Phoenix constellation

Phoenix is one of the constellations that go back to the Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman and which Petrus Plancius immortalised on his celestial globes in the late 16th century. It depicts the mythical firebird that burns at the end of its life and rises anew from its own ashes, an ancient symbol of renewal. Its brightest star is Ankaa, an orange giant whose name refers to a legendary bird of Arabic tradition; another named star is Wurren. Phoenix offers few deep-sky highlights for small instruments, though it does contain a number of galaxies. It lies south of Cetus and Sculptor. From Central Europe it remains practically invisible, as not even its brightest star climbs above the horizon here.