Cancer Minor

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Four 5th magnitude stars in Gemini represent the constellation. Cancer minor starmap.png
Four 5th magnitude stars in Gemini represent the constellation.

Cancer Minor (Latin for "lesser crab") was a constellation composed from a few stars in Gemini adjacent to Cancer. The constellation was introduced in 1612 (or 1613) by Petrus Plancius. [1]

The 5th-magnitude stars constituting Cancer Minor were HIP 36616, and 68, 74, 81 and 85 Geminorum, forming a faint natural arrow-shaped asterism.

Detail from Atlas Coelestis, 1681 (Map shown in mirror image, from outside celestial sphere) Cancer Minor 1681.jpg
Detail from Atlas Coelestis, 1681 (Map shown in mirror image, from outside celestial sphere)

It is only found on a few 17th-century Dutch celestial globes and in the atlas of Andreas Cellarius. It was no longer used after the 18th century.

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