Nightly Sky Guide A constellation study guide Baker Science 2005
Constellations Constellations are formed of bright groups of stars which appear close to each other on the sky, but are really far apart in space. The shapes you see all depend on your point of view. Circumpolar constellations are viewed all year long.
Ursa Major Ursa Major is probably the most famous constellation, with the exception of Orion. Also known as the Great Bear, it has a companion called Ursa Minor, or Little Bear. The body and tail of the bear make up what is known as the Big Dipper. Most of the constellation is circumpolar, which means it can be viewed all year long. However, parts of the legs will disappear from the sky in the fall and reappear in the winter.
Ursa Major Myth Zeus, King of the Gods, fell in love with the beautiful Callisto, a young woman who was a hunter. When Hera, Zeus' wife, heard of what has happening she was furious and set out after Callisto. On finding her, Hera said, "Your beauty, of which my husband speaks so tenderly, is no more!" Whereupon Hera changes Callisto into a bear. Hera left Callisto with her human feelings rather than those of a bear. Callisto roamed the forest day and night in constant fear of the hunters and in fear of other wild beasts, although she was now one. One day Callisto found herself face-to-face with a young and handsome hunter and suddenly recognized him as her son, Arcas. She raised up on her hind legs to embrace her son. Thinking that the bear was about to attack him, Arcas raised his spear and was about to hurl it and kill his mother. Zeus happened to be looking down on the scene from his position on Mt. Olympus and instantly turned Arcas into a bear also. Zeus then grasped each bear by its tail and tugged and tugged until he had managed to lift both high into the sky, Callisto as Ursa Major and her son Arcas as Ursa Minor. This tugging of tails over such a long journey through the sky, stretched both tails and explains why our celestial bears, unlike earthly ones, have long tails. The tail of Arcas became even longer since he was continuously swung around the sky by the end-star in his tail, Polaris. On discovering that her husband had given Callisto and Arcas honored places in heaven, Hera was furious. She went down to Earth to visit her friend the ocean god, Oceanus. "How dare Zeus give these two an honored place in heaven?" Hera fumed. "They have now displaced me, Queen of Heaven, from my place in the sky. I ask you forever keep these two penned so that they may never wander far." Oceanus was sympathetic and promised that he would grant Hera her wish. He would see to it that "the couple never would be permitted to enter our water in their wandering," in other words, that the bears forever would be forbidden to set below the horizon of the sea as other constellations do. To this day both the Lesser Bear and the Greater Bear are held high in the sky near the Pole Star, never permitted to sink beneath the sea horizon.
Ursa Minor Ursa Minor, also called the Little Dipper, is a circumpolar constellation. This means it never sets in the northern sky.
Ursa Major & Minor Summary Immortals: Hera & Zeus Mortals: Myth: Calisto & Arcus Zeus loved Calisto, but Hera became jealous and turned her into a bear. Her son, Arcus, tried to kill her & Zeus turned Arcus into a bear as well.
Draco Draco the dragon is a circumpolar constellation, which means it revolves around the North pole. It can be seen all year round. Several galaxies and even one nebula is found within the constellation. The Cat's Eye Nebula is a favorite among astronomers. The easiest way to spot Draco is by finding his head. It consists of four stars in a trapezoid, burning brightly just north of Hercules. From there, the tail slithers through the sky, ending between the Big and Little Dippers. The end of the constellation is held by Thuban, which was the pole star over 4,000 years ago.
Draco Myth Early Greek myths tell of a great battle between the young gods and the older ones who had ruled for so very long. The new gods included Zeus and his brothers Poseidon and Hades. There were also Hera and Demeter along with Athena and others. Athena was the Goddess of Arts, Crafts and War. There were also terrifying figures cast up out of the volcanic fires that belched out of the bowels of Earth. These monsters, who represented the universal forces of evil, were known as the Titans, or the Giants. During the battle, which lasted for ten long years, one the Titans hurled a fierce dragon at Athena. So great was her strength and so effective her magic shield that Athena was not frightened. She caught the dragon and, with one mighty heave, swung him high into the heavens. Up he soared, twisting and coiling this way and that until his long body had become tied in knots. He came to rest in the northern sky and became fixed to that region around which the northern stars circle. Today we see him forever asleep as the much-knotted, battered, and twisted Draco.
