Canopus

/kəˈnoʊpəs/ noun

Definition

The second brightest star in Earth's night sky, located in the constellation Carina; historically important in navigation and astronomy.

Etymology

From Greek 'Kanopus' or 'Kanopos,' originally named after the helmsman of a mythological ship or a city in ancient Egypt. The astronomical name has remained virtually unchanged since ancient Greek times.

Kelly Says

Canopus was so important to ancient navigators in the Southern Hemisphere that it shares a name with an Egyptian city, and it appears in myths, maps, and navigation tools across thousands of years—one of humanity's oldest astronomical landmarks.

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