This narrow, faint constellation represents the chisel of a sculptor or engraver. It lies southward of Orion and Lepus, and is sandwiched between Columba and the central stretch of the long river Eridanus. The triangular 'head' of Columba the Dove looks directly westward towards the stars of Caelum.
Viewed relative to the Galaxy as a whole, Caelum's sparseness is easy to understand: it describes a slice of sky that looks out into empty intergalactic space.
Caelum is a small and inoffensive constellation that might most kindly be described as 'sparse'. Only four stars are visible without optical aid, and none of these exceed fourth magnitude.
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