus.

Fornax Constellation Stars

2000	2050	Star	Name	Sp. Class	Mag.	Orb
16♈21	17♈03	ν For		B9	4.68	1°00′
24♈31	25♈13	ω For		B9	4.96	1°00′
26♈14	26♈57	β For		G8	4.45	1°10′
04♉37	05♉20	α For	Dalim	F8	3.85	1°30′

α For is officially named Dalim, ^[1] from the Indigenous Arabic ظَلِيم al-ẓalīm, “the Ostrich.” Dalim originally applied to both α Eri and α PsA as “the Two Ostriches.” It was then transferred to θ Eri because α Eri was too far south for them to see. ^[2]

Fornax Astrology

Robson

FORNAX CHEMICA. The Chemical Furnace.

History. Formed by La Caille, 1752.

Influence. Fornax is said to give an ardent, enthusiastic, persuasive, practical and pioneering nature with a fondness for engineering, chemical or metal work. ^[3]

Fornax Constellation [Urania’s Mirror]

Allen

Fornax Chemica, or Fornax Chymiae, the Chemical Furnace, was formed by La Caille from stars within the southern bend of the River; but modern astronomers, by whom it is still recognized, have abbreviated the title to Fornax.

The Chinese know it as Tien Yu, Heaven’s Temporary Granary.

Bode changed the early name in 1782 to Apparatus chemicus, and translated it as the Chemische Apparat, Chymische Ofen, and l’Apparat Chimique, an alteration in honor of the celebrated chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier. These titles, however, have fallen into disuse.

Gould assigns to it 110 stars, from 3.6 to 7th magnitudes.

α, the lucida, is a double of 4th and 7th magnitudes, 3″ apart, with a position angle of 320°, and may be binary. It comes to the meridian on the 19th of December. ^[4]