Draco Myth Summary Immortals: Athena Dragon Myth: During a battle, Athena threw the dragon into the sky
Casseopia Nickname The Queen Another story says that for her bragging, Cassiopeia was chained to her throne and placed in the sky to circle the North Star. At times she is hanging upside down in a most undignified position as a warning to all. The Romans called her the Woman of the Chair. To the Arabs, she was the Lady in the Chair. Cassiopeia is a northern circumpolar constellation, so it can be viewed all year long.
Cassiopeia-the vain queen Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus, the Ethiopian king of Joppa (now known as Jaffa, in Israel), and the mother of Andromeda. The queen was both beautiful and vain, and the story of how her vanity caused great distress is told in relation to the constellation Andromeda. After promising her daughter in marriage to Perseus, Cassiopeia had second thoughts. She convinced one of Poseidon's sons, Agenor, to disrupt the ceremony by claiming Andromeda for himself. Agenor arrived with an entire army, and a fierce struggle ensued. In the battle Cassiopeia is said to have cried "Perseus must die". At any rate it was Perseus who was victorious, with the help of the Gorgon's head. Perseus had recently slain Medusa, the Gorgon, and had put its head in a bed of coral. He retrieved the head and waved it in midst of the warring wedding party, instantly turning them all to stone. In the group was both Cepheus and Cassiopeia. A contrite Poseidon put both father and mother in the heavens. But because of Cassiopeia's vanity, he placed her in a chair which revolves around the Pole Star, so half the time she's obliged to sit upside down.
Cassiopeia Immortals: Poseidon Mortals Perseus Andromeda Cassiopeia Cepheus Summary Cassiopeia bragged that she & her daughter were more beautiful than the sea nymphs. Poseidon sent a monster to destroy the town. Eventually, Cassiopeia was turned to stone.
Cepheus Cepheus is one of the oldest constellations in the night sky. He is a circumpolar constellation, circling around the North Star all year long.
King Cepheus This house-shaped constellation is named after an ancient king of a land called Ethiopia (different from the current country, Ethiopia). He was married to the beautiful Cassiopeia and had a daughter, Andromeda. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia boasted that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereids. They complained to the sea god Poseidon, who sent a monster to destroy Cepheus' land. The king and queen offered their daughter to the monster, but she was saved by Perseus. All four people, along with the monster, are represented in the sky by constellations.
Cepheus Immortals: Poseidon Mortals Perseus Andromeda Cassiopeia Cepheus Summary Cassiopeia s husband
Cygnus, the Swan, is also known as the Northern Cross because of it's shape. The tail of the swan is marked by the bright star Deneb, Arabic for "tail". Three fainter stars cross the line between Deneb and the head of the swan, Albireo. Cygnus flies southward along the summer Milky Way, and into the Summer Triangle. Deneb is a bright, blue supergiant star, very young as stars go. Cygnus The Swan
Cygnus The identity of Cygnus is uncertain. He could be Zeus in the guise in which he seduced Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy. In one myth, Cygnus is a friend of Phaethon, the son of Apollo, the sun god. Phaethon fell into the river Eridanus, trying to drive the sun-gods chariot. Cygnus dove repeatedly into the water to search for Phaethon. Out of pity, Zeus turned the boy into a swan.
Cygnus Immortals Apollo Mortals Cygnus Phaeton Summary Phaeton is shot out of the sky while trying to drive Apollo s chariot. Cygnus dives repeatedly into the river to save his friend. Zeus turns Cygnus into a swan out of pity.
