One must understand how important the invention of the sextant was, particularly to an astronomer like Hevelius who commemorated it in 1658. Originally Sextans was comprised of twelve otherwise unclaimed stars between Leo and Hydra west of Cancer.
Sextans is a small constellation. It was known at one time as “Sudarium Verdnicae”, the veil or handkerchief of Veronica of the Way of the Cross.
|
| Symbol | Sex |
| Right Ascension |
10:15
|
| Declination | -3 |
| Diameter (°) | 11 |
| Area (square °) | 314 |
| Opposition |
Feb 20
|
| Size Rank |
47th
|
| Brightness Rank |
86th
|
| Genitive | Sextantis |
|