All known constellations. History of constellation names! (ancient Greek myths and legends)
Not everyone knows the names of stars and constellations, but many have heard the most popular of them.
Constellations are expressive star groups, and there is a special magic in the names of stars and constellations.
The information that tens of thousands of years ago, even before the emergence of the first civilizations, people began to give them names - no one doubts. The cosmos is filled with heroes and monsters from legends, and the sky of our northern latitudes is mainly inhabited by the characters of the Greek epic.
Photos of constellations in the sky and their names
48 ancient constellations are the decoration of the celestial sphere. Each has a legend associated with it. And no wonder - the stars played a big role in people's lives. Navigation, large-scale agriculture would be impossible without a good knowledge of the celestial bodies.
Of all the constellations, non-setting ones are distinguished, located at 40 degrees of latitude or higher. They are always visible to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere, regardless of the time of year.
5 main non-setting constellations in alphabetical order - The Dragon, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major and Minor, Cepheus . They are visible all year round, especially well in the south of Russia. Although at northern latitudes the circle of non-setting stars is wider.
It is significant that the objects of the constellations are not necessarily located nearby. To an earthly observer, the surface of the sky looks flat, but in fact some stars are much farther than others. Therefore, it would be incorrect to write “the ship made a jump into the constellation Microscope” (there is such a thing in the southern hemisphere). "The ship can make a jump towards the Microscope" - so it will be correct.
The brightest star in the sky
The brightest is Sirius in Canis Major. At our northern latitudes, it is visible only in winter. One of the closest large cosmic bodies to the sun, its light flies to us for only 8.6 years.
The Sumerians and the ancient Egyptians had the status of a deity. 3,000 years ago, the Egyptian priests, by the ascent of Sirius, accurately determined the time of the flood of the Nile.
Sirius is a double star. The visible component (Sirius A) is about 2 times more massive than the Sun and shines 25 times stronger. Sirius B is a white dwarf with a mass almost like that of the sun, with a brightness of a quarter of the sun.
Sirius B is possibly the most massive white dwarf known to astronomers. Ordinary dwarfs of this class are twice as light.
Arcturus in Bootes is the brightest in the northern latitudes and is one of the most unusual luminaries. Age - 7.3 billion years, almost half the age of the universe. With a mass approximately equal to the sun, it is 25 times larger, since it consists of the lightest elements - hydrogen, helium. Apparently, when Arcturus formed, there were not so many metals and other heavy elements in the universe.
Like a king in exile, Arcturus moves through space surrounded by a retinue of 52 smaller stars. Perhaps they are all part of the galaxy that our Milky Way swallowed up a very, very long time ago.
Arcturus is almost 37 light-years away - also not so far, on a cosmic scale. It belongs to the class of red giants and shines 110 times stronger than the Sun. The picture shows the comparative sizes of Arcturus and the Sun.
Names of stars by color
The color of a star depends on the temperature, and the temperature depends on the mass and age. The hottest are young massive blue giants, their surface temperature reaches 60,000 Kelvin, and their mass is up to 60 solar masses. The class B stars are not much inferior, the brightest representative of which is Spica, the alpha constellation Virgo.
The coldest are small, old red dwarfs. On average, the surface temperature is 2-3 thousand Kelvin, and the mass is one third of the sun. The diagram clearly shows how the color depends on the size.
By temperature and color, stars are divided into 7 spectral classes, indicated in the astronomical description of the object in Latin letters.
Beautiful names of stars
The language of modern astronomy is dry and practical; among the atlases you will not find stars with names. But the ancient people named the brightest and most important night luminaries. Most of the names are of Arabic origin, but there are also those that go back to hoary antiquity, to the times of the ancient Akkadians and Sumerians.
Polar. Dim, the last in the handle of the bucket of Ursa Minor, a guiding sign for all sailors of antiquity. Polar almost does not move and always points to the north. Every people in the northern hemisphere has a name for her. "Iron stake" of the ancient Finns, "Tethered horse" of the Khakasses, "Hole in the sky" of the Evenks. The ancient Greeks, famous travelers and sailors, called the polar "Kinosura", which translates as "dog's tail".
Sirius. The name, apparently, came from ancient Egypt, where the star was associated with the hypostasis of the goddess Isis. In ancient Rome, it was called Vacation, and our "vacation" comes straight from this word. The fact is that Sirius appeared in Rome at dawn, in the summer, during the days of the greatest heat, when the life of the city died down.
Aldebaran. In its movement it always follows the Pleiades cluster. In Arabic it means "follower". The Greeks and Romans called Aldebaran "The Eye of the Bull".
The Pioneer 10 probe, launched in 1972, is moving just in the direction of Aldebaran. The estimated time of arrival is 2 million years.
Vega. Arab astronomers called it the “Falling Eagle” (An nahr Al Wagi). In ancient Rome, the day when she crossed the horizon before sunrise was considered the last day of summer.
Vega was the first (after the Sun) photographed star. It happened almost 200 years ago in 1850, at the Oxford Observatory.
Betelgeuse. The Arabic designation is Yad Al Juza (twin's hand). In the Middle Ages, due to confusion in translation, the word was read as "Bel Juza", and "Betelgeuse" arose.
Fantasies love stars. One of the characters in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy hails from a small planet in the Betelgeuse system.
Fomalhaut. Alpha Southern Pisces. In Arabic - "Fish Mouth". 18th brightest night luminary. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of the veneration of Fomalhaut as early as the prehistoric period, 2.5 thousand years ago.
Canopus. One of the few stars whose name does not have Arabic roots. According to the Greek version, the word goes back to Canopus, the helmsman of King Menelaus.
The planet Arrakis, from the famous series of books by F. Herbert, revolves around Canopus.
How many constellations are in the sky
As it was established, people united stars into groups as early as 15,000 years ago. In the first written sources, that is, 2 millennia ago, 48 constellations are described. They are still in the sky, only the big Argo no longer exists - it was divided into 4 smaller ones - Stern, Sail, Keel and Compass.
Thanks to the development of navigation, in the 15th century, new constellations begin to appear. Fanciful figures adorn the sky - Peacock, Telescope, Indian. The exact year when the last of them appeared is known - 1763.
At the beginning of the last century, a general revision of the constellations took place. Astronomers counted 88 star groups - 28 in the northern hemisphere and 45 in the southern. The 13 constellations of the zodiac belt stand apart. And this is the final result, astronomers do not plan to add new ones.
Constellations of the northern hemisphere - list with pictures
Unfortunately, it is impossible to see all 28 constellations in one night, the celestial mechanics is inexorable. But in return we have a pleasant variety. Winter and summer skies look different.
Let's talk about the most interesting and noticeable constellations.
Big Dipper- the main landmark of the night sky. With it, it is easy to find other astronomical objects.
tail tip Ursa Minor- the famous Pole Star. Celestial bears have long tails, unlike earthly relatives.
The Dragon- a large constellation between Ursa. It is impossible not to mention the μ Dragon which is called Arrakis, which means “dancer” in ancient Arabic. Kuma (ν Dragon) - double, which is observed with ordinary binoculars.
It is known that ρ Cassiopeia - supergiant, it is hundreds of thousands of times brighter than the Sun. In 1572, the last explosion to date took place in Cassiopeia.
The ancient Greeks did not agree on whose Lyra. Different legends give it to different heroes - Apollo, Orpheus or Orion. The notorious Vega enters Lyra.
Orion- the most noticeable astronomical formation of our sky. The large stars of Orion's belt are called the three kings or magi. The famous Betelgeuse is located here.
Cepheus can be observed all year round. In 8,000 years, one of its stars, Alderamin, will become the new polar star.
AT Andromeda lies the nebula M31. This is a neighboring galaxy, visible to the naked eye on a clear night. The Andromeda Nebula is 2 million light years away from us.
Beautifully named constellation Veronica's hair owes the Egyptian queens, who sacrificed their hair to the gods. In the direction of the Coma Veronica is the north pole of our galaxy.
Alpha Bootes famous Arcturus. Behind Bootes, at the very edge of the observable universe, is the galaxy Egsy8p7. This is one of the most distant objects known to astronomers - it is 13.2 billion light years away.
Constellations for kids - all the fun
Curious young astronomers will be interested to learn about the constellations and see them in the sky. Parents can arrange a night tour for their children, talking about the amazing science of astronomy and seeing some of the constellations with their own eyes with the children. These short and understandable stories will surely appeal to little explorers.
Ursa Major and Ursa Minor
In ancient Greece, the gods turned everyone into animals, and threw anyone into the sky. That's what they were. Once the wife of Zeus turned a nymph named Callisto into a bear. And the nymph had a little son who did not know anything about the fact that his mother became a bear.
