corona borealis corona borealis Corona Borealis lies in the Northern Hemisphere. Seven bright stars AT A GLANCE
form an arc that represents the crown of Ariadne, daughter of King What does its name mean? 611
Minos in Greek mythology. ‘The Northern Crown’ in Latin 1 Which is the brightest star? 612 610 2 Alphecca or Gemma 609 3
(Alpha Coronae Borealis) 588 24 589 23 25 587 599 13 In mythology around the world 566 598 600 12 14 46 608 4 Where does this constellation lie? 567 565 590 22 47 45 586 601 11 26 579 578 597 386 236 237 15 34 33 568 564 591 385 387 238 21 48 44 With Princess Ariadne of Crete’s Corona Borealis has also been In the Northern Hemisphere 580 384 388 235 239 32 577 392 602 10 232231 43 35 569 585 393 230 563 383 390 389 413 606 6 210 234 240 49 2742 help, the hero Theseus escaped depicted as: 581 584 596 391 233 16 28 31 570 571 592 394 603 604 8 229 20 41 To which constellation family 341 342 576 414 9 209 36 56 57 582 572 382 412 5 211 241 40 29 30 from the clutches of the Minotaur 340 343 562 607 55 58 a broken dish (Arab) does it belong? 583 595 395 228 17 50 • 339 575 573 396 411 410 409 214 213 212 227 39 37 59 – the bull-like monster that lurked 338 574 415 38 60 593 381 397 605 7 208 226 242 19 Ursa Major 344 408 215 54 337 404 219 61 inside a vast labyrinth. Ariadne and • a boomerang (Aboriginal Australia) 398 225 332 561 405 406 407 216 217 218 279 416 207 18 331 333 336 594 51 62 278 280 Theseus fled together, but Theseus 380 371 370 403 422 201 220 253 252 243 a polar bear’s paw (Siberia) 334 399 224 • 330 423 200 281 soon abandoned the princess. 542 373 369 402 221 254 250 81 345 372 421 249 251 53 541 560 379 374 202 244 82 543 400 401 199 222 223 63 80 Finding Ariadne alone and weeping, • the castle of the goddess Lady 335 368 424 255 329 375 420 417 206 203 248 52 282 346 378 245 277 418 205 the god Dionysus fell in love with Arianrhod (Wales) 540 544 377 376 425 419 204 198 247 246 79 83 527 367 256 276 96 347 64 528 526 366 426 441 182 257 97 95 her and they were married. Ariadne 559 348 365 183 184 197 258 275 524 553552 525 364 459 439 427 440 196 164 98 71 99 328 523 349 185 70 100 283 363 438 274 259 wore a beautiful jewelled crown at 539 529 361 360 428 195 263 260 94 84 522 554 550 551 545 350 436 187 273 262 78 72 73 69 101 549 359 437 186 264 74 her wedding. She threw the crown 558 362 435 188 261 65 548 442 181 75 546 358 351 457 458 460 163 165 166 272 265 77 into the sky, where it remained as 547 461 162 76 327 530 521 555 490 491 434 429 194 189 132 133 68 102 93 284 538 557 357 464 159 266 66 85 556 508 454 169 115 the constellation Corona Borealis. 507 456 462 161 167 116 67114 509 352 489 433 190 134 271 520 356 455 492 430 193 160 131 267 103 510 513 506 488 463 135 168 117 110 113 514 493 465 130 109 NUSAKAN (BETA 512 355 353 453 432 191 158 170 268 111 537 531 478 477 146 145144 270 92 86 326 354 486 487 494 495 431 192 128 129 136 137 269 285 479 466 147 171 476 496 127 CORONAE BOREALIS) 452 484 480 497 157 148 143 139 138 is a 511 515 505 485 443 118 108 112 451 483 481 474 475 467 180 156 126 149 140 172 104 † 519 498 469 154 142 174 536 449 500 141 123 87 binary star and is the second 499 470 153 125 448 482 152 124 175 504 450 471 468 155 173 119 325 532 518 501 473 472 444 179 178 177 105 91 286 brightest in the constellation. 502 446 445 151 150 176 121 503 447 122 120 535 517 516 107 106 88 534 533 90 89
287 324 292 291 295 294 293 290 296 289 323 297 318 317 316 315 311 298 319 288 320 314 321 313 322 312 ALPHECCA (ALPHA 299 310 CORONAE BOREALIS) 300 305 304 306 307 is the brightest star in Ariadne’s 302 303 308 crown. Its Latin name is ‘Gemma’, 301 309 which means ‘jewel’.
