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Mensa

The Table Mountain

Constellation of the southern sky

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GenitiveMensae
AbbreviationMen
Constellation FamilyLa Caille
Celestial QuadrantSQ1 and SQ2
Right Ascension3h13 to 7h37
Declination-71.0° to -85.5°
Area (sq deg)153
Brightest StarAlpha Mensae
Optimum VisibilityDecember (Usually visible from southern latitudes)
Map of Mensa Map of Mensa

Near the Southern Celestial Pole lies this small faint group of stars, which also contains a part of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Its original full name was Mons Mensae, named after the Table Mountain where de La Caille had his observatory.

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