Thereare88constellations intheskyaroundtheEarth.12arethe zodiacconstellationsthatliearoundtheedgeofthediskofthesolar system. Theyaretheconstellations inwhich youwillfindtheplanetsat varioustimesofthe year.
Ancientpeoplelookedforpatterns intheskytoexplainwhattheydidn’t understand.Asa resulteachstarpattern isafigureaboutwhichthey toldheroicstories.
Page Constellation THEZODIACCONSTELLATIONS 3 Aries 4 Taurus 6 Gemini 7 Cancer 8 Leo 10 Virgo 11 Libra 12 Scorpio 13 Sagittarius 15 Capricorn 15 Aquarius 17 Pisces OTHERCONSTELLATIONS 18 UrsaMajor 21 Orion 25 Pegasus 26 Cassiopiea 28 Bootes 29 Cygnus
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Aries isanotaverynoticeable constellation, itliesbetweenAldberan in Taurus,andtheSquareof Pegasus.
About2000 yearsago,thevernalequinox (theplacetheSun roseonthefirstday ofspring)was intheconstellationAries. Duetowobblingoftheearth'saxis,this isnolongerthecase,butAries isstill regardedasthefirstconstellation inthezodiac.Starco-ordinatesare measuredfromtheAries.
PrincipalstarsareHamal(Alpha),magnitude2.0andSheratan(Beta), magnitude2.6.Mesartim(Gamma) isaniceopticaldoublestar, magnitudes4.6&4.7,easily resolvedwithasmalltelescope.(Magnitude is ameasureofhowbrightastar is – amagnitude2star is2½times fainterthanamagnitude1star. Thefainteststar youcanseewithouta telescope ismagnitude6)
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:theSumerianscalledthesun,Subat,meaningtheAncient SheeporRamandtheplanetstheCelestialHerd. Thebrightstar in Aries,Hamal,meaningthelamb, representedoneofthestars inthe Scimitar,acelestialweaponthatprotectedagainsttheSevenDiabolic SpiritsoftheStorm. TheBabylonianpriestBerossoswholivedaround 275BCsaidthattheworldwascreatedwhentheSunwas intheRam.
:duringthetimeofDionysusandhiscampaigns inAfrica, histroopsweretravelingthroughasandydesert. They ranoutofwater andwerewornoutstrugglingthroughthesand.A ramappearedbefore them, rose up intheairandlandedbehindadune. Whenscoutsfollowed theanimal,theycame uponaspringofwater,butno ram.Dionysus orderedthebuildingofatempletoZeusAmononthespotwherethe spring rose.Alikenessofthe ramwasplaced inthetempleandthe ram wasplaced intheheavens inapositionofgreat importance.
3 :Zeus'wife,Hera,hadasuitornamedIxionwhowastrickedby Zeus into impregnatingacloudthathadthelikenessofHera. Thecloud, Nephele,boreachildandIxion,aspunishmentforhisattempted indiscretionwithZeus'wife,wasattachedtoaflamingwheelandforced to rollaroundtheheavensforeternity. This isanearly referencetothe lineoftheecliptic,thepathofthesunas itmovesthroughthesky. The childwasthefirstcentaur.Nephelewaslonelyandeventuallyfell inlove withAthamas,the kingofBöeotiaandbrotherofSisyphus.Shehadtwo children, PhrixusandHelle,whoAthamuseventuallytriedtohave sacrificedafterhefelloutoflovewiththeirmother.Herasentagolden ramtotheiraid. Theyjumpedon itsbackandwerecarriedoutofharm's way,butnotnecessarilytosafety.Hellelosthergripandfelltoher death intothepartoftheseathatbecame knownastheHellespont. PhrixuslandedatColchisontheBlackSeaandsacrificedthe ram in honorofZeus.Hetookthefleeceofthe ramandhung it inasacredwood inhishonoraswell,leavingas itsguardadragonsometimes represented bytheconstellationDraco. Thisfleecebecamethestuffofwhich legendsweremadeas itwassoughtbycountlessmennot unliketheHoly Grail. Thegoldenfleeceofthe ramwasthetreasuresoughtbyJasonand hisArgonauts.
Grizzlysisters(Aries) usetoplaywith Deersisters inacave.Oneday GrizzlymotherateDeermother.Deer sisters retaliatedbytrapping Grizzlysisters inthecave.
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Onlypartofthebull is representedby theconstellation.Itshead isdepictedby theHyades',the'V'shapedstarcluster, its redeye is representedbyAldebaran. There isalsothemagnificentstarcluster, the Pleiades, TheSevenSisterswhich isa trulygreatsight inbinoculars,or telescopeswithawidefieldofview. TaurusalsocontainsM1,theCrabNebula,
4 sightofthefamoussupernova in1054,nowthesourceofapulsar.
Principalstarsare:AldebaranAlpha Tauri,an irregularvariable, magnitude0.75to0.95;ElnathBeta Tauri,magnitude1.7;Zeta Tauri, magnitude3.0.
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:the mythicalBullofHeaven whowascalled upbyAnu forhisdaughter,Istar, todestroythecityof Urukaftershemade amorousadvancestoward Gilgamesh.Istarwasa goddessassociatedwith extramaritalsex,sexual behavior,prostitutionand war,althoughnot necessarily inthatorder.UnimpressedwithIstar'streatmentofher severalformerlovers, Gilgamesh refusedherattemptstoaddhimtoher stable. TheBullcausedwide-spreaddestructionandwasslainby GilgameshandhisfriendEnkidu.Accordingtolegend,Enkiduthrewthe thighofthebullatIstarafterthebullwas killed. Thisexplainsthelack ofthethigh intheconstellationofthebull inthesky. Orion.
:worshippedasthelivingsymbolofApis,thebullwasa reveredanimalplaced intheskyoutofdeference
: TauruswasZeus indisguise.Zeusfell inlovewith Princess Europa,thedaughterofAgenorwhowasKingof Phoenica.Ononeday whileshewasplayingbythewatersedge,shecaughtsightofamajestic whitebullgrazingamongstherfathersheard. Whensheapproachedthe bull, it kneltdownandletgeton it'sback.Onceshewason, itsprangto it'sfeetandcarriedherofftoCretewhereZeusmadeherhismistress.
Italso representsthewhitebullthatsiredthefamousMinotaurwiththe wifeofKingMinosofCrete. ThisbullwassenttoMinosasasignthathe wasthe rightfulheirtothethrone.However,Minosdidnotsacrificethe bullto Poseidonashewassupposedto,sothevengefulseagodcausedhis
5 Queen, Pasiphaë,tofall inlovewith it.Inanothermyth, Theseusof AthensgoestoCreteandslaysthedreadfulMinotaur,whichwas reportedtobeamanwithabull'sheadthatcouldbreathefire.
