Canes Venatici

noun

Ca·​nes Ve·​nat·​i·​ci ˈkā-ˌnēz-və-ˈna-tə-ˌsī How to pronounce Canes Venatici (audio)
astronomy
: a northern constellation that is visible between the constellations of Boötes and Ursa Major and that is represented by the figures of dogs

Note: The dogs of Canes Venatici are usually pictured as being held on a leash by the figure of Boötes the Herdsman, the figure associated with the constellation Boötes.

About 640,000 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Canes Venatici, the galaxy is one of the most remote Milky Way satellites ever found.Ron Cowen, Science News, 1 July 2006

Word History

First Known Use

1728, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Canes Venatici was in 1728

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Cite this Entry

“Canes Venatici.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Canes%20Venatici. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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