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Piscis Austrinus or Piscis Australis ( Latin: southern fish) was one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy, and is also one of the 88 modern constellations. Its only bright star is Fomalhaut. Prior to the 20th century, the constellation was also known as Piscis Notius, a name used to distinguish it from Pisces and the later introduced Piscis Volans (the flying fish). Stars Fomalhaut represents the mouth of the fish. It is a well known binary star, the companion being a white dwarf. Beta PsA is the only other star in the constellation to have been named, being Tien Kang (heavenly rope) in China. It is also a binary, although of two more nearly equal stars. Mythology It is thought that originally Piscis Austrinus was the only constellation representing a fish, Pisces becoming fish only later. References * Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide
Aquarius, Piscis Australis and Ballon Aerostatique (an older constellation) Links
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, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.