Sixwives(Pleiadescluster)atewildonions thatgavethemskunkbreath. TheHusbands(Hyadescluster)threwthem outoftheirhuts. Whenthewiveswent up intotheskytolive,thelonely husbandsfollowedbutnevercaughtthem. ôúó÷ý÷
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Thetwinsare representedbythetwostars Castorand Pollux. Thetwostarsare useful forestimatingangularseparation,sincethey areexactly4.5°apart.M34(NCG2168) isa large 5th magnitudestarcluster,justvisible tothenakedeye.
Principalstarsare: PolluxBeta Geminorum, magnitude1.1;CastorAlpha Geminorum, magnitude1.6,Alhena Gamma Geminorum, magnitude1.9,MebsutaEpsilon Geminorum,magnitude3.0
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Castorand Polluxwere membersofJason'screw aboardtheArgo. Thejob ofthetwinswasto protectthemariners, appearing, inthe rigging, asSt.Elmo'sfire. The appearanceofthe constellation inthesky signaledtheendofwinter stormsandsaferpassage. Mostharborsoftheclassicalperiodhadstatuesofthetwins,Castorand Pollux,attheirentrances intributetothebrothers. Thehigherstar in theconstellation isCastor,thebrighterone is Pollux. Thetwinsalsoshow upastwostarsabovethefigureheadonsomeships.
6 :the Great Twins,thebrothersLugal-irraandMeslamta-ea, standattheentrancetothe underworld readytodismemberthedeadas theyentered.Smallstatuesofthebrotherswereoftenburiedoutsideof doorwaysofhousesandpublicbuildingstoprotecttheoccupants.
: identifiedwiththetwinsonsofZeusandLeda,thewifeof Tyndareus.Zeus,disguisedasaswan,seducedLedawholaidaneggfrom whichHelenand Polluxwereborn.Atthesametimeshealsogavebirth toCastorandClytaemnestra,childrenof Tyndareus.Since Polluxwasthe childofagod,hewas immortal.Castorwasthemortalsonofaman. The boysgrewcloseasbrothersandbecamewidelyfamousfortheirathletic abilities. TheOlympicgamescameaboutasa resultoftheirprowess.A rivalrybetweenthebrothersandtheirtwincousins,IdasandLynceus, causedthedeathofthemortalCastor.Inhisgrief, PolluxaskedZeusto permithimtodiesohecould remainwithhisbrother. Touched,Zeus placedtheboys intheskyasasymbolofbrotherlyloveanddevotion. ÿøýÿúö
TheScience Cancer isthefaintestofthe constellations,but iswell known,since it isazodaicalconstellation. There aretwoMessierobjects, Praesepe (M44), ,oneofthebest nakedeyeopenclusters.Ithasa magnitudeof3.7& isclosetoDelta Cancri andM67, anotheropenclusternearAlpha Cancri .
Principalstarsare:Altarf(BetaCancri),magnitude3.5;Asellus Australis- (DeltaCancri),magnitude3.9;IotaCancri, magnitude4.0;Acubens- (AlphaCancri),magnitude4.2; AsellusBorealis- (GammaCancri),magnitude4.7 Noteabledoublesare:ZetaCancri,magnitudes5.6&6.0(Abinarywith separation1secondofarc&aperiodof60 years.Largertelescopes reveal ittobeamultiplestar.)andIotaCancri,magnitudes4.3&6.3 (Separation31secondsofarc)
7 Inancienttimes,theSun reached itsmostnortherlypoint,andappeared overhead,atlatitude23.5degreesNorthonthesummersolstice(21st June).Forthat reason,latitude23.5N is knownasthe TropicofCancer, eventhoughtoday,thesolstice is inthenearbyconstellationof Gemini, duetotheEarth'sprecession.
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Greece: Themostwidelyacceptedstory isthatCancerwassentbythe goddessHeratoattackHerculeswhilehewasbattlingwiththeHydraon thesecondofhislabours.Duringthestruggle,thecrabwascrushed beneaththefeetofHercules.Asa rewardfor itsheroic,butfutile, efforts,Heraplacedthecrabamongthestars.
:themangeroccupiesthisposition inthesky.Saidto bethemanger inwhichtheChristChildwasborn.It isvisiblefrom DecembertoJune. Thetwobrighteststarsoftheconstellationaresaid tobethedonkeyspresentwhentheChildwasborn. ùúþ
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Leo isoneoftheconstellationsof theZodiac,and, inmyview,oneof thefewconstellationsthatactually lookslikewhat it'ssupposedto represent.It isveryprominent,and containsmuchof interest.M65and M66
PrincipalstarsareRegulus (AlphaLeonis),magnitude1.4;Denebola (BetaLeonis), magnitude2.1&Algieba (GammaLeonis);actuallyalovely doublestar,magnitudes2.2&3.5.
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:lionswerea nuisancetothepeopleof Mesopotamia.Lionhunting
8 becameapopularsportof kingsandanecessityto keeptheirpopulations down. Thelion isassociatedwiththewarriorgoddess,Istar. Representationsofthehero-king Gilgameshoftenshowhimwithaclub in onehandandalion intheother. Thesickleshapeoftheconstellation containingthebrightstarReguluswasnotlostonthefarmersofearly Mesopotamia.Atthetimethatthesolsticeoccurredwithinthesickle, theharvestofgrainswas underway. Thisportionoftheconstellationwas knownas Gis-mes,theCurvedScimitar.
:thesphinxof GizadatestothefourthdynastyasdoestheSirian, alionwithwingsandthefaceofawoman. Theseareconnectedtothe positionofthesunwithinLeoduringthesolstice,thefloodingoftheNile andthe returnoflionsfromthedeserttothe river.
:theconqueringoftheNemeanlion,thefirstofthetwelvelabors ofHercules(Orion) issymbolizedbythisstargroup.Accordingtolegend, Heraorderedthecreationofthelionbythemoon,Selene,whoputthe lion inacave intheNemeanMountainswherethebattlebetween HerculesandLeotookplace.After killingthelion,Herculeswore itsskin ashissymbol.
:anearlyArabconstellationcalledAsad,thelion, actuallystretchedoveramuchlargerportionoftheskythenpresentday Leo.It includedstarsfrom GeminithroughLibraandasfarnorthasUrsa MajorandsouthtoHydra.Itssizewaslater reducedandthename changedtoLeotomatchtheclassicalstaratlases.
