Which constellation is named after the hunting dogs of Boötes?

Which constellation is named after the hunting dogs of Boötes? Canes Venatici is the answer.

The Latin name Canes Venatici means “the hunting dogs.” In star charts, the constellation is shown as two dogs accompanying Boötes, the Herdsman, a neighboring constellation. The northern dog is traditionally called Asterion and the southern dog Chara.

The identification has an unusual history. In medieval astronomical transmission, a mistranslation turned a description of Boötes’ club into “dogs.” The idea persisted in later European star maps, and the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius established Canes Venatici as a separate constellation in the seventeenth century. It was retained among the IAU’s 88 modern constellations.

The constellation is not especially bright, but it contains several famous objects. Cor Caroli, meaning “Charles’s heart,” is its brightest star, while the Whirlpool Galaxy lies within its boundaries. Canis Major and Canis Minor are different constellations; despite their similar names, neither is the pair represented here.