Constellation The Table

Mensa (The Table): gift, map and visability

  • Meaning: The Table
  • Best seen in: January
  • Family: Lacaille
  • Latitude: 0° to -90°

Mensa or The Table is one of the 88 constellations modern astronomers have divided the sky into. It's part of the Lacaille constellation family. Mensa is best seen in January (from latitudes 0° to -90°).

Between 1751 and 1752 astronomer Lacaille observed and cataloged many stars from the peak of Table Mountain, which is located near Cape Town in South Africa. Lacaille placed the constellation near the Large Magellanic cloud because it reminded him of the clouds at Table Mountain. Being located so close to the south celestial pole means that southern hemisphere residents can see Mensa all year-round, with the Large Magellanic cloud acting as a useful reference point for finding this faint constellation.

Mensa Constellation Map

Mensa Constellation Map
Mensa icon

Main Stars in The Table (Mensa)

The constellation Mensa contains several bright stars that make up its shape. Some of these main stars are known as:

  • Alpha Mensae
  • Gamma Mensae
  • Beta Mensae
  • Theta Mensae
  • Mu Mensae
  • Zeta Mensae
  • Pi Mensae

Some of the deep sky objects which have been discovered in Mensa include: Large Magellanic Cloud, NGC 1987, PKS 0637-752.

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88 constellations: Find out more about each of the 88 constellations and the 12 zodiacs!
Constellation facts about Mensa

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