When the son grew up, he became a hunter and went to the forest with a bow and arrows. And it so happened that he met a mother bear. When the hunter raised his bow and fired, Zeus stopped time and threw everyone together - the she-bear, the hunter and the arrow into the sky.
Since then, the Big Dipper has been walking in the sky along with the little one, into which the son-hunter has turned. And the arrow also remained in heaven, only it will never hit anywhere - such is the order in heaven.
The Big Dipper is always easy to find in the sky, it looks like a big bucket with a handle. And if you found the Big Dipper, then the Little Dipper is walking nearby. And although Ursa Minor is not so noticeable, there is a way to find it: the two extreme stars in the bucket will indicate the exact direction to the polar star - this is the tail of Ursa Minor.
polar Star
All the stars are slowly spinning, only the Polar one stands still. She always points to the north, for which she is called a guiding one.
In ancient times, people sailed on ships with large sails, but without a compass. And when the ship is on the high seas and the coast is not visible, you can easily get lost.
When this happened, the experienced captain waited for the night to see the North Star and find a northerly direction. And knowing the direction to the north, you can easily determine where the rest of the world is, and where to sail in order to bring the ship to its native port.
The Dragon
Among the night lights in the sky lives a star dragon. According to legend, the dragon participated in the wars of the gods and titans, at the very dawn of time. The goddess of war, Athena, in the heat of battle, took and threw a huge dragon into the sky, just between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
The dragon is a large constellation: 4 stars form its head, 14 form its tail. Its stars are not very bright. It must be because the Dragon is already old. After all, a lot of time has passed since the dawn of time, even for the Dragon.
Orion
Orion was the son of Zeus. In his life, he accomplished many feats, became famous as a great hunter, became the favorite of Artemis, the goddess of hunting. Orion liked to brag about his strength and luck, but one day he was stung by a scorpion. Artemis rushed to Zeus and asked to save her pet. Zeus threw Orion into the sky, where the great hero of ancient Greece still lives.
Orion is the most remarkable constellation in the northern sky. It is large and consists of bright stars. In winter, Orion is fully visible and easy to find: look for a large hourglass with three bright bluish stars in the middle. These stars are called Orion's belt, their names are Alnitak (left), Alnilam (middle) and Mintak (right).
Knowing Orion, it is easier to navigate the rest of the constellations and find the stars.
Sirius
Knowing the position of Orion, one can easily find the famous Sirius. You need to draw a line to the right of Orion's belt. Just look for the brightest star. It is important to remember that it is visible in the northern sky only in winter.
Sirius is the brightest in the sky. Included in the constellation Canis Major, a faithful satellite of Orion.
There are actually two stars in Sirius circling each other. One star is hot and bright, we can see its light. And the other half is so dim that you can't see it with a regular telescope. But once upon a time, many millions of years ago, these parts were one huge whole. If we lived in those days, Sirius would shine for us 20 times stronger!
Q&A rubric
Which star's name means "brilliant, sparkling"?
— Sirius. It is so bright that it can be seen even during the day.
What constellations can be seen with the naked eye?
- Everything is possible. Constellations were invented by ancient people, long before the invention of the telescope. In addition, without having a telescope with you, you can even see planets, for example, Venus, Mercury and.
What is the largest constellation?
— Hydras. It is so long that it does not fit entirely in the northern sky and goes beyond the southern horizon. The length of the Hydra is almost a quarter of the circumference of the horizon.
What is the smallest constellation?
- The smallest, but at the same time the brightest - the Southern Cross. It is located in the southern hemisphere.
What constellation does the Sun belong to?
The Earth revolves around the Sun, and we see how in a year it passes through as many as 12 constellations, one for each month. They are called the Belt of the Zodiac.
Conclusion
The stars have long fascinated people. And although the development of astronomy allows us to look further and further into the depths of space, the charm of the ancient names of the stars does not go anywhere.
When we look up into the night sky, we see the past, ancient myths and legends, and the future, because one day people will go to the stars.
A constellation is a section of the celestial sphere with all celestial objects projected onto it from the point of view of an earthly observer.
The word "constellation" (from lat. constellatio) means "collection (or group) of stars". In ancient times, expressive groups of stars were called "constellations", which helped to memorize the pattern of the starry sky and use it to navigate in space and time. Each nation had its own traditions of dividing the stars into constellations. The constellations used by modern astronomers are mostly named and include bright stars traditional for European culture.
For many centuries, the constellations did not have clearly defined boundaries; usually on maps and star globes, the constellations were separated by curved intricate lines that did not have a standard position. Therefore, from the moment of the formation of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), one of its first tasks was the delimitation of the starry sky. At the 1st General Assembly of the IAU, held in Rome in 1922, astronomers decided that it was time to finally divide the entire celestial sphere into parts with precisely defined boundaries, and this, by the way, would put an end to all attempts to reshape the starry sky. In the names of the constellations, it was decided to adhere to the Latin names of the constellations. At the general assemblies of the IAU in 1925 and 1928, lists of constellations were adopted and the boundaries between most of them were approved. In 1930, on behalf of the IAU, the Belgian astronomer Eugene Delport published maps and a detailed description of the new boundaries of all 88 constellations. But even after that, some clarifications were still made, and only in 1935, by decision of the IAU, this work was completed.
There are 88 officially recognized constellations by the International Astronomical Union. They are all listed below in alphabetical order. Latin names and official abbreviations are also indicated.
The apparent area of a constellation is determined by the solid angle it occupies in the sky; it is usually given in square degrees. For comparison: the disks of the Moon or the Sun occupy an area of \u200b\u200babout 0.2 square meters in the sky. degrees, and the area of the entire celestial sphere is about 41253 sq. deg.
Ancient constellations. The first ideas of people about the starry sky came to us from the pre-literate period of history: they were preserved in material cultural monuments. Archaeologists and astronomers have found that the most ancient asterisms - characteristic groups of bright stars - were identified in the sky in the Stone Age, more than 15 thousand years ago. Some researchers believe that the first celestial images appeared simultaneously with the birth of the first drawings embodied in rock art, when the development of the left (logical) hemisphere of the human brain made it possible to identify an object with its flat image.