:thereare250hymns intheRig-VedadedicatedtoIndra. Thisgod ofthe rains,lightningandthesolsticeheldthesamepowerasthegods ofEgyptwhowere responsibleforthefloodingoftheNile. Whenthesun enteredthisconstellationthemonsoonseason returnedlifeandfertility tothepeopleofIndia.Leo representedIndra ridingthesunto its highestpoint intheskyatthistimeofthe year.
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Virgo isoneofthe constellationsofthe Zodiac,and issometimes knownas . The sun is inVirgoatthetime oftheautumnalequinox aroundSeptember23rd. The'upper'partofthe constellation resemblesa crude'Y',thebowlof whichcontainsalarge numberoffaintgalaxies knownasthe . Thereareabout 3,000membergalaxiesoftheVirgoCluster,ofwhichaound12,orso,can beseenwithtelescopeshavingaperturesof6"(150mm).
M49 isa 8th magnitudeellipticalgalaxy;M58 isa10th magnitudespiral galaxywithaprominentbrightcore;M59 isa10th magnitudeelliptical galaxy;M60 isa 9th magnitudeellipticalgalaxy,whichcanbeseen in3" (75mm)telescopes;M87 isawell known 9th magnitudeellipticalgalaxy, which isbothanopticaland radiosource, knownas .
PrincipalstarsareSpica (AlphaVirginis),magnitude1.0; Porrima(GammaVirginis),awell knowndouble, integratedmagnitude2.8.
TheMyths
:theconstellation is representedbytheHittitegoddess Sala,goddessoffertilityandagricultureaswellasNana,anagricultural goddessofSumerian-Akkadianderivation.She iseventuallyassociated withoneofseveralgoddesses knownvariouslyasIshtarandIstarwho representspringtime,theharvest, innocentandmarriedloveand eventually ritualizedprostitution,waranddeath. Thisfinal incarnation is Istar,daughterofAnutheskyand knownfromtheEpicof Gilgamesh. Theconstellation issometimes referredtoastheFurrow,withthe brighteststaroftheconstellation,Spica, representingastalkofgrain.
:Virgo representsthegoddessIsis,themoongoddess-wifeof
10 Osiristhegodoffertilityandagriculture,andmotherofHorusthenew moon.Isisoriginally representedthe GreatMother,similartoNanaand Themis.She is usuallydepictedasawomancarryingasmallchild inher arms,probablythe infantHorus. The imageeventuallycameto represent theVirginMaryholdingthe infantJesus.
:wellbeforethewrittenword,the GreatMotherexisted.Long aftertheascensionofthemalegodsofclassicalmythologyshestill existed intheformofthe Titan Themis.Nogoddaredtoworkcontrary toherwishes.MotheroftheHoursandOrder, Themis regulatedthe passageoftimeandtheseasonsandwas knownasthe Great Goddessof Necessity. ThemythicalHours,Eunomia,orLegalOrder;Dice,orJust Recompense;andIrene,or Peace;werethegoddessesofcivilizationand peacewhoguardedthegatesofOlympus. WhenDicefeltthatmankind nolonger respectedjustice,she retreatedtothemountainsandlater abandonedtheearthfortheskybecomingtheconstellation,Virgo.
Virgo representsthe GoddessofJustice,withherscales representedby thenearbyconstellationofLibra.Inanotherlegend,Virgo represents Demeter,the Goddessofcorn,andSpica representstheearofcorn ù÷ñöø TheScience
Libra issmall,faintandoneofthe constellationsoftheZodiac.It represemtsthescalesofjusticeheldby the GoddessAstraeia inthenearby constellationofVirgo. Thenamesofthe principalstarsstemfromthetimeofthe ancient Greeks,whentheconstellation waspartofScorpio.It isoneofthefew constellationsthatactuallylookslike what it issupposedto represent.
Inthefigure,above,thenamesofthestarsareabbreviatedforclarity.
Principalstarsare:Zubenelgenubi AlphaLibrae,awide double,magnitudes2.8and5.2;Zubenelschemali Beta Librae,magnitude2.6;Zubenelakrab GammaLibrae, magnitude3.9.
11 TheMyths
Thisconstellation representedtheclawsofScorpius untilseparated into ascaleatthetimeofJuliusCaesar in46BC. TheoriginalArabicnames forthetwobrightstars intheconstellationareal-Zubanal-Janubiyyah, meaningtheSouthernClaw,andal-Zubanal-Shamaliyyah,theNorthern Claw. This istheonlymodernzodiacalconstellationthatdoesnot representalivingbeing.
:thebrightnessofthestarsmarkingLibrawerenotalways astheyaretoday.AtthetimeofEratosthenes,thestar knownasthe NorthernClawwasactuallybrighterthanthebright, redstarAntares in Scorpius.IthassincedimmedandAntareshasbrightened. Thisstarwas knownbytheBabyloniansastheLamp,theLight,CenserorSolarLamp and representedthebiblicaltowerofBabelwheresacrificialfires burned.
:signshownonseveralcoinsasthescalesofjustice.Itwas championedbyJuliusCaesarwhoconsideredhimselftobethedispenser of knowledge,fairnessandjustice. üÿþöð÷þ
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Scorpius isoneoftheconstellationsofthezodiac, andactuallylookslikethecreature it issupposedto be.Inastrologicalcircles it is knownasScorpio. Orionstillfleesfromthescorpion,sinceOrion is belowthehorizonwhenScorpius rises.
It isamagnificentconstellation,whichlies ina rich partoftheMilky Way. There islotstoseefor users ofsmalltelescopes.Originally,Scorpiuswasamuch largerconstellation,butthestarswhichformedthe clawsnowformtheconstellationofLibra. The red starAntares,whichmeans'likeMars',marksthe scorpion'sheart.
ScorpiuscontainsthebrightestX-raysource inthesky,ScorpiusX-1, whichhasbeen identifiedwitha13th magnitudespectroscopicbinary.
12 Principalstarsare:AntaresAlphaScorpii,a redgiant,variable, magnitude0.9to1.8.AntaresAlphaScorpii,a redgiant,variable, magnitude0.9to1.8.AcrabBetaScorpii,aAlovelydouble,easilyseenin smalltelescopes,magnitudes2.6and4.9;DschubbaDeltaScorpii, magnitude2.3.ZetaScorpiianakedeyedouble,magnitudes3.6and4.7.
