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Constellation of the southern sky

Genitive	Pictoris
Abbreviation	Pic
Constellation Family	La Caille
Celestial Quadrants	SQ1, SQ2
Right Ascension	04h34 to 06h52
Declination	-42.8° to -64.2°
Area (sq deg)	247
Brightest Star	Alpha Pictoris
Optimum Visibility	December / January (Usually visible from southern latitudes)
Notes	This small region eastward of brilliant Canopus in neighouring Carina contains few bright stars of its own, and indeed only two stars above fifth magnitude. It was originally named as the 'Easel and Palette' by Lacaille, a name Latinised as Equuleus Pictoris (the 'Painter's Easel') and later abbreviated to Pictor, which simply means 'Painter'.

A small and faint constellation lying between the brilliant star Canopus and the Small Magellanic Cloud. Though it contains few bright stars or other objects, it contains the galaxy Pictor A, which is a relatively strong radio source.

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