Constellation Pyxis was introduced by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in 1752. It was formed from stars in the southern constellation Argo the Ship and is counted among the 88 modern constellations. The name is abbreviated from Pyxis Nautica, Latin for a mariner’s compass (contrasting with Circinus, the draftsman’s compasses). Pyxis Constellation spans 15 degrees of the zodiac in the Signs Leo and Virgo.

Pyxis Constellation Stars

2000	2050	Star	Name	Sp. Class	Mag.	Orb
23♌20	24♌02	ζ Pyx		G5	4.86	1°00′
25♌28	26♌10	γ Pyx		K3	4.02	1°20′
26♌30	27♌12	α Pyx	Al Sumut	B1	3.68	1°40′
26♌48	27♌30	β Pyx		G5	3.97	1°30′
26♌52	27♌34	δ Pyx		A3	4.87	1°00′
29♌24	00♍06	κ Pyx		K4	4.62	1°00′
03♍04	03♍46	θ Pyx	Tiānmiàoyī	M0	4.71	1°00′
05♍02	05♍44	λ Pyx		G8	4.71	1°00′

α Pyx is named Al Sumut, from the Arabic السموت al-sumūt, “path” or “direction” of the compass. ^[1]

θ Pyx has the Chinese name 天廟一 Tiānmiàoyī, “1st star in Celestial Temple.” ^[2]

Pyxis Astrology

Noonan

History. Formed by La Caille in 1752 from stars in the mast of Argo.

Influence. It is said to give a wise, ambitious and steady nature, good judgment and interest in nautical and geographical matters. ^[3]

Allen

Pyxis was formed by La Caille from stars in the Mast of Argo, and so associated with the Ship, although there, of course, it is an anachronism.

Baily reannexed it to Argo, since four of its members had been placed by Ptolemy where La Caille found them, so that for a time it fell into disuse; but Gould inserted it in his Uranometria Argentina of 1879, with sixty-six stars from 3.8 to 7th magnitudes. ^[4]

References

1. Alpha Pyxidis – Wikipedia.
2. List of Chinese Star Names – Wikipedia.
3. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.58.
4. Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning, Richard H. Allen, 1889, p.348.