Description

The star maps below give graphical representations of Flamsteed's catalog, illustrating some of the features described on the previous page. They use the equatorial and ecliptic coordinate systems corresponding to the catalog's equinox January 1st, 1690 (1689 Annum Completum) of the Julian Calendar, or

Julian Day2,338,331
Besselian epochB1690.0316…
Julian epochJ1690.0369…

The ecliptic coordinate system uses the obliquity value computed according to the IAU 2006 precession model, close to 23°28'47", which differs only slightly from Flamsteed's value 23°29'00" used to compute the catalog's ecliptic coordinates.

Catalog stars are represented according to Flamsteed's equatorial positions and magnitudes from the catalog. Their representation and the general features of the maps are described on the historical catalogs page.

Magnitudes given as a range have been "interpolated by thirds", so that the range 3-4 corresponds to the value 3.33 and the range 4-3 to 3.66, for instance. In the catalog, the magnitude is sometimes replaced by the abbreviation tel (telescopic), neb (nebulous), obs (obscure), or completely absent. I have assigned arbitrary magnitude values to these special cases according to the following table.

MagnitudeAssigned valueCases
none6.0 10 cases
obs7.07 Cap, 10 Cap, 12 Cap
tel8.07 Ari
neb4.033 And, 55 And

Catalog entries are labeled with their Flamsteed number within the constellation and their Bayer-style letters as assigned by Flamsteed. No correction has been applied to Flamsteed's letters, even the ones likely affected by typographical errors (for instance, 65 Psc is labeled iota instead of i as mentioned by Baily in the notes to his updated version of the British Catalogue).

Baily's corrections

The maps also represent in red the positions corrected or supplied by Francis Baily in his updated version of the British Catalogue, as explained on the previous page. These corrections bring all the existing stars of the catalog in pretty good agreement with their modern positions.

With these conventions in place, all the Flamsteed stars appear on the maps except 5 Cyg and 38 Cyg which remain without position even after applying the corrections (they are listed as non-existent anyway). The other non-existent stars appear as disks without reference star nearby.

Maps by constellation

The maps below cover one constellation at a times. They are arranged in the same order as the constellations in Flamsteed's catalog. Maps covering Microscopium and Scutum have been added because they contain stars respectively assigned by Flamsteed to Piscis Austrinus and Aquila that would not be visible on any other map.

Zodiacal constellations

Aries
ARI
Taurus
TAU
Gemini
GEM
Cancer
CNC
Leo
LEO
Virgo
VIR
Libra
LIB
Scorpius
SCO
Sagittarius
SGR
Capricornus
CAP
Aquarius
AQR
Pisces
PSC

Southern constellations

Cetus
CET
Eridanus (N)
ERI_N
Orion
ORI
Lepus
LEP
Monoceros
MON
Canis Major
CMA
Canis Minor
CMI
Puppis
PUP
Hydra (W)
HYA_W
Crater
CRT
Hydra (E)
HYA_E
Corvus
CRV
Sextans
SEX
Centaurus
CEN
Lupus
LUP
Piscis Austrinus
PSA
PsA (in Mic)
MIC

Northern constellations

Cassiopeia
CAS
Andromeda
AND
Triangulum
TRI
Perseus
PER
Camelopardalis
CAM
Auriga
AUR
Lynx
LYN
Leo Minor
LMI
Ursa Major
UMA
Draco
DRA
Coma Berenices
COM
Canes Venatici
CVN
Boötes
BOO
Corona Borealis
CRB
Ursa Minor
UMI
Hercules
HER
Serpens Caput
SER1
Serpens Cauda
SER2
Ophiuchus
OPH
Lyra
LYR
Aquila
AQL
Aquila (in Sct)
SCT
Sagitta
SGE
Vulpecula
VUL
Cygnus
CYG
Delphinus
DEL
Equuleus
EQU
Pegasus
PEG
Lacerta
LAC
Cepheus
CEP

Maps by hemisphere

The two maps below give an overall view of Flamsteed's catalogs one hemisphere at a time.

They are centered on the equatorial poles of the B1875.0 coordinate system, the reference for constellation boundaries, and present the same contents as the maps by constellation.

Northern Hemisphere
NORTH
Southern Hemisphere
SOUTH

Acknowledgments.

  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France. The original description of the VizieR service was published in A&AS 143, 23.
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France.