Argo Navis
Proper noun
Meaning
Argo Navis
(astronomy): A former constellation of the southern sky, said to represent the mythical ship Argo. In 1763, it was divided into the three new constellations: Carina (keel), Puppis (stern), and Vela (sail).
Examples
Although a nautical element, the constellation was not an integral part of the old Argo Navis and hence did not share in the original Bayer designations of that constellation, which were split between Carina, Vela and Puppis.
Argo Navis is the only one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy that is no longer officially recognized as a constellation.
As with go-to telescopes, digital setting circle computers (commercial names include Argo Navis, Sky Commander, and NGC Max) contain databases of tens of thousands of celestial objects and projections of planet positions.
Any given point in a celestial coordinate system can unambiguously be assigned to a single constellation (but see Argo Navis ).
The ship was placed into the sky as Argo Navis, the largest of Ptolemy's 48 classical constellations.
Some authors state that Pyxis was part of the Greek conception of Argo Navis, John Scalzi (2008) Rough Guide to the Universe, p. 240 (ISBN 9781405383707) David H. Kelley, et al.