Constellation · Dor
Dorado
The Swordfish
Contains most of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, including the Tarantula Nebula.
Magnitude 3.30
Highest in the sky at 9 pm local time (winter in the northern hemisphere)
Latitudes where every part of it rises above the horizon at some time of year
The whole sky covers about 41,253 square degrees
Stars brighter than about magnitude 6, the naked-eye limit under dark skies
Can you see Dorado from where you live?
This depends only on your latitude. Pick the row nearest to you; for your exact sky tonight, use the sky map.
| Latitude | Dorado |
|---|---|
| 60°N | Never rises |
| 40°N | Only part of it ever clears the horizon |
| 20°N | Only part of it ever clears the horizon |
| the equator | The whole constellation rises and sets |
| 20°S | The whole constellation rises and sets |
| 40°S | The whole constellation rises and sets |
| 60°S | Visible all night, all year (it never sets) |
Questions about Dorado
When is Dorado best seen?
Dorado stands highest in the sky at 9 pm local time in January. That makes winter evenings the best time for observers in the northern hemisphere; in the southern hemisphere the season is reversed.
What is the brightest star in Dorado?
The brightest star in Dorado is Alpha Doradus, magnitude 3.30.
Where on Earth can you see Dorado?
The whole of Dorado can be seen from latitudes between about 90°S and 20°N. From 40°N: Only part of it ever clears the horizon. From 35°S: The whole constellation rises and sets.
What does Dorado mean?
Dorado is Latin for "the Swordfish". Charted by Dutch navigators in the late 1500s.