- From the perspective of an observer on Earth, the Norma Arm of the Milky Way passes through the constellation Norma, and it’s from the constellation that the arm’s name is derived.
- Star Tales - Norma (ianridpath.com)
Norma is one of the constellations introduced by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille following his mapping of the southern skies in 1751–52. It consists of faint stars between Ara and Lupus that were not catalogued by Ptolemy. On his 1756 planisphere Lacaille called it l’Equerre et la Regle, although in his accompanying star catalogue the name was given simply as l’Équerre. In the notes to his catalogue he described it as representing an architect’s set-square and ruler.
- Norma (constellation) (Wikipedia)
Norma is a small constellation in the Southern Celestial Hemisphere between Ara and Lupus, one of twelve drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille and one of several depicting scientific instruments. Its name is Latin for normal, referring to a right angle, and is variously considered to represent a rule, a carpenter’s square, a set square or a level. It remains one of the 88 modern constellations.
