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Canes Venatici



Abbreviation: CVn
Genitive: Canum Venaticorum
Right Ascension: 13.16 hours
Declination: 41.15 degrees
  Canes Venatici, the greyhounds are visible in the Northern Hemisphere in spring and summer.

These are the Greyhounds of Bootes, Asterion, the Starry - from the little stars marking the body and Chara, the Dear - because it is dear to the heart of its master. They help Bootes pursue the Bear (Ursa Major) around the Pole.

  Bright Stars | Deep Sky | Other Deep Sky | Variable Stars | Double Stars
 

Best Known Stars

(Yale Bright Star Catalog)
 
Common Name
or Bayer Number 1
RA DEC Magnitude 2
COR CAROLI 12.00:56.00:1.66 +38.00:19.00:6.21 2.90
CHARA 12.00:33.00:44.54 +41.00:21.00:26.89 4.26
20 CVN 13.00:17.00:32.54 +40.00:34.00:21.45 4.73
6 CVN 12.00:25.00:50.93 +39.00:1.00:6.99 5.02
14 CVN 13.00:5.00:44.45 +35.00:47.00:56.05 5.25
3 CVN 12.00:19.00:48.72 +48.00:59.00:2.93 5.29
23 CVN 13.00:20.00:18.95 +40.00:9.00:2.02 5.60
2 CVN 12.00:16.00:7.55 +40.00:39.00:36.63 5.66
17 CVN 13.00:10.00:3.21 +38.00:29.00:56.27 5.91
   
 

Deep Sky Objects

(PAS Catalog)

M-106

M-106 This large and bright galaxy is about 12x5' with a bright oval core and a fainter surrounding halo. At times in good seeing, faint spiral structure can be seen in this galaxy.

M-3

M-3 This pretty globular cluster is about 12-15' in diameter and handles magnification rather well. There are many stars arranged in curving chains resolved at its edges. The center is very dense, and was not resolved in my scope, which showed a granulated center.

M-51

M-51 is the Whirlpool galaxy. This pair of galaxies are on a colision course.

M-63

M-63 The Sunflower galaxy. This is a large, bright galaxy, about 10x5', extended E-W. The bright center is surrounded by a halo which fades gradually to the edges. Long exposure photography shows an amazingly intricate spiral structure.

M-94

M-94 Another large and bright galaxy. It is about 8-10' in diameter and roughly circular. It is very bright, with a large core and a fainter surrounding envelope. On a superb night in the mountains of New Mexico, I was able to detect its delicate spiral structure at the edges.

NGC-4631

NGC 4631 This is one of the gems to be discovered by those pursuing the Herschel objects. This remarkable galaxy is large, about 13x2', extended E-W, with a star seemingly imbedded above its center. It is relatively bright, with mottling and streaks very reminiscent of M-82 in Ursa Major.

NGC-4656

NGC 4656 Another fine object. This peculiar galaxy is about 10x2', extended NE-SW. The southeast side is very faint, but the northeastern side is curled to the east as it tapers to a point. An off-center central bulge gives this galaxy an overall comma shape.
   
 

Other Deep Sky Objects

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects less than 10.0 Mag.
 
Object R.A. Dec. Object Type 3 Mag. Uranometria Tirion
NGC 4214 12 15.7 +36 20 GALXY 09.8 107 07
NGC 4258 12 18.9 +47 19 GALXY 08.4 074 07
NGC 4449 12 28.2 +44 06 GALXY 09.6 075 07
NGC 4490 12 30.6 +41 39 GALXY 09.8 075 07
NGC 4631 12 42.1 +32 33 GALXY 09.2 108 07
NGC 4736 12 50.9 +41 08 GALXY 08.2 075 07
NGC 5005 13 11.0 +37 03 GALXY 09.8 109 07
NGC 5055 13 15.8 +42 02 GALXY 08.6 076 07
NGC 5194 13 30.0 +47 11 GALXY 08.4 076 07
NGC 5195 13 30.1 +47 16 GALXY 09.6 076 07
NGC 5272 13 42.2 +28 23 GLOCL 06.4 110 07
   
 

Variable Stars

(General Catalog of Variable Stars)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
GCVS ID R.A.
(hh mm ss.ss)
Dec.
(deg mm ss)
Variable Type 4 Mag. Min Mag. Max
TU CVn 12.00:52.00:39.70 +47.00:28.00:3.00 SRB 6.60 5.55
AI CVn 12.00:21.00:19.70 +42.00:49.00:10.00 DSCT 6.15 5.89
AO CVn 13.00:15.00:18.10 +40.00:50.00:7.00 DSCTC 4.75 4.70
AW CVn 13.00:49.00:35.20 +34.00:41.00:28.00 SR: 4.81 4.72
AX CVn 12.00:36.00:51.10 +36.00:13.00:35.00 ACV 6.55 6.32
BH CVn 13.00:32.00:33.90 +37.00:26.00:17.00 RS 5.01 4.94
BK CVn 13.00:16.00:7.10 +49.00:56.00:40.00 ACV 0.04 5.13
BM CVn 13.00:19.00:17.30 +39.00:8.00:32.00 RS 0.06 7.21
alf 2 CVn 12.00:53.00:41.50 +38.00:35.00:17.00 ACV 2.98 2.84
   
 

Double Stars

(Saguaro Astronomy Club Catalog)
  Only Objects <= 8.0 magnitude
 
Name R.A.
(hh mm.m)
Dec.
(deg mm)
Mag 5 Sep 6 PA 7 Tirion Uranometria
STF 1645 12 28.1 44 47 7.4, 8.0 9.90 158 7 75
STF 1692 12 56.1 38 18 2.9, 5.4 19.40 228 7 75/ 108/ 109
STF 24 13 10.1 38 30 6.0, 6.2 284.60 297 7 75/ 76/ 109
STT 261 13 12.0 32 05 7.2, 7.7 2.20 342 7 109