- Lynx is a constellation named after the animal, usually observed in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere. The constellation was introduced in the late 17th century by Johannes Hevelius. It is a faint constellation, with its brightest stars forming a zigzag line. The orange giant Alpha Lyncis is the brightest star in the constellation, and the semiregular variable star Y Lyncis is a target for amateur astronomers. Six star systems have been found to contain planets. Those of 6 Lyncis and HD 75898 were discovered by the Doppler method; those of XO-2, XO-4, XO-5 and WASP-13 were observed as they passed in front of the host star.
- Alchiba (stars.astro.illinois.edu)
ALCHIBA (Alpha Corvi). It is standard “knowledge” in astronomy that “Alpha” represents the brightest star in a constellation, “Beta” the second brightest, and so on. While such is often true, the rule is as much broken as held to, sometimes dramatically. Alchiba, the Alpha star of Corvus, the Crow, is a fine example.
