| Constellation | |
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| Abbreviation | Vel |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Velorum |
| Pronunciation | /ˈviːlə/, genitive /vɪˈloʊrəm/ |
| Symbolism | the Sails |
| Right ascension | 9h |
| Declination | −50° |
| Quadrant | SQ2 |
| Area | 500 sq. deg. (32nd) |
| Main stars | 5 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars | 50 |
| Stars with planets | 7 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 5 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 3 |
| Brightest star | γ Vel (1.75m) |
| Messier objects | 0 |
| Meteor showers | Delta Velids Gamma Velids Puppid-velids |
| Bordering constellations | Antlia Pyxis Puppis Carina Centaurus |
| Visible at latitudes between +30° and −90°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of March. | |
Vela is a constellation in the southern sky, which contains the Vela Supercluster. Its name is Latin for the sails of a ship, and it was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship Argo Navis, which was later divided into three parts, the others being Carina and Puppis. With an apparent magnitude of 1.8, its brightest star is the hot blue multiple star Gamma Velorum, one component of which is the closest and brightest Wolf-Rayet star in the sky. Delta and Kappa Velorum, together with Epsilon and Iota Carinae, form the asterism known as the False Cross. 1.95-magnitude Delta is actually a triple or quintuple star system.