Welcome to Hungry Mother State Park Hungry Mother State Park

Attention all stargazers, the night sky is calling. Here at the park we have some prime viewing areas located at the spillway, the beach front and the Stargazing ballfield behind Ferrell Hall. Year- round the sky is filled with stars, in the Park planets and constellations with stories to tell. Here in the Northern Please watch for additional Hemisphere we have circumpolar monthly Stargazing guides to constellations that can be viewed all learn more about stargazing in year long. What are we waiting for? our park. Let’s go stargazing.

For more information about June Constellations Virginia State Parks, please visit: Bootes www.virginiastateparks.gov Libra

Discovery Center July Constellations Hours of Operation: Corona Borealis Hercules Ophiuchus 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. daily Scorpius June & July

Star Gazing Smart Phone Apps Star Walk 2 Night Sky Star Tracker Sky Map Interpretation Office: Phone: 276-781-7413 [email protected] June Constellations July Constellations Ophiuchus (The Serpent Bearer)

Bootes (The Herdsman) Corona Borealis The constellation is a combination of three different figures. Ophiuchus is holding Bootes, the herdsman, may have appeared as (The Northern Crown) Serpens Caput in his left hand and Serpens a shepherd to the ancients. Modern Corona Borealis was sometimes considered Cauda in his right. In Greek myth, stargazers like us can easily recognize the to represent a crown that was given by Ophiuchus represents the god of medicine, shape of a kite, with the bright Dionysus to Ariadne, the daughter of Minos Asclepius. Asclepius was the son star Arcturus at the point of the kite where of Crete. Ariadne was stranded on an island of Apollo and was taught by Chiron, the the tail is attached. Bootes was identified by her fickle lover. Dionysus found her with a farmer who plows the land during Centaur. He learned how to bring people crying, and he placed her crown in the sky so back from the dead, which worried Hades. spring. The Romans called Bootes the that no one would ever forget her again. The Herdsman of the Septemtriones, that is, of The god of the underworld asked his Cheyenne nation of Native Americans called brother Zeus to kill the medicine god. Zeus the seven oxen represented by the seven stars it the "Camp Circle" as they arranged their did strike him dead, but then placed the of the Big Dipper, which was seen as the cart camps in a semicircle. In Welsh mythology, figure of Asclepius in the sky to honor him. or the plow. the Northern Crown was called Caer Arianrhod, ‘the Castle of the Silver Circle,’ Libra (The Scales) and was the heavenly abode of the Lady

Ancient Greeks knew the part of the sky Arianrhod occupied by the Libra constellation as Chelae, or “claws,” and considered it part Hercules (The Hero) of Scorpio constellation. The association of Hercules, was the Greek people’s most this region of the sky with scales was famous hero. The ancient Romans named established among the Romans. It is said that him Heracles. Heracles was a courageous Moon was located in Libra when Rome was and strong man; but unfortunately, Heracles founded. The Romans considered Libra to be had a terrible enemy, the goddess Hera. Hera a favored constellation, one associated with decided to cast a spell over him. As a result, balanced seasons and equal length of night he committed a terrible crime. Seeking and day. The Sun was at the autumnal forgiveness, Heracles was told to perform equinox in Libra until the year 729, when the twelve very difficult tasks for the king, precession of the equinoxes shifted the Eurystheus, that he would complete. He has Scorpius (The Scorpio) equinox to Virgo. The autumnal equinox will been famous for this ever since. move to constellation Leo in the year 2439. According to one story, Orion wanted to kill The Romans were not the first to associate all the earth's wild animals. However, the Libra with the idea of balance. The earth goddess Gaia was not pleased with Babylonians called it ZIB.BA.AN.NA, Orion's intention. So, she sent a giant which means “the balance of heaven,” about scorpion to attack Orion. Before he defeated a thousand years before Christ. Once Libra the scorpion, the scorpion stung him to became associated with balance, its death with its poisonous tail. As a reward association with Scorpio’s claws faded and for its service, Gaia placed the scorpion's the one with the goddess of justice, the image in the nighttime sky. To this day, it Greek Dike or Astraea, represented by the looks as if the scorpion is always chasing constellation Virgo, became stronger. after Orion in the nighttime sky.