CONSTELLATIONS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF RUSSIAN NAMES
| Russian name | Latin name | Designation | right ascension | declination | Area, sq. hail | Number of visible stars |
| Andromeda | Andromeda | And | 1 | +40 | 722 | 100 |
| Twins | Gemini | Gem | 7 | +20 | 514 | 70 |
| Big Dipper | Ursa Major | Uma | 11 | +50 | 1280 | 125 |
| Big Dog | Canis Major | CMa | 7 | -20 | 380 | 80 |
| Scales | Libra | Lib | 15 | -15 | 538 | 50 |
| Aquarius | Aqr | Aqr | 23 | -15 | 980 | 90 |
| Auriga | Auriga | Aur | 6 | +40 | 657 | 90 |
| Wolf | Lupus | loop | 15 | -45 | 334 | 70 |
| Bootes | boots | Boo | 15 | +30 | 907 | 90 |
| Veronica's hair | Coma Berenices | Com | 13 | +20 | 386 | 50 |
| Crow | Corvus | crv | 12 | -20 | 184 | 15 |
| Hercules | Hercules | Her | 17 | +30 | 1225 | 140 |
| Hydra | Hydra | Hya | 10 | -20 | 1303 | 130 |
| Pigeon | Columba | Col | 6 | -35 | 270 | 40 |
| Hounds Dogs | Canes Venatici | CVn | 13 | +40 | 465 | 30 |
| Virgo | Virgo | Vir | 13 | 0 | 1294 | 85 |
| Dolphin | Delphinus | Del | 21 | +10 | 189 | 30 |
| The Dragon | Draco | Dra | 17 | +65 | 1083 | 80 |
| Unicorn | Monoceros | Mon | 7 | -5 | 482 | 85 |
| Altar | Ara | Ara | 17 | -55 | 237 | 30 |
| Painter | Pictor | Pic | 6 | -55 | 247 | 30 |
| Giraffe | camelopardalis | Cam | 6 | +70 | 757 | 50 |
| Crane | Grus | Gru | 22 | -45 | 366 | 30 |
| Hare | Lepus | Lep | 6 | -20 | 290 | 40 |
| Ophiuchus | Ophiuchus | Oh | 17 | 0 | 948 | 100 |
| Snake | Serpens | Ser | 16 | +10 | 429 | 60 |
| golden fish | Dorado | Dor | 5 | -65 | 179 | 20 |
| Indian | Ind | 21 | -55 | 249 | 20 | |
| Cassiopeia | Cassiopeia | Cas | 1 | +60 | 598 | 90 |
| Centaur (Centaurus) | Centaurus | Cen | 13 | -50 | 1060 | 150 |
| Keel | carina | car | 9 | -60 | 494 | 110 |
| Whale | Cetus | Set | 2 | -10 | 1231 | 100 |
| Capricorn | Capricornus | Cap | 21 | -20 | 414 | 50 |
| Compass | Pyxis | Pyx | 9 | -30 | 221 | 25 |
| Stern | Puppies | Pup | 8 | -40 | 673 | 140 |
| Swan | Cygnus | Cyg | 21 | +40 | 604 | 150 |
| a lion | Leo | Leo | 11 | +15 | 947 | 70 |
| Flying fish | Volans | Vol | 8 | -70 | 141 | 20 |
| Lyra | Lyra | Lyr | 19 | 40 | 286 | 45 |
| Chanterelle | Vulpecula | Vul | 20 | +25 | 268 | 45 |
| Ursa Minor | Ursa Minor | UMi | 15 | +70 | 256 | 20 |
| Small Horse | Equuleus | Equ | 21 | +10 | 72 | 10 |
| Small Lion | Leo Minor | LMi | 10 | +35 | 232 | 20 |
| Small Dog | Canis Minor | CMi | 8 | +5 | 183 | 20 |
| Microscope | microscopium | Mic | 21 | -35 | 210 | 20 |
| Fly | Musca | Mus | 12 | -70 | 138 | 30 |
| Pump | Antlia | Ant | 10 | -35 | 239 | 20 |
| Square | Nor | Norma | 16 | -50 | 165 | 20 |
| Aries | Aries | Ari | 3 | +20 | 441 | 50 |
| Octant | Octans | Oct | 22 | -85 | 291 | 35 |
| Eagle | Aquila | Aql | 20 | +5 | 652 | 70 |
| Orion | Orion | Ori | 5 | +5 | 594 | 120 |
| Peacock | Pavo | pav | 20 | -65 | 378 | 45 |
| Sail | Vela | Vel | 9 | -50 | 500 | 110 |
| Pegasus | Pegasus | peg | 22 | +20 | 1121 | 100 |
| Perseus | Perseus | Per | 3 | +45 | 615 | 90 |
| v | Fornax | For | 3 | -30 | 398 | 35 |
| Birds of Paradise | Apus | Aps | 16 | -75 | 206 | 20 |
| Cancer | Cancer | cnc | 9 | +20 | 506 | 60 |
| Cutter | Caelum | Cae | 5 | -40 | 125 | 10 |
| Fish | Pisces | psc | 1 | +15 | 889 | 75 |
| Lynx | Lynx | Lyn | 8 | +45 | 549 | 60 |
| Northern Crown | Corona Borealis | CrB | 16 | +30 | 179 | 20 |
| Sextant | Sextans | sex | 10 | 0 | 314 | 25 |
| Net | Reticulum | Ret | 4 | -60 | 114 | 15 |
| Scorpion | Scorpius | sco | 17 | -40 | 497 | 100 |
| Sculptor | sculptor | scl | 0 | -30 | 475 | 30 |
| table mountain | Mensa | Men | 5 | -80 | 153 | 15 |
| Arrow | Sagitta | Sge | 20 | +10 | 80 | 20 |
| Sagittarius | Sagittarius | Sgr | 19 | -25 | 867 | 115 |
| Telescope | Telescopium | Tel | 19 | -50 | 252 | 30 |
| Taurus | Taurus | Tau | 4 | +15 | 797 | 125 |
| Triangle | Triangulum | v | 2 | +30 | 132 | 15 |
| Toucan | Tucana | Tuc | 0 | -65 | 295 | 25 |
| Phoenix | Phoenix | Phe | 1 | -50 | 469 | 40 |
| Chameleon | Chamaeleon | Cha | 11 | -80 | 132 | 20 |
| Cepheus | Cepheus | cep | 22 | +70 | 588 | 60 |
| Compass | Circinus | cir | 15 | -60 | 93 | 20 |
| Clock | Horologium | Hor | 3 | -60 | 249 | 20 |
| Bowl | crater | crt | 11 | -15 | 282 | 20 |
| Shield | Scutum | Sct | 19 | -10 | 109 | 20 |
| eridanus | Eridanus | Eri | 3 | -20 | 1138 | 100 |
| Southern Hydra | Hydrus | Hyi | 2 | -75 | 243 | 20 |
| South Crown | Corona Australia | CrA | 19 | -40 | 128 | 25 |
| Southern Fish | Piscis Austrinus | PsA | 22 | -30 | 245 | 25 |
| South Cross | Crux | cru | 12 | -60 | 68 | 30 |
| Southern Triangle | Triangulum Australe | TaA | 16 | -65 | 110 | 20 |
| Lizard | Lacerta | Lac | 22 | +45 | 201 | 35 |
Canceled constellations
α, β, ε and η of the Argo ship became α, β, ε and η Kiel,
γ and δ of Argo became γ and δ of Sails, v ζ of Argo became ζ of Stern, etc.
The constellation was used by Bartsch, who published it in his 1642 celestial charts. Bartsch, however, believed that a bee was depicted in the constellation, and in the description indicated that it depicted one of the bees mentioned in the biblical story of Samson killing a lion. Present in "Uranography" by Jan Hevelius.
constellation, introduced by Jan Hevelius in 1690 in the celestial atlas "Uranography". It was not accepted by the astronomical community and is not included in the list of modern constellations. In the atlas, Hevelius depicted the three-headed dragon-like dog Kerberos, matched by the mighty hand of Hercules (the constellation Hercules). Now included in the constellation Hercules. The constellation Turtle (lat. Testudo) in the history of astronomy occurs three times in different eras.
· In antiquity, the constellation Lyra was sometimes called the Tortoise. This is connected with the famous Greek myth of Hermes, which tells how this god, while still a baby, first made a lyre from a tortoise shell.
· In the middle of the 18th century, the English naturalist John Hill proposed a number of new constellations, including the Turtle. The constellation was never used. (See Constellations by John Hill.)
· Finally, in 1844, Admiral of the English Royal Navy William Henry Smith, a cartographer and astronomer, a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, publishes the work "Cycle of Celestial Objects", in its first part devoted to general astronomy. The constellation Turtle is mentioned there. However, it is unknown if Smith was the true author of this constellation. The constellation was located between Pisces and the Whale in the so-called "sea" part of the sky. It was probably a sea turtle, which reminds of the author's naval service. The constellation did not last long.
> Constellation names
Consider list of constellations and their names: who gives the names of the constellations, the history of discovery, myths and legends, the meaning for the name of each of the 88 constellations.
Like from stars, they appeared from different sources and each has its own history and meaning. The old constellations were named after Greek mythology, while the modern constellations are named after scientific instruments and exotic animals.
The Greek constellations were documented by Ptolemy in the second century and named after heroes, or they reflect some creatures and events (Perseus, Andromeda, Arrow, etc.). Those depicting scientific instruments were named by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century (Telescope, Compasses, Square and others).
Constellations with exotic animals belong to Peter Dirkszun and Frederick de Houtman, who traveled in the 16th century (Golden Fish, Toucan, Chameleon, etc.).
It should be understood that the names of the constellations, both zodiacal and other families, have developed historically. Below is a list of constellations with explanations of names and backgrounds.
Constellation names and meanings
Andromeda is a Greek constellation named after Andromeda. This is the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus, who was chained to a rock to give to the sea monster Cetus. Perseus rescued her. Parents were forced to take such a step, since Cassiopeia boasted that she was more beautiful than the nymphs, and Poseidon promised to attack the kingdom.
Pump- created by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century. From the very beginning, he called it "Machine Pneumatique" in honor of the invention of the air pump, which was invented by Denis Papin.
Paradise Bird- displays an animal. The name from the Greek "Apus" means "no legs". This was a reference to a misconception among Westerners that this bird species does not have legs. Created by Dutch astronomer Peter Plancius at the end of the 16th century.
Aquarius- one of the 44 Greek constellations. Associated with Ganymede, who carried a bowl of water on Olympus. This is the son of King Tros (reigned in Troy). He was an incredibly handsome young man. Zeus liked him so much that he transformed into an eagle and took him into his service. There is an option where Zeus simply sends a bird (the constellation Eagle) for the guy.
Eagle- displays an eagle holding the lightning bolts of Zeus or a bird that kidnapped Ganymede to Olympus.
A photo
Altar- the constellation is associated with the altar on which the gods swore allegiance before going to war with the titans. The Olympians were led by Zeus, and the Titans by Atlas. After the victory, Zeus sent the altar to heaven. In many pictures, the Milky Way is shown as smoke rising from an altar.
