Canis Minor

constellation · northern sky · ancient astronomy

The Little Dog. Canis Minor is Latin for 'lesser dog,' and it's a small constellation you can see in the northern sky. It's named to contrast with Canis Major, the bigger dog constellation nearby.

Ancient Pattern. Over 2,000 years ago, the Greek astronomer Ptolemy included Canis Minor as one of 48 constellations he recognized. Today, it's one of 88 official constellations that astronomers use to map the night sky.

Following Orion. In mythology, both Canis Minor and Canis Major are pictured as hunting dogs following Orion the hunter across the sky. You can find them near Orion's constellation if you look at the winter night sky.

Small But Bright. Even though Canis Minor is one of the smallest constellations, it contains bright stars that make it easy to spot from Earth. Its brightest star is Procyon, one of the brightest stars visible from our planet.