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:thescorpion isassociatedwiththeSemiticgoddess, Ishara,wifeofthecorngodDagan.He issaidtohave inventedtheplow. She islaterassociatedwithIstar,followingthe incorporationofSemitic mythologies intothoseoftheSumerians.Herscorpion isalways representedwith itssting up, readytostrikethe unwary.
:thescorpion isthecelestial representationoftheanimalsentby ApollotostingOrion.Orionstillfleesfromthescorpion,sinceOrion is belowthehorizonwhenScorpius rises..Inthestoryof Phaëthon,the horsesofthesunchariotbecamewildafterflyingtoohigh intheskyand encounteringthescorpion.Instellarcatalogs,thelegendaryhealer Ophiuchus isshownwithhisfootcrushingScorpius.
Mauiwasapowerfulgodbutapoorfisherman.Hesnaggedhis hook(Scorpius)andlineonthebottomoftheseaandthoughthehad hookedabigfish.Hepulledhardandpulled uptheNorthIslandofNew Zealand, Te ikaaMaui- ThefishofMaui
:theSignoftheDeath God
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Thecentreofour Galaxylies in Sagittarius,sothereareplentyof rich starfieldstosee. There isa radioand infraredsource,SagittariusA,which marksthecentreofourgalaxy.
Sagittarius is is rich instarclustersand nebulae,andhasmoreMessierobjects
13 than inanyotherconstellation.
Theconstellation isthesiteofthewintersolstice,thepointatwhichthe Sun isfarthestsouthofthe equator.
Principalstarsare:Rukbat (Airami)AlphaSagittarii, magnitude4.0;Arkab PriorBeta Sagittarii,magnitude4.0;Kaus AustralisEpsilonSagittarii, magnitude1.8;KausMediaAlpha Sagittarii,magnitude2.7.
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:associatedwiththeminorgod, Pabilsag,brotherofthe warriorgoddess,Istar.Verylittle iswrittenofhimalthoughhedidhave aminorcultfollowingduringtheOldBabylonianperiod inthecityof Larag.Obviouslysomeone inseriousneedofagoodagent!Occasionally representsEnkidu intheEpicof Gilgamesh. Thecloseproximitytothe constellation Taurus,theBullofHeaven,andOrionas Gilgamesh,makes sensehere. Theconstellationwas knownastheDivineDoorthrough whichsoulsdepartedwiththearrivaloftheautumnalequinox.
:sometimes,and incorrectly, identifiedasthecentaurChiron. Sagittariusactually representsthesonof PannamedCrotus.Livingon MountHeliconwiththeMuses,hebecametheirfriendandprotector.He inventedapplauseasasignofappreciationfortheirtalents.Askilled hunterandgoodfriendtotheMuses,theyaskedthatZeusgivehima constellationfittinghis kindnature. Withthegoat-god Panashisfather, Crotusshouldbeconsideredasatyr ratherthanacentaur.His representationasacentaurprobablycamefromhissuperb ridingskills. The representationofthecentaurfacingtheconstellationOrionthe hunterwithhisarrowdrawn issometimesdescribedasholdingthe scorpionatbayandsometimesasprotectingtheMusesfromthe unwanted romanticadvancesofOrion.
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Capricorn isoneofthezodiacalconstellations and representsagoatwiththetailofafish. ItcontainsM30,aglobularcluster, magnitude7.5,easily resolvedbysmall telescopeswithaperturesgreaterthan100mm.(4 inches.)
About2500 yearsago,ourSun reached itsmostSoutherlypoint,and appeareddirectlyoverhead,atlatitude23.5degreesSouthonthewinter solstice(about22ndDecember).Forthat reason,latitude23.5S is known asthe TropicofCapricorn,eventhoughtoday,thesolstice is inthe nearbyconstellationofSaggitarius,duetotheEarth'sprecession.
Principalstarsare:DenebAlgedi(DeltaCapricorni),magnitude2.9-an eclipsingbinary;Dabih(BetaCapricorni),magnitude3.1;Algedi,or Giedi (AlphaCapricorni),amultiplestar,magnitudes3.6&4.2fortheprincipal components.
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:thecarp-goatwiththeheadandforelegsofagoatandthe bodyofafish. Thisconstellationwastheemperor'ssignandwas associatedwiththegodofthesubterraneanfreshwaterocean,Enki.Enki isassociatedwithwisdom,magicand incantations,andtheartsand craftsofcivilization.
:possiblythe representationoftheshe-goatAmalthaea,who nursedthe infantZeusafterhewashiddenfromhisfather,Cronus. Otherstoriestietheconstellationtotheman-goatgod Pan øïõøö÷õü
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Oneofthemostancientofthe constellations,Aquarius isa summerzodiacalconstellation in thenorthernhemisphere,andone
15 of Ptolemy'soriginal.It isfoundnear PiscesandCetus. TwoMessier objectsarelocatedthere,M2,magnitude6.5,a richglobularcluster, easilyvisiblewithbinocularsandM72,magnitude9.8,anotherglobular cluster.
Principalstarsare:Sadalmelik(AlphaAquarii),magnitude2.9; Sadalsuud(BetaAquarii),magnitude2.9.Skat(DeltaAquarii),magnitude 3.3;Sadachbia(GammaAquarii),magnitude3.8.
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Thewaterbearer isassociatedwithwater, rain,floodsandfountainsjust aboutallovertheworld.
:associatedwiththeeleventhsign,theeleventhmonthand the returnofthedeluge.
:thesettingofAquarius intheNilecaused itsflooding.
:around3000BC itwaspossibletoobservethefullmoon inthis constellationevery yeararoundthetimeofthesummersolstice,anevent thatwascauseforcelebration. Thistime representedthetriumphofthe moongod,Chandra,whenhe reachedhismaximumsplendorandwasdrunk bythesun,Indra.Chandrawasalso identifiedwiththemagicaldrinkof thegods,soma. Withthesuncrossingthesolsticeandthelengtheningof daylight,theevilgodofdarknessanddrought,Vritra representedbythe constellationHydra,wasconquered.InIndia,thesummersolstice correspondswiththe returnofthemonsoonseasonandwatertothe land. Aquila,Hydra and Pegasus.
: inantiquity,Hera'sdaughterHebe,goddessofeternal youth, wascupbearertothegods.Zeus replacedherwiththehandsomeboy, Ganymede,aftershespilledaflaskofnectar. Tofurther irritateHera, Zeus immortalizedhisfavoriteserverwithaheavenlyconstellation.