Aries- a winged ram with a golden fleece. It was his nymph Nefele who sent her son Frix to rescue. Atamas (father) received a false prophecy that his son should be killed so that the people would not starve. Phrixus and Helle mounted a ram and flew to Colchis, but on the way their sister fell into the Dardanelles. The Greeks named the canal dividing Asia and Europe in her honor, and the Golden Fleece later became the cherished goal of the Argonauts.
Auriga- Erichthonius of Athens, who was immortalized in the stars by Zeus. The fact is that this man was the son of Hephaestus, and received education from Athena. It was he who came up with the idea of harnessing 4 horses to the chariot, copying the chariot of the sun god.
Bootes- usually in his appearance they see a plowman driving oxen (Ursa Major). In other myths, it was Arkas, the son of Zeus and Callisto. Father Callisto Liacon decided to check whether God is in front of him or not. Therefore, I prepared his son for a meal. Upon learning of this, Zeus kills all the sons of the king, and then collects his piece by piece and revives. Callisto had to be turned into a bear because Zeus's wife Hera began hunting her to avenge her betrayal. When Arkas grew up, he saw her in the forest and prepared to shoot, but Zeus intervened in time and sent them to heaven in the form of Ursa Major and Bootes.
Sometimes Icarius appears in the image of Bootes. He and Dionysus were great friends. And one day God taught him how to make wine. Icarium invited his friends to dinner, but in the morning everyone had such a headache that they thought that the guy decided to poison them. Therefore, they killed him.
Cutter- Created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. The first name is "Caelum Scalptorium", which is translated from Latin as "engraver's chisel".
Giraffe- translated from the Latin "camelopardalis" and is a combination of the Greek words "camel" and "leopard". The fact is that these two animals reminded them of a creature (the long neck of a camel and leopard spots).
Cancer is the Karkios crab sent by the Hero. Hercules at this moment fought with the Lernean Hydra, and the crab was supposed to distract the guy. But he kicked the creature so hard that it immediately went to heaven. There is also a story that Hercules simply crushed him, and Hera made him a constellation.
Hounds Dogs- created by an astronomer from Poland, Jan Hevelius, in the 17th century. Represents two hunting dogs accompanying Bootes chasing Ursa Major.
Big Dog- the Greek constellation, displaying a large dog that has always accompanied Orion. She is chasing a hare (Hare). Sometimes it also displays Lelapa - the fastest dog received by Europa as a gift from Zeus.
Small Dog- a smaller dog running after Orion. It could also be an Ikarus dog named Maera. After his death, she grieved so much that she jumped off a cliff.
Capricorn- an ancient constellation, described by Ptolemy in the second century. It is a goat and displays the deity Pan (horns and legs of a goat). Sometimes it is Almateya - the goat that nursed Zeus (baby).
Keel- was once one of the three constellations that formed the large Ship Argo, on which Jason and the Argonauts made their journey for the Golden Fleece. Displays the keel of the ship.
Cassiopeia The boastful queen and wife of Cepheus. Once she declared that her beauty surpassed the Nerid. The nymphs were so offended that they asked Poseidon to intercede. He sent the sea monster Cetus to ravage the kingdom. Cepheus asked the oracle for help, and he advised them to sacrifice their daughter, Andromeda. The girl was chained to a rock, but Perseus saved her in time. Poseidon sent the king and queen to heaven. But they say that as a punishment, Cassiopeia spends 6 months in an inverted position.
Centaurus- a hybrid represented by a half-man and a half-horse. Most often displays Chiron - a wise centaur who taught Hercules, Theseus, Achilles, Jason and other heroes of Greek myths.
Cepheus- the king of Ethiopia (a site of modern Egypt, Jordan and Israel), the husband of Cassiopeia and the father of Andromeda.
Whale- a sea monster sent by Poseidon to punish Cassiopeia, the wife of King Cepheus, for her boasting.
Chameleon- created by Dutch discoverers in the 16th century. Named after a species of lizard that can change color in accordance with the situation.
Compass- Created in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. Named after the tool used to draw circles. Depicted as two dividing compasses, which measured the distance.
Pigeon- Created in the 16th century by Peter Plancius. From the very beginning it was called "Noah's Dove" in honor of the bird that Noah released to search for land after the Great Flood.
Veronica's hair- named after Queen Berenice II of Egypt. The girl swore to Aphrodite that she would give her beautiful long hair if the goddess would return her husband Ptolemy III from the war alive. The goddess complied with the request and when the man arrived home, the queen immediately left her hair in the temple of Aphrodite. The hair disappeared the next day, but the king became very angry. To calm him down, the court oracle said that the goddess liked the hair so much that she placed it in the sky.
South Crown- although it is called a crown, the Greeks saw in it a wreath of a centaur. It could also be the crown that Dionysus sent to heaven after the release of his mother Semele from the kingdom of Hades.
Northern Crown- this crown was worn by the princess of Crete Ariadne at her wedding. She helped Theseus find a way out of the labyrinth of the Minotaur and followed him, but the hero set her aside on the island of Naxos. Dionysus saw a tearful girl and fell in love. The crown was created by Hephaestus. After the ceremony, she threw it into the sky and the jewels became stars.
Crow- the sacred white bird of Apollo. In one of the myths, the god asked her to keep an eye on her lover Koronis, who fell in love with another person. When the bird told the whole truth, the god became so angry that he burned the feathers of the raven to blackness. In another story, Apollo sent a bird to fill a bowl with water. But the crow spent several days in the fields and gorged itself on grain. So that she would not be punished, she brought a snake (Hydra). But Apollo cursed her and made her never get drunk (which is why crows have such raspy voices).
Bowl- the bowl of Apollo (depicted with two handles).
South Cross- the Greeks managed to notice it before it shifted below the northern hemisphere. Some saw in it the cross on which Christ was crucified. Before 400 AD the constellation was not visible to most of Europe, so the Europeans saw it only at the end of the 15th century.
Swan- The Spartan queen Leda gave birth to two twins Clytemnestra and Castor (from her husband Tyndareus), as well as the immortal Pollux and Helen (from Zeus).
Dolphin- displays a creature that served as the messenger of Poseidon. God sent him to find Aphrodite, whom he later married. It was also the dolphin that saved Arion (located next to Lyra).
golden fish– created by Dutch explorers in the 16th century.
The Dragon- we are talking about the dragon Ladon, who had a hundred heads. Hera placed him in the garden of the Hesperides to guard the golden apple tree. He was killed by Hercules, performing one of his labors. There is also a Roman legend where the Dragon was one of the titans who fought with the Olympian gods. In battle, he was killed by Minevra and left for dead around the North Pole.
Small Horse- associated with Chiron's daughter Hippe. She was seduced by Eol and she was afraid to tell the truth to her father. She hid in the mountains, but Chiron was looking for her. So she fell to her knees and began to pray to the gods. They turned her into a mare. It is said that she is still hiding, so only her head is shown behind Pegasus.
eridanus is the ancient Greek name for the Po River in Italy. Most often displays the story with Phaethon - the son of Helios (the god of the Sun). He asked to be allowed to drive the wagon across the sky, but his father refused. Then he stole it, but during the ride he fell and drowned in the river. The carriage burned the ground and the desert of Libya was formed in that place. Helios suffered so much that he did not bring the Sun out for several days.
Bake- the southern constellation, created by Lacaille in the 18th century. From the very beginning it was called "Chemical Furnace" after the heater used in chemical experiments.
Twins- named after Castor and Polydeuces.
Crane- created by the Dutch astronomer Peter Plancius at the end of the 16th century. Displays an animal seen by sailors during an expedition to the East Indies.
Hercules- named after Hercules, who performed the famous 12 labors. One of the oldest constellations and dates back to Sumerian times.
Clock- created by Lacaille and displays the "pendulum clock" (invention of Christian Huygens).
Hydra- the largest of the 88 constellations and is named after the Lernaean Hydra - a monster from the 12 labors of Hercules. Recorded by Ptolemy in the second century.
Southern Hydra- created in the 16th century by Peter Plancius and depicts a sea serpent that Dutch travelers noticed during a trip to the East Indies.
Indian- Another constellation of Plancius and displays the Indian. Navigators from Holland met many interesting tribes and it is not clear which inhabitant the constellation represents (East Indies, Madagascar or South Africa).
Lizard- created by the Polish astronomer Jan Hewelius in the 17th century. Not related to myths.
a lion- associated with the Nemean lion, killed by Hercules.
Small Lion- Introduced by Hevelius in the 17th century.
Hare- created by Ptolemy in the second century and is not associated with any myth. But sometimes it is believed that it may be a hare that Orion and his dogs hunted.
Scales- the scale held by the Greek goddess of justice Daika (Virgo).
