Which constellation contains the south celestial pole?

Octans is the constellation that contains the south celestial pole.

The pole lies within Octans’ official boundaries in the deep southern sky. The constellation was created by French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille during his expedition to the Cape of Good Hope and first appeared in his 1752 catalogue of southern constellations.

Octans is named after the octant, an instrument used for navigation and measuring angles between celestial objects and the horizon. Unlike many older constellations, it has no ancient mythology because it was introduced during the scientific mapping of the southern sky in the Age of Enlightenment.

A common mix-up involves Sigma Octantis, also called Polaris Australis. This star is often described as the southern pole star, but it is not exactly at the pole: it lies a little more than one degree away and is too faint to be a practical navigational guide. The true south celestial pole is a point in the sky, not a star.