Orion Orion, the Hunter, is by far the most famous seasonal constellation. No other is more distinct or bright as this northern winter constellation. The famous Orion's Belt makes the hunter easy to find in the night sky. Orion looks very much like a person. First, you should spot Orion's Belt, which is made of three bright stars in a straight line. One of Orion's legs is represented by the bright star Rigel, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. His two shoulders are made of the stars Bellatrix and Betelgeuse. The famous Orion Nebula is located in Orion's sword, which hangs from the belt. It is so bright, that even the naked eye can see the fuzzy patch
Orion the Hunter Orion is the master of the winter skies. He lords over the heavens from late fall to early spring, with his hunting dog Sirius trailing at his feet. Many different civilizations saw this constellation in the sky. The most famous stories come from Greek and Roman myths. Orion was a famed hunter, and in one story boasted that no creature could kill him. Hera then sent a scorpion to sting the hunter. Orion smashed the animal with his club, but not before he was poisoned. Both are now on opposite sides of the sky. They cannot be seen at the same time.
Orion Immortals Hera Mortals Orion Summary Orion bragged that no animal could kill him. Hera sent a scorpion who did.
Canis Major Canis Major is very easy to find during the months of November through March. First locate Orion the Hunter, and imagine a straight line through his belt. Follow the line to the southeast, and you will see Sirius perched right below it. Sirius is the nose of the dog. His body stretches to the southeast, and his front leg is to the west of Sirius. Canis Major was one of the most important constellations in ancient times because the brightest star in the sky is part of it. Sirius, the Dog Star, is one of the brightest objects in the night sky.
Canis Major Immortals Hera Mortals Orion Summary Orion bragged that no animal could kill him. Hera sent a scorpion who did. Canis Major is Orion s faithful hunting dog.
Perseus Algol is a very famous star in Perseus. When looking at the image, Algol is the white "star" in the right leg. In Arabic, the name means "head of the demon", which makes many scientists believe the star was supposed to represent Medusa's eye. What makes this star so special is that it winks! Perseus, the Hero, can be found in the sky during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere. With a little imagination, you can see the image of a man in the stars. He has a sort of triangular body, with two legs and feet that look like they are curling up towards the head. There are also two arms stretching out, possibly carrying some sort of weapon or the head of Medusa.
Perseus Greek Hero Perseus was an ancient Greek hero. His mother was Danae, the daughter of Acrisius, the king of Argos. When a prophecy revealed to Acrisius that his grandson would kill him, Acrisius imprisoned his daughter Danae to keep her chaste. Zeus, however, fooled Acrisius' precautions by entering the prison disguised as a shower of gold. When Acrisius discovered that Danae had given birth to Perseus, he had the mother and the son thrown into the sea in a chest of wood. Luckily they reached the island of Seriphos where the king Polydectes offered them hospitality and protection. Perseus was secretly raised on the island and became a courageous young man. He was sent to complete a dangerous mission. Perseus had to fetch the head of the Gorgon Medusa whose head could turn anyone who looked at it into stone. With the help of Hermes, Perseus succeeded. On his voyage back to Seriphos, he met the beautiful Andromeda in Ethiopia and married her. When his triumph became known, he was invited to the city of Larissa to participate in funeral games in honor of the king. During the games, Perseus threw a discus and accidentally hit his grandfather Acrisius, who was watching the games, unaware of his grandson's presence. Acrisius died fulfilling the prophecy.
Perseus Immortals Zeus Mortals Perseus Danae Arcirus Andromeda Summary Perseus kills Medusa, and rescues Andromeda
Andromeda Andromeda is a "V" shaped constellation best viewed in the fall if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. Andromeda was one of the earliest constellations to be named, probably dating back to the ancient civilizations of the Tigris- Euphrates region.
Andromeda The Chained maiden One myth about Andromeda is found in Greek mythology. Andromeda's mother, Queen Cassiopeia, bragged that she was prettier than the sea nymphs. The nymphs complained to Poseidon, who in turn sent a monster to destroy her land. The queen and her husband, King Cepheus, were told to sacrifice their daughter to save the country. Andromeda was chained to a cliff for the monster, called Cetus. Just as the monster was ready to bite down on the maiden, Perseus rescued her. Perseus and Andromeda were put in the sky along with Cepheus, Cassiopeia and Cetus.