Wolf- an ancient constellation recorded by Ptolemy. He was not associated with the Wolf until the Renaissance. The Greeks called it "Therium" - "wild animal", and the Romans - a beast (beast). Once the stars of the constellation belonged to the Centaurus.
Lynx- created by Jan Hevelius and depicts an animal. Hevelius named it that way, because the constellation is weak and you need to have the eyesight of a lynx to see it.
Lyra- the lyre of the Greek poet and musician Orpheus, who was killed by the Bacchantes.
table mountain- from Latin "Mensa" means "table". It was created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18th century and from the very beginning he named it "Mons Mensae", representing a mountain in South Africa. Lacaille spent a couple of years there, studying the sky.
Microscope- the constellation Lacaille, named after the microscope, which was used in the 18th century.
Unicorn- from Latin "Monoceros" is translated as "unicorn". It was created by Peter Plancius in 1612 and named after an animal mentioned in the Old Testament.
Fly- created by Dutch sailors in the 16th century.
Square- the square of a draftsman or carpenter, which was used on reconnaissance ships. Introduced in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
Octant- an instrument that precedes the modern sextant. Created in 1752 by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.
Ophiuchus- Greek constellation representing Asclepius (healer). He is depicted as a young man holding a snake in his hands. They say that it was from the snake that he learned how to heal people (one put grass on the deceased and she was healed).
Orion- mythical hunter and son of Poseidon and Euryale. One of the oldest constellations, which the Sumerians spoke about (the myth of Gilgamesh).
A photo
Peacock- Created by Peter Plancius in the 16th century. Displays a green peacock spotted by Dutch sailors on their trip.
Pegasus- the winged horse that jumped out of the neck of the Gorgon Medusa when Perseus cut off her head.
Perseus- Greek hero. It is one of the 6 constellations associated with this figure. Recorded in the second century by Ptolemy.
Phoenix- a mythical fire bird, displayed in many cultures. Introduced in the 16th century by explorers from Holland.
Painter- created by Lacaille in the 17th century and was first called "le Chevalet et la Palette" - "artist's easel".
Fish one of the zodiac constellations. Refers to the myth of Aphrodite and her son Eros, who turned into fish to escape Typhon.
Southern Fish- an ancient constellation, which was known even in Babylon. In Greece, it was the Great Fish drinking the water poured by Aquarius.
Stern- part of the Argo Ship, on which Jason and the Argonauts set off on a journey for the Golden Fleece. It was a huge constellation that was divided in the 18th century.
Compass- Marine instrument. Created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille who named it "Pyxis Nautica".
Net- Created by Isaac Habrecht II in 1621, who named it Rhombus. Nicolas Louis de Lacaille later renamed it "Réticule Rhomboide" to perpetuate the reticle on his telescope. He used it in his explorations in South Africa in the 1750s.
Arrow- the Greek constellation, displaying the arrow with which Hercules killed the Eagle, pecking at the liver of Prometheus.
Sagittarius- a centaur aiming at the star Antares (the heart of Scorpio). He is also seen as the son of Pan Crotus, who invented archery. Sometimes Chiron (Centaurus) is mistakenly attributed to him.
Scorpion- recorded by Ptolemy and depicts Scorpio killing Orion. If you look at the sky, you can see that Orion continues to run away from Scorpio, so they cannot be seen at the same time.
Sculptor- displays a sculptural workshop. It was created by Lacaille in the 18th century ("l'Atelier du Sculpteur").
Shield– Introduced by Jan Hevelius in the 17th century and named the "Shield of Sobieski" to commemorate the victory of King Jan III Sobieski of Poland in the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Later, only the first word was left.
Snake- displays a snake held by Asclepius (Ophiuchus).
Sextant- created by Jan Hevelius and depicts an astronomical instrument used to measure star positions. From the very beginning it was called "Sextans Uraniae".
Taurus- recorded in the first catalog of Ptolemy. It depicted Zeus, who turned into a white bull to kidnap Europa. In another story, Zeus seduced Io, but Hera (the wife of Zeus) guessed about the betrayal. Then the god turned the mistress into a cow to hide.
Telescope– created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille and displays the type of refractor.
Triangle- Greek constellation, recorded in the second century by Ptolemy. In Greece, it was called Deltoton because it resembles a Greek letter.
Southern Triangle- created by Peter Plancius at the end of the 16th century.
Toucan- found by Dutch sailors, who named it after a bird living in South America.
Big Dipper- one of the oldest constellations. The most popular myth tells of Callisto, with whom Zeus fell in love. As punishment, Hera turned her into a bear. It could also be Adastraea, the nymph who raised Zeus as an infant.
Ursa Minor- associated with Arkas (son of Zeus) and Callisto or Isis (the nymph who took care of Zeus when he was a child). Rhea (mother of Zeus) had to hide her son, because Kronos (father) decided not to allow the prophecy to come true - the son would overthrow his father.
Content:
Probably, there is no such person who would not peer into the night sky. It is simply mesmerizing, thousands of stars twinkle and glow: some are barely noticeable, others stand out brightly against a dark background. Thoughts involuntarily visit that at this time many other people look at the twinkling of the same stars. After all, they are located so far from the earth that they can be seen from all places on the globe.
For a long time, in the old days, people very often turned to the stars for help: they found their way home, determined the time for planting plants, set the weather for tomorrow, even guessed.
these are areas in the sky, which are visually divided into border segments, for the convenience of astrologers, and the inhabitants themselves. Even in the ancient world, constellations were called bright parts of the stars, visually connecting which formed star images.The union of astrologers from various countries officially legalized 88 constellations. It is interesting that they were adopted in 1930, of which 48 are known from the time of Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD.
The names were given due to the fact that their appearance was closely associated with the appearances of true or fictional representatives of the fauna (Ursa Major, Lion, Dragon, etc.), with the famous characters of Greek legends (Andromeda, Perseus, etc.), with the names of certain subject objects that clearly defined the lines of connections of shining stars (Libra, Crown, Southern Cross, etc.).
Only 58 known star clusters contain the brightest stars (alpha) that have names.
In 13 star figures, the shining lights are called beta, the rest are identified only by Greek alphabetic letters.
The largest is the Hydra, its size is determined at 1303 degrees squared. And the smallest of them has the stellar composition of the Southern Cross, they have 68 square degrees.
The most famous from childhood is the Big Dipper (otherwise it is called the Big Dipper). It is visible from various places on the earth, its dimensions are slightly smaller than those of the Hydra, they are determined at 1280 degrees.
Big Dipper
Refers to the constellation of the celestial hemisphere of the northern side. The stars present on it (there are 7 of them) form the most famous image in the sky. Visually, a certain scoop is immediately noticeable, with their 2 luminaries on the extreme side of Dubhe and Merak indicate the direction of the familiar Polar Star to everyone. The most picturesque of them is Aliot, and the most famous is the Mizar (double) system. There is an opinion that whoever clearly sees and distinguishes these two stars has excellent eyesight.
In the location of the Bucket, 2 galaxies (spiral type) are observed: M81 and M101. They can be perfectly seen even in an amateur telescope.
M81 is significant in that it is very similar to our galaxy. Not far from it is the small Galaxy M82, where a huge explosion occurred many years ago (millions). Modern astrologers are interested in this event, because little by little it clarifies the history of the emergence and development of galactic systems.
On the territory allotted to this image, there is an even more interesting cosmic image - "Owl". She got her name for the strongest resemblance to her. It can be seen without problems in telescopic equipment of low power.
As described above, there are 2 galactic systems in the constellation.
- M81 is an amazing galactic spiral of the Sb type, its brightness is 6.9 m. Together with it, M82 is located, a system of an asymmetric configuration and, in comparison with its neighbor, is the weakest. Since the M81 Galaxy is the strongest, it deforms its neighbor with its gravity.
The Hubble space equipment makes it possible to thoroughly study 32 objects of a non-permanent type. Using the data obtained, it was possible to find out the remoteness to the Galaxy - this is 11 million light years.
- M101 – an Sc-type galaxy with a brightness of 7.9 m . If you conduct observations with small telescopes, you can clearly see its central part. Looking at the pictures taken by the largest devices, you can see that it is not symmetrical. The nucleus is as far as possible from the disk middle. The range to M101 is determined with the assistance of the Cepheids by the Hubble telescopic equipment and is summed up to about 24 million sv. years.
Historical studies
In 1603 there was a discovery of historical significance. Astrologer from Germany, Johann Bayer, produced his space atlas "Uranometria", which maximally specified the location of stellar objects in the sky. He originally designated the stars with the letters of the Greek alphabet, this also included all 7 stellar components of the Big Dipper in the direction of the pattern from the west side to the east. At the same time, Bayer made his own adjustments to the rules, according to which the stellar brightness must correspond to the Greek alphabet. The most radiant of them is Alpha, the next in line is Beta, etc. The fundamental rules for the atlas were the data collected over the years by the scientist Tycho Brahe.
