Hydrus

Hydrus is a small and faint constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. It should not be confused with the constellation Hydra, which is much larger and located in the northern hemisphere.

Description: Hydrus represents a water snake and was created by Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in the late 16th century based on observations by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman. It first appeared on a celestial globe in 1598 and was later depicted in Johann Bayer's Uranometria in 1603.

Location: The constellation is located near the south celestial pole, bordering Tucana, Mensa, Octans, Chamaeleon, Eridanus, and Horologium. It is best viewed from the southern hemisphere.

Notable Features: Hydrus contains a few stars of interest, although none are particularly bright.

• β Hydri: The brightest star in Hydrus, a yellow subgiant star approximately 24 light-years away. It is relatively similar to our Sun but is in a later stage of its life cycle.

• π Hydri: A red giant star with a confirmed exoplanet orbiting it.

• GJ 3021: A Sun-like star with a confirmed exoplanet.

Mythology: Being a modern constellation, Hydrus has no association with classical mythology. It was created to fill a gap in the southern sky. Its depiction as a water snake likely complements the nearby constellation of Tucana (the toucan), as water snakes are found in wetland habitats where toucans live.