Canis Minor is one of the 48 constellations first cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. Its name means “lesser dog” in Latin. It represents the smaller of Orion's two hunting dogs along with its larger neighbor, Canis Major. In another legend, this constellation represents Maere, the dog of the wine-maker Icarius, who was killed by his friends after they mistakenly thought that Icarius was trying to poison them. Canis Minor was sometimes associated with the Teumessian Fox, the beast that could not be outrun. Zeus turned the fox to stone along with its hunter, the dog Laelaps. Zeus then placed the two of them in the heavens as Canis Minor and Canis Major. Canis Minor is usually depicted on charts as a small dog standing on the back of Monoceros, the unicorn.

Fun Fact: Planetary nebulae are the graceful farewell of smaller stars, while supernovae are the explosive, violent deaths of giants, enriching the universe with heavy elements crucial for new stars and planets.