Ursa Major is one of the most popular and famous space objects, which is familiar to almost every person since childhood. It has a strong resemblance to a radiant bewitching ladle that can be perfectly contemplated without any effort from anywhere in the world and throughout the year. It is located close to the North Pole and is ranked among the latitudes of the north of clusters of stellar non-setting objects. This cluster of stars is named after the nymph Callisto.
Observations
The bear belongs to that group of space objects, their location is widely known and familiar to everyone. Indeed, people get to know him almost first of all, due to the fact that the bear bucket in its appearance has a rather peculiar shape.
On the east side of it are the perfectly visible Perseus and Cassiopeia (mythical characters). The Giraffe, which is located next door, does not have bright lights; it is quite problematic to navigate through it. As if running after the she-bear, Bootes and his shining star Arcturus, located from the southeast.
The most convenient time for visibility is spring (March and April). The star cluster can be perfectly observed from all regions of Russia.
Mythology
Since ancient times, there has been a wonderful and beautiful story of the origin of the constellation. According to ancient legends, the constantly young goddess of hunting Artemis walked with a spear and sharp arrows along the mountain slopes and forests in the capture of prey. She was accompanied by faithful attendants. They were all amazingly beautiful, one better than the other, but the most beautiful and charming among them was a young girl named Callisto. Zeus (in myths, Jupiter) spotted a young beauty and was struck by her grace and youth. But the surrounding girls were strictly forbidden to enter into marriage relations and start families. However, Zeus came up with a cunning plan and took possession of a wonderful girl, taking the form of Artemis. Callisto had a wonderful son from Zeus, and they named him Arkadam, who grew up simply rapidly and turned into a beautiful and dexterous young man.
The wife of Zeus Hera was very jealous and, having learned that the faithful one was cheating on her, she sent a lot of curses to her rival and turned her into a huge and unsightly bear.
After a short amount of time, Arkad, the son, came across her while hunting and shot an arrow at her, not knowing that she was his mother. At this time, Zeus, zealously protecting his beloved from all misfortunes, at the decisive moment was able to beat aside a deadly arrow.
After the events that took place, Zeus turned his son into a small bear cub and placed him with his mother in outer space. And so they remained to shine in the sky with two constellations - the Lesser and the Great Bear. Not a single day goes by that at least one person does not turn his gaze upward and peer into the starry expanse in search of these famous images.
The big bear rotates around the pole and once a day, descends to the flat surface of the sea to drink and quench her thirst. Having drunk plenty of clean water, she again rises up, attracting enthusiastic human eyes.
Ursa Minor
Many different mythical stories and legends are associated with the appearance of this image. The small bucket is a space image of a small size, which is perfectly placed in the north side. Since ancient times, he was given an affectionate name - "bear cub". He was recognized by astrologers as early as the 2nd century by a Greek astronomer.
As a rule, the Little Dipper is depicted as a small bear cub with a large tail. There is an opinion that the tail therefore has long dimensions, that the baby, with its help, clings to the earth's pole.
The seven brightest stars in this cosmic figure form the shape of a ladle; at the end of the handle is the Polar Star. This texture is multi-star and it is located approximately at 430 St. years from the globe.
This luminary is the most popular and has excellent fame in many areas. It is considered a navigational star, because of its bright light and a certain location, lost sailors or hunters find their way home.
The Bedouins gave her the name "goat" and are perfectly used for night wanderings (the second star for orientation is the star Canopus).
Finding a constellation in the sky is pretty easy. Its stellar neighbors are Giraffe, Cepheus and Dragon. However, to find Ursa Minor, it is enough to know the location of Ursa Major. It is necessary to find two of its stars located on the edge, count five distances between them and you can find the North Star. The beginning of the “handle” begins with it, which is much smaller in comparison with a large bucket. She is not as bright as her older sister, but is clearly visible in the starry sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, you can see it all year round.
The pole is considered to be the center of the celestial sphere, which seems to be motionless to the earthly layman, but at this time all the stars revolve around. If a bright shining star is located nearby, then it can be a guide, its placement depends on the time of day. Depending on the movements of the earth, this point is always moving, but it is almost impossible to notice this on a secular scale. Today, the North Star is closest to the pole. In angular calculations, it departs from it by 40 arc minutes.
Major and minor constellations
Today, astronomers have fixed various constellations, large and small in size.
One of the list of large sizes is the Hydra. It occupies a significant volume of the sky and is calculated at 1302.84 degrees squared. So, due to its size, it got its name. It is a thin and very long line, occupying a quarter of the entire sky. The main location of Hydra is the south side of the equatorial strip. According to the characteristic stellar composition, the constellation is relatively dim. In its composition, only two shining luminaries are included, which can be seen without problems in the sky, these are Alphard and Gamma Hydra.
In addition, there is also a scattered cosmic concentration, called M48.
The next largest place belongs to Virgo. In terms of volume, it has minor differences from the Hydra.
One of the small in the starry sky is considered to be the Southern Cross. It is located in the southern hemisphere. It is recognized as a similarity of the Big Dipper from the north. Its volume is 68 0 . According to the ancient astrologers, in the past it was an integral part of the Centauri. However, in 1589 this constellation was recognized as separate. In stellar cross-content, even with an untrained eye, about 30 stellar units can be observed. In addition, there is a darkened nebula, which is called the Coal Sack. It is notable for the fact that it has the ability to form stars on its own.
Unique constellations
All figures in the starry sky and their original names are unique. Almost everyone has their own unique legend of education; extraordinary luminaries are included in the cosmic community. It is possible to add to them the cosmic images of the Toucan and the Golden Fish. In the star cluster of the latter, the Megellanic cloud of a huge size is located, and in the first of a small volume. They are truly unique.
The Large Cloud resembles a Segner circle in its appearance, while the Small Cloud resembles a boxer's projectile. According to their occupied territory in the sky, they are very large. Astronomy lovers notice their maximum relationship with the Milky Way. Of course, in terms of actual dimensions, they are much smaller than the famous star track. They seem to be part of the Milky Way, just slightly off to the side. It is worth noting that in their content, they are very similar to our Galaxy, and the clouds of constellations are the stars closest to the Earth.
A significant factor is that cloud clusters and our galactic system jointly circle around the same axis and this forms a triple system of stars. It is worth noting that each of this stellar trinity in its composition has a stellar concentration, nebula and other objects of space.
Twins
This figure is perfectly visible from all places in our country, because it soars quite high above the horizon. In the night sky, it clearly looms in a peculiar shape. On the northeast side of Orion, even with an untrained eye, you can see 2 lines placed parallel to each other and the Gemini star string, however, the "parachute projectile" of the Aurigae can be seen on the northwest side. One of the best times to see this unique cosmic figure is during the first two winter months.
The sun sets in the Brethren's territorial domain on the twenty-first of June.
Gemini has been known to people since antiquity. In a cloudless night period in the sky in this flickering concentration, you can easily see about 70 figures along the stellar contours. The most shining of them are Castor and Pollux.
Castor is a system of maximum complexity, including 6 stellar objects, its remoteness from the solar system is 45 l. in the light dimension.
Pollux has the maximum dimensions and burns with the brightest yellow fire, is much colder than its counterpart and is located at a distance of 35 years from the solar system (in the light dimension). It is noted that its brightness is 35 times greater than the light coming from the Sun.
These luminaries are recognized as the main ones, they are approximately placed in relation to each other, and from ancient times people began to consider them as relatives, like brothers, who are united by strong and disinterested relationships.
In ancient Babylon, they were also personified as 2 inseparable brothers, and they were even given the name "shepherd and warrior." People were sure that they were helping sailors, and in Sparta they believed that they patronized gymnasts.
Legend
Since ancient times, there has been a beautiful legend about selfless fraternal friendship. The king of Sparta Tyndareus had a beautiful wife named Leda. She was very beautiful, which struck on the spot with her appearance and grace. Could not resist her charms and Zeus. But he was married to Hera, and she, in turn, patronized marriage and protected all women during the birth of children. Then Zeus, in order not to be exposed, took the form of a beautiful slender bird and rushed to his beloved. They had a mutual love, as a result of which 2 babies were born - the son Pollux and the daughter Helen (because of her there was a famous war in Troy).
From her legal husband Tyndareus, Leda had more children: a son, Castor, and a daughter, Clytemnestra.