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Pisces isoneofthe13 constellationsoftheZodiac,and oneofthe12astrological constellations.It representstwo fishtiedbytheirtails. The constellation isthesiteofthe vernalequinox,thepointat whichtheSuncrossesthe celestialequatorfromthe Southernhemisphere intothe Northern. This usedtohappen in Aries,buthassincemoved into PiscesduetotheEarth'sprecession. M74 isa 9th magnitude,faceon,spiralgalaxy,whichcanjustbeseenwith a6-inch(150mm)telescope.
Principalstarsare:AlreschaAlpha Piscium,adoublestar, integrated magnitude3.8; Gamma Piscium,magnitude3.7
TheMyths
:thegoddessAnunituwasaBabylonianassociatedwith childbirth.She representsthenorth-easternpartoftheconstellationof Pisces.Anothermythofthefishconcernsthebirthofthegoddess Istar.Aneggfellfromthemoonandlanded intheRiverEuphrates. Two fishpushedtheeggtothe riverbankwherethegoddesshatched.In gratitudethefishwere rewardedwithaplace inthesky.
:thegoddessAphroditewastheobjectoftheaffectionsofthe monster Typhon.OnedaywhilesheandhersonEroswerewalkingalong theEuphratesRiverthemonsterbegantopursuethem.Inafright,the twogodspanicked. The rivernymphsprotectedthembytransforming them intotwinfishes.Inthanksfortheiraid,the imageofthefishwas placed inthesky.
17 õöüø óøîþö
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Probablythebest knownandthird largest,ofalltheconstellations,Ursa Major isalso knownasthe Plough,or BigDipper.It is usedasa kindof Celestialsignpost.If youdrawan imaginarylinefromMerakthrough Dubheandcontinuefivetimesasfaras Dubhe isfromMerak, youwillfind Polaris,the PoleStar.If younowdraw an imaginarylinealongthehandleof thedipperandcontinuethearcacross thesky,thiswilllead youArcturus in theconstellationBoötes.If you continuefurther, youwill reachSpica in Virgo.Followingtheothertwostars in thebowlofthedipper(Megrezand Phecda)downbelowthebowltakes youtoRegulus,thebrightstar inLeo
ThespiralgalaxiesM80,M81andM82aretobefound inUrsaMajor.All areeasilyseen inbinocularsandsmalltelescopes.M81 isoneofthe brightestgalaxies intheskyatmagnitude7.It istiltedatanangleto us, and,thus,appearsslightlyelliptical.
Principalstarsare: Dubhe Alpha UrsaeMajoris,magnitude 1.8,adoublestar; Phecda Gamma UrsaeMinoris,magnitude 2.4;Merak Beta UrsaeMajoris,magnitude 2.4;AliothEpsilonUrsae Majoris,magnitude1.8; MizarZetaUrsae Majoris,awell known
18 doublestar,magnitude2.3.Itscompanion isAlcor,magnitude4.0. The twocanbeseen unaidedwith keeneyesight,andareeasilyseparatedwith binocularsandsmalltelescopes.
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:thesevenstarsoftheBigDipperwerecalledtheLong WagonbytheSumerians.
:CallistowasoneofZeus'manylovers. Theymetafterthe unfortunatedamagecausedfollowingthedisastrous rideof Phaëthon in thesunchariot.Zeuswascheckingonaparticularlyfavoritespotofhis, thelandofArcadia,whenhefirstseteyesonthebeautifulnymph Callisto. Twovariationsexistconcerningherstoryandwhysheappearsas abear.Inonestory,Callisto isturned intoabearbyHeraaftershegave birthtoZeus'sonArcas.Arcasgrew intoagreathunterasa youngman. Callistoseeingherson inthewoodsattemptedtoapproachhimbutcould onlygrowl.Seeingthebearadvanceonhim,Arcasdrewhisspear. To protectthesonfrom killinghisownmother,ZeuschangedArcas intoa bearaswellandplacedthemboth intheskywellwithinHera'ssight everynightofthe year.Hera's rewardwasthatthetwocouldnever drinkfromthesea.Anexplanationforthegreatlengthsofthebear's tailslies inthefactthatZeusgrabbedthembothbytheirtailsand swungthemoverhisheadbeforeflingingthem upward. Thetails stretched.Inthesecondvariationofthissadstory,Zeushimselfturns Callisto intothebeartohideherfromHera.Heraguaranteesthatthe boygrowstobeanexcellenthunterandmakessurethatCallisto is inthe rightplaceatthewrongtimewhensheconfrontsherson.
:severalNativeAmerican legendsexistconcerningthestarsofUrsaMajor,BoötesandtheCorona Borealis. TheBear is representedbythefourstarsofthebowl inUrsa Major.Bear ishuntedbyRobin,Chickadee,Cowbird, Pigeon,BlueJayand twoOwlsas representedbythestarsofthehandle inUrsaMajorand severalofthestars inBoötes. The Pan isthedimdoublestarAlcor in UrsaMajor. TheDen is representedbytwostars inBoötesandthecircle oftheCoronaBorealis.AsBearawakensfromhibernation inthespring, sheleavesherDen.She ispursuedbytheHuntersas representedbythe Birdsthroughoutthe year.Chickadeecarriesa Pan,thetinystarAlcor, in whichshe isplanningtocookthemeatofBear.Bytheendofthefallall butthefirstthreeHuntershavegiven upfollowingBear. TheseHunters,
19 stars inBoöteshavealreadyset. The remainingHunterscatchBear in lateautumnandshe rises uponherhindlegstoprotectherself.Robin hitsherwithanarrowandBearfallsover. Thesechanges inthedirection oftheanimalareexplainedbytheapparentchange inthepositionofthe constellationasviewedduringthistimeofthe year.Bear iscut upand cooked inwinter,herskeleton remaining intheskywhiletheconstellation lieson itsback.HerspirithasalreadyenteredanotherBearhibernating inherDen inCoronaBorealis.
