Sextans is one of the most unremarkable looking constellations in the sky. It is very small and has no bright stars. It was named by astronomer Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century after the Sextans Uraniae, otherwise known as the Sextant. Until the advent of computers and satellites, the Sextant was the primary tool for navigation at sea. It measured the angle of celestial objects above the horizon, which was compared with astronomical charts, and helped determine the exact location of the ship. It was also a favourite tool of astronomers at the time, which is what earned it a place in the sky as a constellation. Below are examples of sextants, showing their familiar triangular shape, which inspired the naming of the triangular grouping of faint stars that make up the constellation.

The constellation can be found sandwiched between familiar Leo above, and the long winding shape of Hydra below.

NGC 3115

There is one notable object in the constellation, NGC 3115, also known as the Spindle Galaxy.
It is a bright spiral galaxy seen almost edge on, located about 32 million light years away.
At the centre of the galaxy is a supermassive black hole, approximately one billion times as massive as our Sun.

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