Zeus gave eternal life to his blood heir Pollux, and his half-brother Castor was an ordinary person. The brothers grew up, gained fame, even participated in the historical journey for the Golden Fleece. They were always nearby, did not part, even decided to make their own sisters as their spouses. To achieve this goal, they stole two of his daughters from the ruler Leucippus, but this act did not pass for them free of charge.
As a result, as the parable says, Castor died at the hands of his own relative. Then Pollux, in order to always be with his beloved brother, persuaded his father to remove immortality from him. Zeus, although he categorically did not want this, yielded to the pleas of his son and the brothers began to live in the underworld. However, Zeus, so that people always remember the sincere friendship of the two brothers, wrapped them in shining stars. And in Greece they were revered as human intercessors.
The image of the cosmic Canis Major
From Russian places, it is best to monitor him in winter (December, January). However, in the regions of the north it is not visible all the time. It can be easily found if you navigate along Orion. The stars (3 pcs.), located on the sash, are directed to the southeast side, to the location of Sirius. It is quite problematic to make a mistake, because. it shines quite brightly. The dog is clearly visible in the cold time period, it is located quite close to the southern horizon. The constellation crosses the meridian at midnight, precisely in the last days of December and the first of January. However, here we are talking about the usual coincidence, Sirius crosses the main line of the south in the new year, precisely at midnight.
In addition, it is believed that thanks to Sirius, the inhabitants of the North could enjoy the Indian summer, in the autumn month of September. This is explained simply, at this time, Sirius is parallel to the Sun, and its bright light prolongs the beautiful autumn days.
Sirius is the brightest of all. This luminary is close to the Earth, the seventh in terms of distance from the Sun.
It is considered one of the ancient selection of stars. According to the existing parable, the Dog is the living creature of Orion.
Mythology
For a long time there has been a legend about how the Virgin, Bootes and the Great Dog connected with each other. Dionysus, the god of wine, walked the earth. He visited all the places where people lived, treated them to wine and taught them how to grow grapes and make wine from them. A cheerful and noisy company visited all places, people greeted them hospitably. God generously rewarded everyone who gladly accepted him at home, and this turned out to be Icarius. He generously received the guests in his hospitable house. In parting, Dionysus left a vine to the friendly owner and explained how to use it. Over time, Icarius grew a beautiful plant and began to treat everyone with wine. One evening, he decided to let the shepherds taste the wine, who, having not tasted it before, concluded that it was poisoning. They killed him, took his body to distant mountain ranges and buried him in a crevice.
The daughter of Ikaria named Erigona has been searching for the missing parent for a long time. Once she went in search, taking with her the dog Myra. The dog showed her the mountainous places where they found the dead father. Full of grief and despair, the girl committed suicide next to the corpse of her father.
The god of wine, Dionysus, turned all three, father, daughter and their dog into constellations and placed them in the sky. Since that time, they have remained in the starry expanses, and people have given them names - Bootes, Virgo and Big Dog.
Libra is a star cluster considered of little interest. Bright lights are not observed in it, and it is quite difficult to form a curly image resembling scales from those present. The only star that can be seen with the naked eye is located on the lower right side, it has a slightly greenish tint. The first time it was mentioned before our era in the 1st century. For creation, a part of another constellation, Scorpio, was borrowed. The Romans called him Libra in the early period of the new era.
Due to the fact that there were often changes in connection with the name, its appearance was formed much later than the others. Initially, he was represented in the form of an altar, then he was seen as a lamp, which Scorpio clamped in his huge claws, only after he opened them, a new heavenly appearance was born in the sky - Libra.
If the figure of Libra appeared in the northern regions, this meant for people that the time had come for sowing. In Egypt, on the other hand, revealing meant not harvesting for the time being.
In Greece, the fair goddess Astrea lived, who, using scales, decided people's destinies. In one of the legends, it is said that the appearance of scales in the sky announced that people would live in strict observance of the laws.
Astrea's parents were Zeus and Themis (goddess of justice), by whose order she made fair decisions. She did this in the following way: she blindfolded herself, took equivalent scales in her hands in order to make impartial decisions, help the victims innocently, and severely punish thieves and deceivers. Zeus decided that his daughter's instrument of justice should be, as a symbol of honesty, placed in the starry sky.
Myths related to Libra
There are many legends and stories about Libra. According to one of the many, the emperor of ancient Rome, Augustus, was distinguished by a very fair and honest character. He showed concern for people and performed lawful and just actions for them. His grateful subjects decided that the name of their ruler lived forever, and placed a constellation in the sky, which he received by giving a simple and weighty name - Libra. A place was found for him in the gap between Scorpio and Virgo. To carry out their plan, they needed to remove some spatial part from Scorpio. Thanks to this, Libra appeared in the sky, which still reminds of Augustus as the most honest and just ruler.
According to other legendary events, Themis and Zeus strictly observed the rule of law on the mountain of the gods. Themis made sure that justice and honesty reigned everywhere. According to legend, Themis sat in the chair of Zeus and kept a strict control over lawlessness. She was actively assisted by her daughters - in translation, their names meant Justice, Law and Peace. Themis monitored human life and informed Zeus about all unfair deeds discovered.
Sometimes she herself descended to people from her throne and walked the whole world, holding scales in her hands. They were magical and measured human actions, dividing them into fair and lawless. If violations of the law were discovered, then Themis appeared before people with a ball with which she pierced the hearts of cruel, evil and deceitful people.
According to legend, Zeus wrapped the scales in a star image and placed them in the endless sky as a symbol of justice.
Aquarius
This figure is located between Slaves and Capricorn and is recognized as one of the ancient ones. The dazzling star is called Sadalsuud, which means "the happiest of the lucky."
It can be observed in the regions of Russia, from the central and southern sides, but it is rather problematic to find it in a sky full of stars. The most favorable time for this is August and September. Among the representatives of Greece and the Arabs, the constellation had completely different names, but they meant one thing - melting in ice.
The name goes very far to the homeland of the global flood, these are the territories of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. In astrological records, rivers flow from a huge vessel held in the hands of Aquarius. The eleventh month in a row was called the curse of water. According to the Sumerians, the constellation is located in the very center of the celestial sea and therefore always indicated future rains. It has always been compared to a god who warned the people about the coming flood.
In Egypt, Aquarius in the heavenly territory could only be observed when the amount of water in the Nile reached its maximum. There was a belief that during this period the god of water turned a huge vessel of water towards the Nile.
Auriga
It is located near the polar region of the sky. People have known it since ancient times. The most shining star in it is the Chapel - forked, yellow. Due to the fact that it has a yellow color, it was recognized as an analogue of the Sun. In a thorough study, it was found that the similarity with it is observed in yellow color and temperature. There are many different stories and legends about this constellation, however, in all atlases and maps it is constant and depicted as a Charioteer, a goat sits on his shoulder, he holds two kids in his hand. But we should not forget that in ancient times people looked at him as a man grazing a herd, where two goats and their mother goat walked.
As for the goat, which was located on his powerful shoulder, it was believed that it was she who nursed Zeus with milk, and he, in turn, who became a god, did not forget about her and attached her to the sky in the form of a bright and beautiful star.
Each constellation has its own history of origin and an interesting, fascinating and beautiful myth.