18 105 113
104 106 orion 112 orion AT A GLANCE 103
111 107 Orion is a magnificent constellation, renowned throughout the What does its name mean? 109 101 Orion is the name of a famous hunter 110 98 358 359 world. It’s easy to make out the shape of this famous figure from 102 91 92 108 357 from Greek mythology 93 356 9476 75 100 387 360 388 Greek mythology in the sky – Orion’s raised club and shield and 95 77 355 395 78 99 396 Which is the brightest star? 89 96 the line of three stars known as ‘Orion’s Belt’. 97 74 394 361 80 88 386 Rigel 90 79 392 82 73 393 397 86 115 81 114 354 20 17 Where does this constellation lie? 83 87 85 389 19 16 84 72 21 18 297 116 8 9 15 296 362 In mythology around the world This constellation can be seen in the 14 385 13 50 298 290 7 12 295 291 398 51 5 390 289 Northern Hemisphere from late autumn 22 10 49 292 4 294 351 The story of Orion has many different Cultures around the world also viewed 3 48 353 117 71 11 288 352 to early spring and in the Southern 6 52 2 1 47 370 302 299 versions. In one tale, the hunter Orion as a powerful, male figure: 23 53 46 45 293 69 57 56 44 300 Hemisphere during summer 118 70 68 55 43 42 391 287 286 363 Orion was the most handsome of 54 301 67 24 58 60 41 282 • Ancient Egypt: Osiris, the god of 61 384 283 399 To which constellation family 62 40 303 men, but also the most arrogant. 65 26 59 39 306 285 369 119 64 309 the afterlife 25 37 307 304 284 He boasted that he could kill any does it belong? 27 310 308 305 66 38 313 28 281 30 33 36 312 314 334 creature on Earth. On hearing him, • Babylonia: ‘the Heavenly Shepherd’ Orion 120 63 315 379 380 324 29 31 311 316 329 333 279 280 368 34 35 378 381 364 317 331 332 278 371 the Earth goddess, Gaia, sent a giant 32 330 277 400 • Hungary: Nimrod, a famous hunter 121 274 372 401 scorpion to kill him as punishment 318 275 276 373 323 382 328 367 365 271 273 377 374 for his arrogance. • China: Shen, a great warrior 122 319 325 366 383 322 327 272 375 320 326 321 270 376 336 337 BETELGEUSE (ALPHA ORIONIS) 123 347 338 269 341 335 339 Famous for its vivid orange colour, this 343 342 340 350 124 346 349268127 star lies on the hunter’s right shoulder. 345 348 132 344 128 125 259 It is a supergiant star destined to blow 126 129 131 260 † 130 STAR FACT itself up in a supernova one day. 136 261 253 135 249 263 262 240 258 133 134 137 245 151 236 152 141 138 An image of (what is believed 158 232 159 150 to be) the Orion constellation 153 257 142 256 154 157 140 143 254 255 from around 32,000 years ago 149 160 252 163 228 155 250251 164 was found engraved on an 156 139 246 248 ivory tablet in Germany. 161 247 162 244 243 241 242 165 † 226 191 ORION NEBULA 146148 227 237 239 190 166 229 231 238 147 144 230 233 234 235 168 ORION’S BELT lies on the lower 225 192 189 167 223 is a well-known and easily half of Orion and is 193 224 169 recognizable asterism. one of the brightest 145 194 196 222 nebulae in the sky. 195 188 197 170
221 198 187 171 199 173 220 186 172 200 174 RIGEL (BETA ORIONIS) 219 185 175 is the constellation’s brightest star at 217 184 183 267 176 201 264 266 218 182 178 265 around 40,000 times brighter than our 216 181 180 177 202 179 214 215 Sun and is a vivid blue-white colour. 