Fisherwasasmallanimalbutagreat hunter.Huntingwasdifficult inthosedaysbecause itwasalwayswinter. "Comewithme."hetoldhisfriends,"WewillgowheretheEarth is closesttoSkyland. TheSkyland isalwayswarmandwewillbringsomeof thewarmthdowntoEarth." TheOtter,Lynxand Wolverinetraveledwith Fisher upthemountains,closerandclosertoSkyland. Whentheywere verycloseFishersaid"Wemustjump upandbreakthroughtotheland abovethesky." TheOtterjumped upandbumpedhisheadonthesky.He fellonhisbackandslidallthewaydownthemountain.Lynxjumped up andbumpedsohard it knockedhim unconscious. Wolverinejumped upand bumpedhardagainstthesky.Hejumpedagainandagain untilthesky crackedalittle.Hejumpedagainandbrokethrough.Fisherjumped throughafterhim. TheyfoundSkylandtobeabeautifulplace,fullof warmthandplantsandflowers. Theyfoundcagesfullofbirdswhichthey released. Thebirdsflewthroughthecrack intheskytotheworldbelow. ThewarmthofSkylandbegantoflowtotheEarthandmeltthesnow. TheSky-Peoplecameoutofthelodgesandsaid"Thieves! Theyaretaking ourwarmweather!" WolverineescapedbackthroughthecrackbutFisher startedworkingtomakethecrackbigger.He knewthat if itweretoo smalltheSky-Peoplemightbeabletopatch it. TheSky-Peoplebegan chasinghimandshootingarrows.Athoughhewaspowerful,they eventuallyhitafatalspot. Thegreat GitcheeManitoutookpityonpoor Fisherbecausehehadtriedtohelphisfriends.Hehealedhimandplaced him inthesky(BigDipper).EachautumnasFisher isfallingtowardsEarth theSky-Peopletrytopatchthecrackand Wintercomes. Then inspring Fisherclimbsbackhigh intheskyand reopensthecrackandSummer comes.
:theslowmovementofthestarsofthebeararoundthe polestarsuggestedtosomepeopletheprocessionofafuneral. Thestars ofthebowlwerecalledtheCoffin. Peoples inthe Persian Gulfareasaw theconstellationasthe representationofthefuneralprocessionofal-
20 Naashwhowasassassinatedbyal-Jadi,the PoleStar. Thestarsofthe handlewerehischildrenwithMizarashisdaughtercarryinghertinyson, thedimstarAlcor.Later,theconstellationwas identifiedastheLitter ofLazaruswiththestarsofthehandleassociatedwiththewomenMary, Martha,andMaryMagdalenefollowingbehind.
: it is Texcatlipoca,adarkgodassociatedwithdeathandthe north.Oneofhisfeet ismissingand isthoughttohavebeeneatenbya heavenlymonster. Thisshowsthattheentireconstellation isn'tvisible fromthepartofMexicowherethestoryoriginatedsincethestarthat representsthemissingfoot isbelowthehorizonwithinthatarea.
:thestars represent2bullsbeingfollowedby 2thievesandallarewatchedbytheherdsmanandhismaleandfemale slaves. Theeighthstaroftheconstellation,Alcor, isseenasasmalldog justabovethesecondbull.Othervariationshavethiseighthstara rat thatgnawsatthestrapsonthe yokeofthebulls.
:the GreatBear isassociatedwithKingArthurwhosename isderivedfromArthorBearandUthyrorLuminous. The restofthe constellationwascalledArthur's Wagon.
:the7starsarethe imagesofthe7astronomicalRectorswho arethemastersofthe realityofheavenly influences. þö÷þý
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Possiblythemostfamousconstellation nexttothe Plough(BigDipper) inUrsa Major it isthemost recognisableof constellations inthenorthernsky(Crux isprobablythemost recognisable in thesouthernsky.)orion is rich in celestalobjectsofall kinds,sothere is somethingforeveryonewithlargeor smalltelescopesorbinocularstosee.
Thenebulae,M42andM43, inOrion's swordarethebirthplaceofstar
21 clusters.NearAlnitak(ZetaOrionis) istheHorseheadNebula. Thearea aroundandbelowOrion'sbelt is rich innebulosities.
Principalstarsare:BetelgeuseAlphaOrionis,aRedgiantwithvariable magnitudefrom0.0to1.2.Attimes itcanoutshineRigel;RigelBeta Orionis,magnitude0.1;MintakaDeltaOrionis,magnitude2.2.
TheMyths
: known asAnorAnuthetrue shepherd,thenameof theconstellation isa variationofthe SumerianUru-anna, LightoftheSky.His wife isAntu. Accordingtotradition Antookoverheaven when itwasseparated fromearth,creating the universeaswe know it.He issonofAnsarandKisar,andfatherofallthegods.Inthe storyofthethreesuperimposedheavens,Anuoccupiesthetopmost heaven. The"wayofAnu" istheverticalbandoftheeasternhorizon, betweenthe"ways"ofEnlilandEnkiwhichlieto itsnorthandsouth.Anu isnotawelldefinedgodbecauseheencompassedsomanyconcepts.No clearly recognizableartistic representationofhimhaseverbeen identified. Theepicof Gilgamesh isprobablythemostcompletelegendconnected withthisconstellation.Datingtoover4000 yearsago,theepicwas discovered inscribedontwelveclaytabletsfound inthelibraryat Nineveh,each recountingsomeportionofthestoryof Gilgameshandhis friendEnkidu. Gilgameshwasanactuallivingman,the kingofUruk inthe firsthalfofthethirdmillenniumBC.Hewasadescendentofthe SumerianNoah,Utnapishtim.Strong,commandingandaladykiller,hemet his rivalEnkiduonthefieldofbattle.Enkiduwashistwin insizeand strength,buthispolaropposite intemperament.Afterwrestlingfor severaldays, Gilgamesh realizedhecouldnotbeatEnkiduandthetwo becamefriends.Fortheirfirstexploittheyattackedand killedthegiant Humbabawholived intheCedarForest.
22 Afterwitnessinghisamazingstrengthandadmiringhisobviousbeauty, thegoddessIstarfell inlovewith Gilgameshandwishedtobecomehis lover,whichhe refused.IstarcalleddownthemightyBullofheavento destroyUruk. GilgameshandEnkiduslewtheanimal,cutting it intopieces whichEnkiduthrewatIstarandherpriestesses.Istarcursedthe beautiful GilgameshwithleprosyandcausedEnkidutolapse intoacoma anddie. Gilgamesh roamedthedesert ingriefforEnkiduand infearof dyingbeforefinally returningtogivehisfriendaproperfuneral.His questfor immortalityendedwiththeoncepowerful,virile kinganold, brokenman..
: representationofthesolargodHorus.He isshownas riding ina boatwiththestarSiriusasIsis intheformofacow inanotherboat behindhim. ThesoulsofOsirisandIsisare representedbyOrionand Sirius.
