Corona Australis (Southern Crown) Guide
Corona Australis IAU constellation (128 sq deg, rank 80): August curved wreath south of Sagittarius Teapot, led by Meridiana (+4.10) and NGC 6726/6729.
Sky Navigation & Astrophysical Context
Tucked immediately beneath the Teapot of Sagittarius and east of the curved tail of Scorpius, Corona Australis spans 128 square degrees of the southern summer sky (ranking 80th in area). One of Ptolemy's original 48 Almagest constellations, this graceful horseshoe wreath of fourth- and fifth-magnitude stars represents the laurel crown sitting at the forefeet of the Centaur-Archer Sagittarius.
Although none of its stars exceed fourth magnitude, the tight semicircular arc formed by Gamma (+4.23), Alpha (Meridiana, an A2 Va star at +4.10), Beta (a K0 II-III orange giant at +4.11), Delta (+4.57), Zeta (+4.74), and Theta Coronae Australis stands out unmistakably in binoculars against the southern Milky Way edge.
Just inside the northern rim of the wreath around Epsilon and Gamma Coronae Australis lies the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud (the 'Coronet' star-forming complex) at only ~130 parsecs—one of the closest active star-forming regions to the Solar System—featuring the bright blue reflection nebulae NGC 6726/6727, variable fan nebula NGC 6729 (R CrA), and the nearby globular cluster NGC 6541 (Caldwell 78, V = +6.3).
Equatorial Center Position & Transit Altitude
Corona Australis is centered near Right Ascension 18h 38m 24s, Declination −41° 29′ 24″ (The Southern Crown).
Practical Star-Hopping & Observing Tips
- Look 8° directly south of the Teapot's southern base stars (Kaus Australis and Ascella in Sagittarius) to trace the delicate arc of the Southern Crown in binoculars.
- Center a 150 mm+ telescope just southeast of Epsilon Coronae Australis to observe the reflection nebula pair NGC 6726/6727 and the dark dust lane of Bernes 157.
- Split the tight binary Gamma Coronae Australis (two F8 V stars of magnitude +4.9 and +5.0 separated by ~1.3 arcseconds) at 200× magnification.
Notable Celestial Objects in & Near Corona Australis
| Object | Family | Classification | RA (J2000) | Dec (J2000) | Min. Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8 / NGC 6523) | nebulae | Giant H II emission nebula with embedded open cluster NGC 6530 | 18h 03m 47.00s | -24° 23′ 12.0″ | Naked eye / 7×50 binoculars |
| Sagittarius A* (Galactic Center Black Hole) | compact-objects | Supermassive black hole at the dynamical center of the Milky Way | 17h 45m 40.04s | -29° 00′ 28.1″ | Binoculars / wide-field telescope to view the surrounding Galactic Center star clouds |
Scientific Sources Cited
- IAU Official Constellation Boundaries & Designations (IAU 88 Recognized Constellations): Delporte, E. 1930, Délimitation scientifique des constellations (IAU / Cambridge University Press) — International Astronomical Union (IAU)
- SIMBAD Astronomical Database (CDS) (2026-10 release): Wenger, M., et al. 2000, A&AS, 143, 9 (The SIMBAD astronomical database) — Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg