This constellation has been known since ancient times and is often represented as a fish drinking the flow of water from the urn of the neighbouring Aquarius the water bearer. The fish has been identified with the Babylonian fish god Oannes and is said to be the parent of the zodiacal fish Pisces.
Arabic astronomers called the constellation Al Hut al
Janubiyy or the Large Southern Fish.
There is only one bright star in Piscis Austrinus. Alpha or Fomalhaut which means the fish’s mouth. To some early Arabic astronomers, it was Al Difdi al Awwal or the First Frog. The Chinese knew the sat as Pi Lo Sze Mun the meaning is unknown.
is the most southerly
of the 1st magnitude stars from that can be seen from Britain, it is seen
autumn can be found by using the two right hand stars of the square of Pegasus.
Fomalhaut is of
magnitude 1.2 and is an A class star with a temperature of 8,000’C and lies at
a distance of 25 light years.
www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk
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