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| English name | Austral Crown | ||||
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| Major stars | No star of the constellation exceeds the magnitude 3,5. | ||||
| Description | Small constellation between Sagittarius and Scorpius. The constellation of Corona Australis contains some double stars: in particular there are gamma Coronae Australis, with two yellow components; kappa Coronae Australis, formed by two white-blue stars; and lambda Coronae Australis, a white star of fifth magnitude with a distant companion of ninth magnitude. Observable with binoculars or with a small telescope is NGC 6541, in the southern zone of the constellation, near the border with Scorpius and Ara: it is a globular cluster of sixth magnitude, 14.000 light-years away from us. |
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| Mythology and history | Hyginus tells that this constellation represents the myrtle crown which Dionysus left in the Hades, the dead kingdom, in sign of gratitude for the infernal gods, who returned him his mother. | ||||
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