# the Sails · Vela (Vel)

- Latin name: Vela
- Common name: the Sails
- Abbreviation: Vel
- Latin genitive: Velorum
- Name pronunciation: VEE-luh, VAY-luh
- Genitive pronunciation: vee-LOR-um, vuh-LOR-um
- Sky region: South of the celestial equator
- Boundary declination range: -57.17° to -37.16°
- Chart reference: J2000
- Chart sections: 1

Charts show a fixed J2000 reference. What you can see depends on your location, the date and the time.

## Charts

This image was made with reference to IAU charts.

- [Vela · Light chart · SVG](https://constellations.wiki/media/styled/vel-light.svg)
- [Dark chart · SVG](https://constellations.wiki/media/styled/vel-dark.svg)
- [View IAU original](https://constellations.wiki/media/reference/iau/vel.gif)
- [Vela · PDF](https://constellations.wiki/downloads/pdf/vel.pdf)
- [Vela · GIF](https://constellations.wiki/media/original/vel.gif)
- [Vela · TXT](https://constellations.wiki/downloads/boundaries/vel.txt)

## How to read this chart

![Deep-sky legend](https://constellations.wiki/media/legends/legend-en.svg)

Dots mark stars, and their sizes indicate brightness. Stars appear dark on light charts and light on dark charts. Green lines show a constellation pattern. The surrounding grid gives right ascension and declination.

This is a fixed reference map, rather than a view of tonight’s sky.

- [Reading a star chart](https://constellations.wiki/en/guides/reading-star-charts/index.md)