:theclassical representationoftheheroOrionshowshim kneeling withhis raised rightarmbrandishingaclub,ashieldorlionskin inhis left.OrionwasborntothechildlesswidowerIrieus,apoorshepherd,who invitedthegodsZeus, PoseidonandMercurytodinnerwithout knowing whotheywere.Unabletoofferthemanythingtoeat,hebutcheredthe onlyanimalhehad,anox,andmadethemcomfortable.Forhissacrifice andhospitalitythegodsofferedhimanythinghecouldwant.Irieusasked forasonandOrionwasbornfromtheoxskinsomemonthslater.As Oriongrewhebecameagreathunter,awomanizerandfriendandlover ofthegoddessArtemis.Herbrother,Apollo,becamejealousofArtemis' infatuationwithOrionandattemptedtohavehim killedbyascorpion placedonhishuntingpath.AsOrionapproached,thescorpionfled. With thehunter inpursuit itjumped intotheoceanandswamwithOrionclose behind.Apolloplacedabeamoflightontheswimmeranddaredhissister tohitthetinyspotonthewater.Neveronetopassonachanceto showcaseherhuntingskills,Artemis killedherloverwithasinglearrow. Hisbodywashed upontheshorethenextday.Inhersorrowsheasked thatZeusplacehim intheskywherehecould remainforeternitywith hishuntingdogsandthehareLepus.Apollo insistedthatthescorpionbe placed intheskyaswelltocommemoratethehunter'sdownfall. AconstellationassociatedwithOrion is Taurus,theoxfromwhichhewas born. Twostarclusters,the PleiadesandtheHyades, represent daughtersofAtlaswhoweretheobjectofhis unwantedaffections.Inan attemptto repelhisadvancesthewomenwereplaced intheskyoutofhis reach. WhenZeusagreedtoallowOriontobecomeaconstellation,he
23 keptthehunterfarenoughfromthesisterssothathecouldchasebut nevercatchthem. Thescorpion ispositionedsothat itfaceshim. Sagittariuswasplacednexttothescorpion,withdrawnbowaimedatthe scorpion'sheartshouldhetrytoadvancetowardOrion.
:thelordofallcreatures, Praiapati, isdisguisedasadeer.Inlove withhisdaughter,Rohini, representedbythestarAldebaran in Taurus, hepursuesherand isstoppedbythehunterLubdhka,thestarSirius. Lubdhka'sarrow is inthedeer'sbackand ismarkedbythethreestars ofOrion'sbelt.
Abigcanoe(Orion'sbelt)andasmall canoe(Orion'sdagger)are ina racetocatchasalmon intheBigRiver (Milky Way). Thelittlecanoe iswinningthe race.
According totheLakota,theConstellationofthe Hand,namelythebottomhalfofthe constellationOrion, representsthearmof agreatLakotachief. Thegodswantedto punishtheLakota'schiefforhis selfishnessandmadethe Thunder People ripouthisarm. Thechief'sdaughter offeredtomarryanyonewhowould recoverherfather'sarm.
FallenStar,a youngwarriorwhosefather wasastarandwhosemotherwashuman, returnedthearmandmarriedthe daughter. The returnofthearmtothe chiefsymbolizesharmonybetweenthegodsandthepeoplewiththehelp ofthe youngergeneration
24 ðúôøüõü
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Pegasus iseaslly recognisedby 4starswhichformalarge square knownas The Great Squareof Pegasus.Oneofthe starsofthe GreatSquare used tobedelta PegasiAlpheratz (Sirrah),but isnowassignedto theconstellationof Andromeda.
Principalstarsare:Markab Alpha Pegasi,magnitude2.5; ScheatBeta Pegasi,variable,magnitudes2.3to2.7;Algenib Gamma Pegasi,aCeheidvariable,magnitude2.8;EnifEpsilon Pegasi,magnitude 2.4.
TheMyths
: Pegasuswasbornwith thewarriorChrysaorfromthe neckofMedusaafter Perseus decapitatedher.Medusawasa beautifulpriestesswho caughttheeyeof Poseidon. Heseducedher,disguisedasa stallion, inatemple consecratedtoAthena. The irritatedgoddesschangedthe woman intoahorrificmonster whocouldturnmentostone if theylookedatherface. PegasuswaseventuallytamedbyBellerophone.Oneexplanationforthe invertedpositionofthehorse in relationtosurroundingconstellations wasmadefollowingBellerophone'sattemptto reachMountOlympuson thebackofthehorse. Tryingtostophim,Zeussentahorseflytosting Pegasus.Startled, PegasusbuckedandthrewBellerophonefromhisback.
25 Theconstellationdepictsthehorse intheactofbucking.If,however, thehorse isdrawn upright in relationtotheotherconstellations,the frontlegsoftheanimal restonthepale inAquarius'handsfromwhich flowstheFluviusAquarii inwhich PiscisAustrinus isswimming. This representationmakessensesincelegendnames Pegasusashavingbrought forththefountainofHippocreneonMountHeliconwiththe kickofhis hooves.Couldsomeancientastronomerhave inadvertently invertedthe animal?.
: intheRig-Vedaof3000BCseveral referencesaremadetothe Aswin,thetwinsonsoftheskyDyaus,andbrothersofUshatheDawn. TheAswinweregodswithhorseheads. The importanceofthedepiction ofthecelestialhorse is realizedwhenthepositionoftheconstellationon thenightoftheequinox is reconstructed. Thefeetofthehorseappear tohitthemoononthisevening,spillingsoma,thedrinkofthegods into thevesselheldbyAquarius.Horsesweresacredanimalswhosesacrifice wasconsideredthe ultimatecomplementtothegods.
ÿøüü÷þð÷úø
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This isawell knownconstellationwhich representsawomansitting inachair.It isa brightconstellationlying ina richpartofthe Milky Way,closetothecelestialnorthpole andeasily recognisedby itslarge .Itcanbe foundontheoppositesideofthe PoleStarto the GreatBear(UrsaMajor- .)Itcontainstwoopenclusters, M52&M103, integratedmagnitudes7.3&7.4 respectively. Cassiopeia iscircumpolar,and isvisibleall year round intheNorthern Hemisphere Thesrongest radiosource,CassiopeiaA,emanatesfromthis constellation.It isthe remainsofasupernova,10,000light yearsdistant, whichocurredaround1660AD Principalstarsare:Schedar (AlphaCassiopeiae),magnitude 2.2;Caph(BetaCassiopeiae),magnitude2.3; GammaCassiopeiaeashell star,variable,withmeanmagnitude2.5;Ruchba (Delta Cassiopeiae),magnitude2.7
26 TheMyths
:shewasthevainand beautifulQueenof Philistia, sometimes referredtoas Ethiopia.Claimingtohave beautythat rivaledthe Nereids,herpunishmentwas thesacrificeofher daughter,Andromeda,tothe seamonsterCetus.After herdaughterwassavedand promisedto Perseusashis wife,Cassiopeiaplottedwithherdaughter'sfiancéeAgenor,to kill Perseus. Whileoutnumberedandattackedathisweddingfeast, Perseus pulledMedusa'sheadfromhisbagandtransformedCassiopeia,Agenor andhismentostone. TheQueenandKingCepheusaredepicted inthesky facingeachother'sfeet. Theycannotspeaktoeachother.Becausethe Queen insultedtheseanymphs,thepairneversetbelowthesurfaceof thesea. Theconstellation'sname isderivedfroma Phoenicianphrase thatmeanstheRose-ColoredFace.
