Pronunciation:

(KOR-vus)

Abbreviation:

Crv

  Genitive:

Corvi

Right Ascension:

12 hours

  Declination:

-20 degrees

Area in Square Degrees:

184

Crosses Meridian:

9 PM, May 10

Visible Between Latitudes:

60 and -90 degrees

The constellation Corvus, the crow, is located in the southern hemisphere of the sky. It is visible in the Northern Hemisphere from January until May and is completely visible at latitudes between 60 degrees and -90 degrees. It is a small constellation, covering an area of only 184 degrees. It ranks 70th in size among the 88 constellations in the night sky. It is bordered by Virgo to the north and east, Hydra to the south, and Crater to the west. The four brightest stars in this constellation form a square asterism known as the Sail, or the Spica’s Spanker, because two of the stars point the way to Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.

Corvus is one of the 48 constellations identified by the astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. Its name means “crow” in Latin. It is an ancient constellation that was known since the time of the Babylonians. They saw it as a raven, and it was sacred to Adad, the god of rain and storm. To the ancient Greeks, it was a crow sent by Apollo to fetch water. The raven wasted his time eating figs. After returning late, Apollo punished him by throwing him into the heavens. He was also condemned to endure eternal thirst. This is why the crow caws instead of singing like other birds.