SPORADES

, in Astronomy, a name by which the ancients distinguished such stars as were not included in any constellation. These the moderns more usually call unformed, or extraconstellary stars.

Many of the Sporades of the ancients have been since formed into new constellations: thus, of those between Ursa Major and Leo, Hevelius has formed a constellation named Leo Minor; and of those between Ursa Minor and Auriga, he also formed the Lynx; and of those under the tail of Ursa Minor, another called Canis Venaticus; &c.