Centaurus (the centaur) was one of the 48
constellations listed by
Ptolemy, and counts also among the 88 modern constellations. It contains Proxima Centauri, the red dwarf that is the nearest known
star (other than the
Sun) to
Earth, as well as
Alpha Centauri, which is a double star to which Proxima Centauri is apparently gravitationally bound. It also contains Omega Centauri, the brightest globular cluster in the sky.
According to Greek Mythology, the constellation is Cheiron who was a wise Centaur (half-man, half-horse) known as a tutor to Jason (the Argonauts leader), and tutor to Hercules (a demi-god).