thumb|350px|Custos Messium and the likewise-obsolete constellation of [[Rangifer (constellation)|Tarandus depicted above Camelopardalis.]]

Custos Messium (Latin for harvest-keeper) — also known as “Vineyard Keeper," “Le Messier,” "Mietitore," and "Erndtehüter" — was a constellation created by Joseph Jérôme Lefrançois de Lalande to honor Charles Messier. It was introduced in 1775, and was located between the constellations Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and next to another subsequently abandoned constellation, Rangifer the Reindeer. Custos Messium is no longer recognized.

Etymology

Custos is derived from the classical Latin "custōs” meaning “Guardian” or “Keeper”. Messium is derived from the classical Latin “messis” meaning "harvest.”

History

After the discovery of comet C/1774 P1, (also known as Comet Montaigne]), Lalande noticed that the path the comet followed passed through several unformed stars that were associated with Camelopardalis. The border of the constellation Cassiopia was carefully drawn to incorporate the majority of the stars belonging to Custos Messium. Other stars include 23 Cassiopeiae, 47 Cassiopeiae, 49 Cassiopeiae, and γ Camelopardalis. Bode also gave them Bayer designations from A to r, while omitting i and k and adding an F as well. The stars were returned to their original constellations when the International Astronomical Union did not include Custos Messium on the list of the 88 official constellations in 1922.

See also

  • Former constellations

References

  • SEDS retrieved 23 August 2006
  • Michael E. Bakich (1995 22/09/2011)