Musca (Latin: fly) is a small constellation in the deep southern sky. It was one of twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, first appearing on a 35-cm (14 in) diameter celestial globe by Plancius and Jodocus Hondius published in 1597 or 1598 in Amsterdam. The first depiction in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603. Musca remains below the horizon for most Northern Hemisphere observers. Many of the constellation's brighter stars are in the Scorpius–Centaurus Association, hot blue-white stars that appear to share a common origin and motion across the Milky Way. These include Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Zeta2 and (likely) Eta Muscae, as well as HD 100546, a blue-white Herbig Ae/Be star that is surrounded by a complex debris disk containing a large planet or brown dwarf and possible protoplanet. Two further star systems have been found to have planets. The constellation also contains two Cepheid variables visible to the naked eye. Theta Muscae is a triple star system, the brightest member of which is a Wolf–Rayet star.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musca
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1124:
Lamberto Scannabecchi was elected Pope and took the name Honorius II. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Honorius_II
1826:
Settlers in Mexican Texas from the United States made the first attempt to secede from Mexico, establishing the short-lived Republic of Fredonia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredonian_Rebellion
1937:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length cel- animated feature in film history, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film)
1988:
The world's largest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya
2012:
Countries that were part of the Maya civilization celebrated the end-date of a 5,126-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
on ice: 1. (idiomatic) Not being used; temporarily unavailable or suspended; on hold. 2. Of an entertainment normally performed on a stage: performed by ice skaters as an ice show. 3. Of a sporting or other contest: in a state of assured victory for the leading contestant. […] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/on_ice
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
I myself have never been able to find out what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute. --Rebecca West https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Rebecca_West