:she istheMistressof Graindepictedwithapalmfrondorgrain inherlefthand. Thisagriculturaltiebringstheconstellationclosetothe mythologiesofVirgo.
: knownasKaffal-Habib,thedyedhand,theconstellation waseventuallyconsideredtobethehandofFatima,thedaughterof Mohammed.
AHunter killedagreatelkandstretched theskintodrybydrivingwoodenstakesthrough it.Afterwardshethrew theskin intothesky(Cassiopeia)wherethelightaboveshinesthrough thestakeholesformingstars.
27 ñþþûúü
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Boötes isoneofthe constellationsmostwidely recognisedbyancientcultures.It depictsaherdsmandrivingabear (UrsaMajor - The GreatBear) aroundthesky. Thepropername oftheconstellation'sbrightest star,Arcturus, roughlymeans in Greek.He is oftensaidtobeholdingthelead ofthehuntingdogs CanesVenatici. Principalstarsare:Arcturus(AlphaBoötis),magnitude-0.04anorange giant,andthe4thbrighteststar intheentiresky;Izar- (EpsilonBoötis),magnitude2.7anorangegiant,witha5thmagnitudeblue companion-a reallyspectaculardoublestar;Haris(GammaBoötis-also knownasSeginus),magnitude3.0;Nekkar,acorruptionoftheArabic forOx-Driver,(BetaBoötis)a yellowgiant,magnitude3.5.NuBoötis, is aneasydoublewithbinoculars,bothcomponentsaremagnitude5.0.
TheMyths
,5744BC:atthistimethestarformingtheheadofthe constellationwasthepolestar.Asa result,thebodyperfectlyaligned withthemeridianatmidnightoneachofthesolsticesandequinoxes. This importantpositionwouldlogicallybeheldbythe Titan,Atlas,whoheld theworldonhisshoulders. ThetraditionofAtlaswasadapted into Greek mythologyfromearlierstoriesplacingthegardenoftheHesperides withinthebordersoftheSaharaDesert.Astheprecessionoftheaxis shiftedthepolestarawayfromthisconstellation, itsmythologyshifted aswell.
:connectionswiththecultofDionysus,thegodofwine,aremade inEarly Greeklegends.LaterstoriesconnectBoöteswithUrsaMajor. Icariuswasthefirstmantolearnthecultivationofgrapesandtheir fermentation intowine.Icarius,afterhisdeath,wasplaced intheskyby
28 Dionysus incelebrationofthedevelopmentoffermentationandwine.His dog,Maera,becamethebrightstar Procyon.
Thelegendofthe GreatBearexplainsthenamingofthebrightstar, Arcturus, inBoötes.Literally,thebearprotector,Arcturusfollowsthe constellation,supposedlytheheavenlyversionofhismother,Callisto.
Anotherstory referstohowthegoddessofcultivation,Demeter,lay withthe TitanIasionandproducedtwosons, Plutusand Philomelus. The brothersneveragreedonanything. Plutuswaswealthyandnevergavehis brotherassistance. Philomelus inventedthe wagonand usedhisprofits tobuytwooxen. Thesehe usedtoplowandcultivate fields.In recognitionof Philomelus' ingenuity, Demeter raisedhimtothe skiesasBoötes,the plowman,withtheBig Dipperashisplow.
:seenasaplowman,Boötesfollowedthestarsoftheplow,a constellationderivedfromtheasterism knowntodayastheBigDipper. ÿíôýõü
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Also knownas , this isaconstellationofthe NorthernHemisphere.Cygnus representsaflyingswanlocated in theMilky Way. Theprincipalstar, Deneb,whichmarksthetailofthe swan,formspartof withAltairandVega. Halfwaydowntheneckofthe Swan,nearEtaCygni,liesCygnus X-1.Astronomersbelieve ittobea blackholewithinourowngalaxy.It
29 cannotbeseen,but it isapowerfulX-raysource.CygnusA,near Gamma Cygni, ispowerful radiosource,believedtobethe resultoftwocolliding galaxies. Principalstarsare:DenebAlphaCygni,magnitude1.3;Sadr Gamma Cygni,magnitude2.2; Gienal,EpsilonCygni,magnitude2.5,AlberioBeta Cygni,alovelydouble,magnitudes3.1&5.1.
TheMyths
:Severalmyths concerningZeus transforminghimself into aswan inordertoseduce somepassingmaiden abound. Twoother storiesexplaintheorigin oftheconstellation differently.Cycnus,son ofApolloandHyriagave three impossibletasksto thehero Phyliusto perform. When Phyliuswassuccessful,Cycnusthrewhimself intoalake anddrownedhimself inshame.Hismother,Hyria,threwherself intothe lake indespairandtheywerebothtransformed intoswans. ThepoetOviddescribesthestoryofCygnus,brotherof Phaëthon,who roamedtheland insearchofhisbrother'sbodywhenhediedfollowing hisfalltoEarthfromthechariotofthesun. Phaëthon'storturedbody hadfallen intotheRiverEridanus.Cygnusthrewhimself intothewater and repeatedlydovebeneaththesurface insearchof Phaëthon.In mercy,thegodstransformedhim intoaswan. Thisstoryexplainswhy swanswanderoverwaterseemingly insearchofsomethinganddeep in thoughtandoccasionallyplungetheirheadsbelowthesurface.And you thoughttheywerejusteating!.
Agrizzlybear(Cygnus)climbed upa tallmountaintogohunting inthesky.Asheclimbed,thesnowand ice clungtothefurofhisfeetandlegs.Crossingtheskythe icecrystals trailedbehindhimformingtheMilky Way.
:thetruecrossonwhichChristhaddrawnhislast breathwassupposedlydiscoveredbySaintHelena,themotherof
30 Constantine,threecenturiesafterthecrucifixion.It isbelievedthatthe constellation representsaholysignsince itappears uprightabovethe WesternHillsatnineo'clockonthenightbeforeChristmas.
31