Constellation · Ind
Indus
The Indian
A faint southern constellation; its brightest star is about magnitude 3.1.
Magnitude 3.11
Highest in the sky at 9 pm local time (autumn 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
Named stars in Indus
Brightest first. A lower magnitude means a brighter star.
- Persian (Alpha Indi)mag 3.11
Can you see Indus 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 | Indus |
|---|---|
| 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 Indus
When is Indus best seen?
Indus stands highest in the sky at 9 pm local time in October. That makes autumn evenings the best time for observers in the northern hemisphere; in the southern hemisphere the season is reversed.
What is the brightest star in Indus?
The brightest star in Indus is Persian (Alpha Indi), magnitude 3.11.
Where on Earth can you see Indus?
The whole of Indus can be seen from latitudes between about 90°S and 16°N. From 40°N: Only part of it ever clears the horizon. From 35°S: The whole constellation rises and sets.
What does Indus mean?
Indus is Latin for "the Indian". Charted by Dutch navigators in the late 1500s.