Jordan (constellation)

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The Jordan River ( lat. Jordanus ) is a constellation in the northern sky that is not one of the 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) .

The Jordan includes the entire constellation of the Hounds (Canes Venatici), the extreme south of the Great Bear (Ursa Maior) and the entire constellation of the Little Lion (Leo Minor) and the Lynx (Lynx).

The brightest stars of the constellation are α Canum Venaticorum (2.85 m ) and α Lyncis (3.12 m ), today both main stars of their constellations Hunting Dogs and Lynx. The remaining stars are all very faint, maximum size class 4 m , mostly size class 5 m or less.

The river Jordan was depicted in 1612 by the Dutch theologian, astronomer and cartographer Petrus Plancius on a celestial globe made by him, as a filling constellation between the great she-bear, the bear keeper, the lion, the twins and the carter.

Petrus Plancius probably introduced this constellation for purely religious theological reasons: the holy Jordan River as a heavenly counterpart. But as a constellation that is much too elongated and too faint, it was suspicious to astronomers from the start. In addition, it had no resemblance to the true course of the earth's Jordan River. In this starry area, they introduced three smaller, more manageable constellations with hunting dogs, the little lion and the lynx, which ultimately became established.

Observed at midnight, viewed from Germany, the Jordan River is highest in winter and spring, and for the most part it is circumpolar .

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