1. ANDROMEDA (Andromeda) α Alferatz ar, Al Surrat al Faras - *horse's navel* Sirrah, Alpharet β Mirach γ Alamak the constellation β Pollux lat. gr. the mythical name of one of the Dioscuri twins, in whose honor the very constellation γ Alchena sole was named? in. Algieba δ Vazad ε Mebsuta ζ Mekbuda η Skip 3. URSA MAJOR (Ursa Major) α Dubhe ar, *bear* β Merak ar, *loin* γ Fekda ar, *thigh* δ Megrets ar. *root* (beginning of tail) ε Aliot ar., the meaning is not clear ζ Mizar ar., *loincloth* η Benetash ar. *master* Alkaid g (80) Alcor pers. *insignificant*, *forgotten* 4. BIG DOG (Canis Major) α Sirius probably from gr. seirios - *bright-burning*, possibly from lat.gr. * flickering *, * sparkling * or from ar. Sirai - * sparkling * or al-Shira - * opening the door * among the ancient Greeks - a dog, among the Romans - a dog (canicula) a name from the name of the constellation α (B) "Puppy" so modern astronomers called the satellite of this bright star β Mirtsam in . Mirzam δ Wezen ε Adara ζ Furud η Aludra 5. SCALES (Libra) α Zubenesh from are. *Northern Claw* β Zuben spruce Genubi ar. Al Zuban al Yanubiyah - *Southern Claw* 6. AQUARIUS (Aquarius) α Sadalmelik ar. Sa'ad al Malik - * happiness of the ruler *, * happiness of the kingdom * β Sadalsuud Ar. *the happiest of the happy* γ Sadakhbia ar. *happiest of treasures* δ Skat Sheat Ar. *desire* ε Albali 7. CHARIER (Auriga) α Capella lat. *goat*, *little goat* are. El-Nat, the Sumerians, Greeks and Arabs - called it * the star of the goat * β Menkalinan ε and η Goats So these stars were called by the ancient Greeks Primichaniye. Star γ Aurigae is identical to β Taurus (Nat) 8. WOLF (Lupus) α Men 9. BOOTES (Bootes) α Arcturus gr. *guardian of the bear* β Nikkar γ Seghina ε Itzar Pincherima Pulcherrima – the name was given by the Russian astronomer V. Ya. * tent * or from are. Al-Minhar Al-Ghurab - *crow's beak* In. Alchiba β Kratz γ Hyena δ Algorab ε Minkar 12. HERCULES (Hercules) α Ras Algeti Ar. *head of a kneeling [human]* β Cornephoros γ δ Sarin 13. HYDRA (Hydra) α Alphard ar. *single*, or possibly from ar. Al Faqar Al Shuja - * backbone of the snake * in. modern Heart of the Hydra or Heart of the Great Serpent 14. DOVE (Columba) α Fact 15. HOUNDS (Canes Venatici) α Hara gr. * dear to the owner's heart *, on behalf of one of the dogs, in whose honor the constellation Cor Karoli (Heart of Karl) was formed in the lane. from Cor Caroli, the name of the star was given by E. Halley in 1725. in honor of the English king Charles II β Asterion gr. *rich in stars* 16. VIRGO (Virgo) α Spica lat. *ear* β Alaraf γ Porrima δ Auva ε Vindemiatrix gr. *grower*, the name of the star has been mentioned since ancient times ζ Heze 17. DOLPHIN (Delphinus) α Sualocin inverted Nikolaus, the name of the star was given by the astronomer of the Palermo Observatory Nikolai Venator β Rotanev 18. DRAGON (Draco) α Tuban ar. *dragon* β Rastaban γ Ethamine δ Altais ι Ed Asih? 19. UNICORN (Monoceros) 20. ALTAR (Ara) 21. PAINTER (Pictor) 22. GIRAFFE (Camelopardalis) 23. CRANE (Grus) α Alnair β γ Aldanab 24. HARE (Lepus) α Arneb ar.*hare* β Nihal 25. Ophiuchus (Ophiuchus) α Ras-Alhage ar. Ras al Hagge - * head of the snake charmer * β Kolb-ar-rai in. Tselbalrai η Subic GL699 Flying Barnard Named after the American astronomer who discovered the fact of the unusually fast movement of this star among other stars. 26. SNAKE (Serpens) α Unuk al Hey ar. Unuk al Khayyah - * neck of the snake * in. Unuk al Hai dr. Kor Serpentis θ Alua 27. GOLDFISH (Dorado) 28. INDIAN (Indus) 29. CASSIOPEIA (Cassiopeia) α Shedar ar. Al-Sadr - *chest* β Kaf γ Tsikh δ Rukba ε Segin η Ahir 30. KIL (Carina) α Canopus β Miaplacidus ε Avior 31. KIT (Cetus) α Menkar ar. Al Minhar - *nose*, *nostril* in. Menkab β Difda Deneb Keitos γ Kaffalidma ζ Baten Keitos in. Botein Keitos ι Deneb al Shemali ο Mira lat. *awesome* v Novyoub? 32. CAPRICORN (Capricornus) α Algedi ar. Al Jadi - *forehead* in. Giedi β Dabi in. Dabih γ Nashira δ Deneb Algedi 33. KOMPAS (Pyxis) 34. KORM (Puppis) ζ Naos 35. SWAN (Cygnus) α Deneb ar. Al Dhanab al Dajadnah - *chicken tail* β Albireo γ Sadr ε Hyenas 36. LION (Leo) α Regular ar. * king *, lat. *prince* β Denebola ar. *Lion's tail* γ Algieba δ Zosma θ Tsoksa 37. FLYING FISH (Volans) 38. LYRA (Lyra) α Vega ar. al-vaki - *falling* or from ar. Wakki - *vulture bird* β Sheliak γ Sulafat 39. VOX (Vilpecula) 40. Ursa Minor (Ursa Minor) α Polar Rus. other Kinosura. The Arabs have * goat * β Kokhab ar. *northern* γ Ferkad δ Yildun β and ε Khorevty gr. 41. SMALL HORSE (Equuleus) α Kitalfa ar. al Kitah al Faras - *part of a horse* 42. SMALL LION (Leo Minor) 43. SMALL DOG (Canis Minor) α Procyon β Gomeis 44. MICROSCOPE 45. FLY (Musca) 46. PUMP (Antila) 47. SQUARE (Norma) 48. ARIES α Gamal β Sheratan γ Mesartchim δ Botein 49. OCTANT (Octant) 50. EAGLE (Aquila) α Altair β Alshain γ Tarazed 51. ORION (Orion) α Betelgeuse β Rigel γ Bellatrix δ Mintaka ε Alnilam ζ Alnitak κ Saif π3 Tabit 52. PEACOCK (Pavo) α Peacock 53. SAILS (Vela) γ Regor λ Al Suhail 54. PEGASUS (Pegasus) α Markab β Sheat γ Algenib ε Enif ζ Homam η Matar θ Bahham μ Sadalbari 55. PERSEUS (Perseus) α Mirfak β Algol κ Misam ο Atik ξ Menkib 56. FURNACE (Fornax) 57. BIRD OF PARADISE (Apus) 58. CANCER (Cancer) α Akubens β Tarf 59. CHISEL (Caelum) 60. FISHES (Pisces) α Alrisha 61. LYNX (Lynx) 62. NORTHERN CROWN (Corona Borealis) α Alphekka Gemma β Nusakan 63. SEXTAN (Sextans) 64. NET (Reticulum) 65. SCORPIO (Scorpius) α Antares β Akrab δ Jubba θ Sargas λ Shaula 66. Sculptor (Sculptor) 67. TABLE MOUNT ( Mensa) 68. ARROW (Sagitta) 69. SAGITTARIUS (Sagittarius) α Al-Rishi (Al-Rami, Rukbat) from are. Rukbat alb Rami - *knee of the arrow* δ Kaus Meridionalis in. Akrab ε Caus Australis ζ Ascella (Askella) λ Caus Borealis σ Nunki 70. TELESCOPE (Telescopium) 71. TAURUS (Taurus) α Aldebaran ar. Al Dabaran - * next, following * in. Ox's Eye β Nat η Alcyone (Alcyone) - from the Pleiades Pleiades: q - Taygeta, 17 - Electra, 20 - Maya, 27 - Atlas, 28 Pleion, 21 Asterope (Sterope), 23 Merope, Keleno. 7 pleiades, the remaining 2 were added (received names) by G. Riccioli (1598-1671) in honor of the parents of the Pleiades Atlas and Pleione. Hyades: Feropa, Clay. Evdora, Faeo - γ, δ, ε, σ Taurus. Their names are mentioned by Hesiod in the 7th century BC. 72. TRIANGULUM 73. TUCAN (Tucana) 74. PHOENIX (Phoenix) α Ankaa 75. CHAMELEON (Chamaeleon) 76. CENTAURUS (Centaurus) α A Toliman (Rigl Centaurus - Ar. *centaur foot*) α B Proxima ( Nearest) β Hadar (Algena, Agena) θ Menkent 77. CEPHEI (Cepheus) α Alderamin ar. Dhira Al Amin - *right hand* β Alfirk (Alfecca) γ Alrai (Arlana) μ Erakis (Pomegranate) the name was given by W. Herschel 78. COMPASS (Circinus) 79. CLOCK (Horologium) 80. BOWL (Crater) α Alkes ar. *cup* 81. SHIELD (Scutum) 82. ERIDANUS (Eridanus) α Achernar ar. *end of the river* β Course in. Akar γ Zaurak in. Zaymak δ Rana θ Akamar in. Beid? 83. SOUTHERN HYDRA (Hudrus) 84. SOUTHERN CROWN (Corona Australis) 85. SOUTHERN FISH (Piscis Austrinus) α Fomalhaut ar. Fum Al Khut - *mouth of the southern fish* 86. SOUTHERN CROSS (Crux) α Akruks β Bekruks in. Mimosa γ Gacrux in. Kostrix δ Vetrix 87. SOUTHERN TRIANGLE (Triangulum Australe) α Atria 88. LIZARD (Lacerta) According to the list, there are 203 stars that have names and also "second", "other" names of stars of a different origin - 27 (without changing the pronunciation). There are 230 names of stars in total.
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