213 212 209 203 211 208 206 210 205 34 207 204 97 156 175 96 176 98 109 157 178 86 87 179 95 108 110 174 85 99 177 88 155 158 94 100 107 180 84 111 160 89 93 101 106 182 80 105 161 83 112 183 81 102 119 79 90 92 113 159 163 173 pegasus 82 104 118 120 154 181 184 76 75 114 187 77 70 78 116 117 123 122 162 186 71 74 133 164 69 63 91 103 115 126125 124 134 pegasus AT A GLANCE 68 64 62 72 73 127 128 121 61 605 129 132 185 188 67 603 606 65 60 130 131 135 165 172 58 47 604 602 138 What does its name mean? 50 137 136 Pegasus, one of the largest constellations, represents a winged horse 66 57 49 48 46 139 153 166 7 56 148 Name of a f lying horse in Greek 59 5 55 45 601 147 140 142 168 6 607 144 171 192 in Greek mythology. It is known for ‘The Great Square of Pegasus’, 8 1 44 141 143 167 189 2 4 54 146 145 169 mythology 149 9 3 53 608 152 275 191 an asterism formed by its three brightest stars. The Great Square’s 52 600 568 271 268 569 150 170 Which is the brightest star? 51 43 274 190 548 151 fourth star, Alpheratz, is part of a nearby constellation, Andromeda. 42 276 272 193 10 546 549 269 Enif (Epsilon Pegasi) 25 547 545 265 599 594 567 611 277 266 194 11 24 550 570 609 13 39 41 610 273 196 197 Where does this constellation lie? 23 544 12 19 30 278 270 264 18 40 267 14 31 551 582 262 198 20 29 38 598 571 In mythology around the world In the Northern Hemisphere 35 543 595 566 195 1722 37 200 201 15 21 32 36 593 279 28 34 261 26 552 596 199 Pegasus was a handsome winged horse The Square of Pegasus has also been To which constellation family 16 33 597 572 263 27 542 592 280 583 581 that was captured and tamed by the known as: does it belong? 528 257 202 529 553 260 541 573 258 hero Bellerophon. Pegasus helped Perseus 527 591 565 554 584 281 259 204 builder’s stars (China) 530 • 540 564 256 203 Bellerophon in many of his heroic deeds, 555 580 205 207 468 531 526 574 206 including killing the fire-breathing • a bedstead (India) 469 467 532 585 282 563 255 208 211 493 252 monster, Chimera. Feeling full of himself, 525 470 533 590 579 283 209 a cooking grill (Guyana, South 494 492 253 • 460 466 575 254 210 212 534 251 Bellerophon flew up to Mount Olympus, 495 461 562 472 459 586 284 America) 589 213 496 523 471 473 hoping to join the gods. But he fell off 497 521 524 462 535 250 522 475 476 587 285 215 498 474 247 216 519 556 536 576 Pegasus on the way, and landed back 500 520 491 537 465 578 286 248 218 513 477 538 588 249 214 499 515 458 561 217 219 501 516 479 557 463 on Earth. Pegasus continued the journey 512 518 490 464 287 246 478 539 502 514 517 480 510 511 489 245 and reached Olympus, where the god 509 487 481 558 288 243 220 503 485 486 577 222 221 223 488 482 244 Zeus placed him among the stars. 504 505 508 289 242 224 484 559 506 507 239 227 483 457 240 241 226 225 315 290 303 232 228 229 560 297 309 238 231 230 234 291 233 292 314 456 304 308 236 235 298 310 237 296 302 293 316 295 311 313 299 301 305 307 294 317 455 300 450 306 312 MARKAB (ALPHA PEGASI) 449 ENIF (EPSILON 454 451 318 is the brightest star in the Great PEGASI) 440 439 453 448 357 is the 441 438 319 Square of Pegasus. Its Arabic 452 brightest star in the 437 356 320 name means ‘saddle of the horse’. 442 332 Pegasus constellation. 358 443 447 359 436 347 331 321 Arabic for ‘nose’, it 346 355 348 333 444 360 350 marks the horse’s muzzle. 446 345 349 354 445 391 351 322 435 361 352 353 334 330 393 392 344 341 343 390 342 394 362 335 323 420 427 340 329 THE GREAT 426 412 389 336 395 328 SQUARE OF 421 428 433 338 337 425 432 434 339 324 431 388 327 ALPHERATZ 397 396 411 419 363 PEGASUS 413 429 387 325 410 422 326 398 364 (ALPHA ANDROMEDAE) 399 414 424 430 is one of the most 408 418 365 400 405 409 415 386 404 406 417 366 belongs to the Andromeda 423 recognizable 401 407 416 403 384 385 367 402 constellation, and marks the fourth asterisms in the 383 378 382 370 star in the Square of Pegasus. night sky. 377 381 380 368 379 372 369 376 373 371 375 374 38