Andromeda Immortals Poseidon Mortals Andromeda Perseus Cassiopeia Summary Her mother bragged Andromeda was more beautiful than the Mermaids. Andromeda was to be sacrificed to the sea monster. Perseus rescued her.
Gemini Gemini is one of the more famous constellations. The Twins are best seen during the winter and early spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Gemini is very easy to find, just look for the two bright stars called Castor and Pollux. They represent the heads of the twins, while fainter stars sketch out two bodies. Gemini is one of the few constellations that actually looks like the figure it represents.
Gemini the Twins Castor was a great horseman and fighter. One of his pupils was Heracles. Like Heracles, both Castor and Pollux would become Argonauts, that is, join Jason in his quest for the golden fleece. The twins spent their time raiding cattle and abducting young women, as Greek gods were wont to do. During one such cattle raid a cousin (Idas) became enraged at Castor and killed him. Zeus threw a thunderbolt at Idas, killing him instantly. Since Pollux was the son of Zeus, he was immortal. But Pollux mourned over his brother's loss to such a point that he wanted to follow Castor into Hades. Zeus was so stricken by Pollux's love for his brother, he allowed them both to share Hades and Olympus, (on alternate days). Later Greek writers had Zeus place the two in the heavens side by side.
Gemini Immortals Zeus Pollux Mortals Idas Castor Summary Zeus was so touched by the brothers love that he placed them in the sky so they would never be apart
Leo The constellation Leo is known as the Lion. Leo's head and mane make up an upside-down question mark called the Sickle. One of the brightest spring stars, Regulus (Latin for "little king"), is at the base of the question mark. The rest of Leo's body, legs, and tail extend to the east. Leo is visible from February through June.
Leo the lion The Egyptians worshipped lion-gods which is evidence of the importance this beast held in Egyptian life. The Egyptians believed that the world was created at a time when the Sun rose in Leo near the star Denebola. The Sumerians also saw this group of stars as a lion. The form of the Lion was probably passed along to the Babylonians, Greeks, Roman and others. Hercules' first labor was to kill the Nemean lion, a fierce beast who descended to Earth from the Moon in the form of a meteor and ravaged the countryside of Corinth. The lion had hide so tough that neither spear nor arrow nor any other weapon could pierce it. So well known was the beast that Hercules had no trouble finding its lair, a cave with two entrances. As Hercules approached, the lion showed itself and Hercules sped an arrow toward its heart. The arrow merely bounced off and fell to the ground. Hercules now knew that arrows or spears were useless against the beast. He then sealed off one of the entrances to the cave and pursued the lion inside through the other entrance. So great was his strength that Hercules seized the lion and strangled it to death by ramming his fist down its throat. He then flung it over his shoulder and returned to show King Eurystheus that he had fulfilled his first labor. The cowardly king was terrified at the sight of the beast and fled. Hercules then skinned the lion and used its tough hide as a protective shield. So angry was Hera at Hercules' success that she raised the soul of the lion high into the sky, where today he can be seen as the constellation Leo, the Lion. The Persians knew Leo as Ser, to the Turk, Artan, to the Syrians, Aryo, to the Jews, Arye, and to the Babylonians, Aru, all meaning "Lion."
Leo Immortals Hera Mortals Lion Hercules Summary Hercules first task was to slay the Nemean Lion.
Hercules Hercules, the great Greek warrior, can be seen throughout the Spring months. Four relatively bright stars form what is commonly known as the Keystone. Hercules' arms and legs extend from this central square. Many other constellations, like Leo, the Lion, Hydra, the nine-headed Serpent, and Draco, the Dragon, were unfortunate victims of Hercules, and thus were also placed in the sky. Cancer, the Crab was sent by Hera to annoy Hercules in his battles, and became yet another victim of the hero.
