In the night sky billions of stars located at huge distance from Earth flicker. Since ancient times the observers and astronomers allocated the brightest of them in star groups.
Constellation of Crows (Corvus)
Astronomers allocated group of stars of the Raven still in the ancient time. The first descriptions of the constellation meet even in Ptolemaeus's work to Almagesta. Detailed descriptions of the Raven in works of astronomers of the 17-19th centuries meet: Bayer's Uranometriya (1603) and ""Urania's Mirror"" of Jehoshaphat Aspin (1825). The code in star atlases is CRV.
Bright stars in the constellation are not observed, however to look here is also on what. For example, pair galaxy of NGC 4038, known as Tail Ring, Antenna or Rat Tail. All this names of the same galaxy. Though it cannot also be considered in the telescope if its power less than 8 inches (200 mm), are one of the brightest pair galaxies.
Nearby there is one more galaxy of spiral type - NGC 4027. The dim variable star of TV of the Raven was opened as new in 1931 by Clyde Tombakh. For this period of time it managed to flash more than 10 times. R of the Raven is a variable star like Mira. Its gloss changes ranging from 6.7 up to 14.4 in 11 months.
As the constellation looks
The heavenly Raven looks as the wrong polygon with a small piece from the main star of an alpha (α) to an epsilon (ε). On some Crows cards a polygon, but this wrong designation is designated just as. The constellation in itself, in general, imperceptible and to find for inexperienced observers - a difficult task. That to find it, it is necessary to find at first bright to Speke, then to translate a look slightly to the west and to find a dim quadrangle of the Raven.
Raven - the constellation imperceptible, but it is possible to find it, thanks to the Maiden's alpha located nearby - Speke.
Location of the constellation of Crows
Raven - the constellation of the Southern hemisphere which is at the southern borders of an ecliptic. Neighboring constellations: Hydra, Bowl, Maiden. Connect with formation of this constellation rather not the myth, but the real poetic fiction which appeared after the most star group. The legend narrates, allegedly god Apollo sent the raven with a vessel behind water, however the last strongly was late, and having returned, brought a water snake in claws.
The best time for observation of the Raven - March and April.
The messenger began to explain that he was late so because he was attacked by a hydra, but actually he waited when figs at a stream keep up. Apollo knew that the raven lies, and therefore placed all three on the sky. The vessel became the neighboring constellation of Crater, and an ""artful"" water snake - Hydra. The heavenly Raven kind of keeps the Hydra in claws, and to the right of it the Bowl which really in a form reminds a cup is located.