Apus (Latin for the swallow, later applied to birds of paradise), from απους, meaning "no-feet") is a faint southern constellation, not visible to the ancient Greeks. The constellation was one of twelve constellations created by Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman between 1595 and 1597, and it first appeared in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603. Its genitive is "Apodis".

This constellation was originally named "Avis Indica" It first appeared on Petrus Plancius's 1598 celestial globe as "Paradysvogel Apis Indica": "Apis Indica" is Latin for "Indian Bee", likely an error for "Avis Indica" = "Indian Bird"; this confusion seems to have prompted a rename of two constellations: "Avis Indica" to "Apus" and "Apis" to "Musca".

Notable deep sky objects

Apus has several impressive clusters, NGC 6101 and IC 4499, as well as a very unusual nebular structure IC 4633.

References

• Ridpath, Ian; Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide. London: Collins.

External links

• The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Apus
• Peoria Astronomical Society - Apus
• NightSkyInfo.com: Constellation Apus
• style="font-style : italic;">WIKISKY.ORG: Apus on WIKISKY
• Star Tales – Apus