Vela

The constellation Vela, whose name is derived from the Latin word for sails, occupies a prominent position in the southern celestial hemisphere. Positioned in the southern sky, Vela is surrounded by other constellations characteristic of the Southern Hemisphere.

Stars

Notable stars within the Vela constellation include Gamma Velorum, also known as Suhail, which is a multiple star system. Other significant stars like Delta Velorum and Kappa Velorum contribute to the celestial landscape of Vela.

Objects

The constellation is also home to the Vela Supernova Remnant (SNR), a large and faint nebula resulting from a supernova explosion that occurred around 11,000 to 12,300 years ago. The Vela SNR is recognized as one of the closest supernova remnants to Earth. Deep-sky objects in Vela include the Gum Nebula, a substantial emission nebula, and NGC 3201, a globular cluster observable with telescopes.

History

In Greek mythology, Vela was an integral part of the larger Argo Navis, symbolizing the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts in their legendary quest.