Canis Minor Constellation
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Canis Minor, the lesser dog, is a small constellation in the northern sky, containing the bright star Procyon, part of the Winter Triangle asterism.
Canis Minor Rise and Set Timetable
| Time | Elevation | |
| Canis Minor transit | 09:00 | 59° |
Moonrise, 21% illuminated ![]() | 09:49 | 57° |
| Canis Minor set | 15:19 | |
| Astronomical observing session begins | 18:57 | -38° |
| Moonset | 20:26 | -45° |
| Canis Minor rise | 02:37 | |
| Astronomical observing session ends | 03:26 | 10° |
| Civil sunrise | 03:59 | 16° |
| Sunrise | 04:28 | 22° |
Track Canis Minor Position Throughout the Night
← 18 August 2026 →
| Time | |
| Altitude | |
| Azimuth |
Shift the map to change the time and observe Canis Minor changing position in the night sky.
Nebulae in the constellation Canis Minor
NGC2394
Open Cluster
NGC2394 is an open cluster with apparent magnitude in the constellation Canis Minor.
NGC2402
Galaxy Pair
NGC2402 is a galaxy pair with apparent magnitude in the constellation Canis Minor, spanning approximately 1.5 arcseconds in the sky.
NGC2459
Open Cluster
NGC2459 is an open cluster with apparent magnitude in the constellation Canis Minor, spanning approximately 2.7 arcseconds in the sky.
Annual motion of Canis Minor
| Date | Tue, 18 August 2026 |
| Twilight start | 19:28 |
| Twilight end | 02:44 |
| Twilight duration | 7h 17m |
| Rise | 02:37 |
| Set | 15:15 |
| Elevation at transit | 59° |
| Transit time | 08:56 |
| Equatorial coordinates | RA: 07h 37m 15s", Dec: 06° 38' 31s |
| Magnitude | - |
| Constellation |
The graph illustrates the constellation’s annual visibility pattern and its daily rise, set, and transit times throughout the year.
The vertical axis shows the hours of the day, while the horizontal axis spans the days of the year.
The reddish area marks when the constellation is above the horizon. The white line shows when it reaches its highest point in the sky. View detailed visibility information in a table with rise, transit, and set times for each date.
The vertical axis shows the hours of the day, while the horizontal axis spans the days of the year.
The reddish area marks when the constellation is above the horizon. The white line shows when it reaches its highest point in the sky. View detailed visibility information in a table with rise, transit, and set times for each date.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for defining and standardizing the official constellation boundaries used in celestial mapping.
Special thanks to Sky & Telescope Magazine and contributors Roger Sinnott and Rick Fienberg for producing the charts and tables. Alan MacRobert’s constellation patterns were influenced by the work of H. A. Rey and adjusted to align with earlier traditions.



