Abbreviation:

Pav

English name:

Peacock

Coordinates

see Stellar data

Particulars:

• Binary xi Pav
• Variable star kappa Pav (period: 9 days)
• Globular cluster NGC 6752

General:

As a constellation of the southern hemisphere Pavo is located between Telescopium to the north and Octans to the south.

Stars and other objects

The double xi Pav is a rather unequal pair. The primary star is a red giant of 4.36 mag. Its campanion of 8.1 mag is hard to observe because of the glow of the primary. Smaller scopes may fail to resolve this pair.
The variable star kappa Pav belong to the pulsating stars of the W Virginis type. Every 9 days, 1 hour and 36 minutes the brightness of this F5 supergiant varies from 3.9 mag to 4.8 mag.
A nice object for binoculars and small telescopes is the large globular cluster NGC 6752. In the outer regions of the 7th mag cluster an 8th mag double star can be seen, but it does not belong to the cluster. The double is apparently a foreground object.