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Capricornus (pronounced /?kæpr?'k?rn?s/, Latin for "horned (male) goat" or "goat horn") is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It is commonly called Capricorn, especially when referring to the corresponding astrological sign (symbol  or  , Unicode ?). It is also called the sea-goat, as it is in an area of the sky known as the Sea. Capricornus is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Under its modern boundaries it is bordered by Aquila, Sagittarius, Microscopium, Piscis Austrinus and Aquarius. This constellation is the dimmest in the zodiac besides Cancer. Its brighter stars are found on a triangle whose vertices are a2 Capricorni (Giedi), d Capricorni (Deneb Algiedi), and ? Capricorni. Capricorn has several galaxies and clusters. Messier 30 is a globular cluster located 1 degree south of the galaxy group, NGC 7103. The constellation also harbors the wide spiral galaxy of NGC 6907. This constellation is one of the oldest to have been identified, possibly the oldest, despite its dimness. Since it falls in an area of the sky known as the sea, it became considered a sea-goat (in the same sense as a sea-maiden). Depictions of a goat or goat-fish have been found on Babylonian tablets dating back three thousand years. The constellation may owe its antiquity to the fact that at that time, the northern hemisphere's Winter Solstice occurred while the sun was in Capricorn. The concern for the sun's rebirth might have rendered astronomical and astrological observation of this region of space very important.
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