Microscopium is a far-from convincing representation of the microscope, as imagined by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the mid-1700s. The constellation -- about thirty degrees west of Fomalhaut -- fills in some of the bleaker areas between Sagittarius, Capricornus,and Piscis Austrinus. Many of the stars have continued to carry older labels, such as 1 PsA and 4 PsA, reminders that they were once part of Piscis Austrinus.
Alpha Microscopii is the lead star (the furthest west) of a handful of 5th-mag stars which are supposed to form the figure of a microscope. The star is south of omicron Capricorni one full FOV. For those with medium-sized telescopes, the star has a 10th-mag companion at a position angle of 166º and a separation of 21". There is little else in this constellation of any interest.