Hercules the strong man Greatest and strongest of the Greek demigods, Hercules was the son of Zeus by a mortal woman (Alcmene) and was hated by Zeus's wife, Hera. He began his life of heroic violence by strangling two serpents while still in his crib. The two snakes were sent by Hera to kill Hercules. In manhood, Hera made Hercules insane by burning down his house and killing his wife and children. When Hercules recovered his sanity, he sought the help from the oracle of Delphi. The oracle told him he must serve his cousin Eurystheus, King of Argos, for 12 years. Hoping to destroy Hercules, Eurystheus set him 12 supposedly impossible tasks, but the hero completed them all. The 12 labors of Hercules were (1) strangling the Nemean Lion that terrorized the valley of Nemea. Hercules killed the lion by thrusting his fist down its throat; (2) striking off the many heads of the poisonous water snake Hydra of Lerna, Cancer joined in on the battle against Hercules; (3 and 4) delivering alive to Eurystheus the terrifying Erymanthian boar and the Arcadian stag, sacred pet of Artemis; (5) killing the man-eating birds of Lake Stymphalis; (6) cleaning in one day the stables of Augeas, King of Elis, which contained 3,000 oxen and had not been cleaned for 30 years. Hercules cleaned the stables by turning two rivers to flood the stables; (7) capturing and bearing on his shoulders to Mycenae the white Cretan bull, sire of the Minotaur; (8) capturing the man-eating mares of Diomedes (a Thracian king and son of the war god Ares) and feeding them the flesh of Diomedes; (9) fetching for Eurystheus' daughter the girdle of the Amazon queen, Hippolyte; (10) killing the three-headed monster Geryon, along with his giant herdsman Eurytion and the two-headed dog Orthrus all in order to capture Geryon's oxen; (11) freeing Prometheus and temporarily bearing the weight of the world for Atlas, who went to fetch for him the golden apples of the Hesperides; (12) descending to the underworld to bring the three-headed dog Cerberus to its master, Hades. After Hercules completed his service to Eurystheus, he took part in the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts to find the Golden Fleece. Hercules died when his second wife accidentally put poison on his robe. She thought that Hercules was being unfaithful and poured a magic potion on his robe that was suppose to restore his love for her. The poison burned his skin, causing him great pain. He tore at his flesh but the potion could not be removed. Zeus honored his son by making him a god and placed him in the sky forever.
Hercules Summary Immortals: Hera & Zeus Mortals: Hercules Myth: Hercules had to complete 12 labors as punishment for killing his family. Hercules died when his 2 nd wife put poison on his robe. Zeus honored his son by placing his son in the sky.
Pegasus The constellation Pegasus represents the white, winged horse of Greek mythology. This beautiful figure can be seen high in the sky in autumn. When looking at the image, it is difficult to see the figure as a horse. That is because the constellation is actually upside-down! Imagine it flipped over, and you can see what could be the neck and head of a horse and two legs sticking out from the famous "Square of Pegasus".
The winged horse After Perseus' victory over the Medusa, he again took to the air to present his prize to Athena. On the way some of the blood from the Medusa's severed head dripped out of the sack and fell into the sea. Poseidon had been in love with the Medusa when she was a beautiful maiden. Poseidon raised her drops of blood from the sea. Then he mixed them with white foam of the dancing waves and with white sand of the beach and out of them he created the Winged Horse, Pegasus. The horse flew up to join the gods, and was caught by the goddess Athena, daughter to Zeus. Athena tamed Pegasus with a golden bridle. At Mount Helicon, Pegasus started the famous spring of Hippocrene flowing with a single kick. Hippocrene was said to have been the source of all poetic inspiration. Athena later made her beloved Pegasus, the Winged Horse, into a constellation.
Pegasus Summary Immortals: Myth: Poseidon Athena Poseidon created Pegasus from Medusa s blood & the sea foam. Pegasus became Athena s horse & she placed him in the sky.
Scorpius More than any other constellation, Scorpius resembles it's given name. Scorpius crawls across the southern sky, close to the horizon. The bright star Antares marks the heart of the arachnid, and it's long curving tail trails to the south. The scorpion once had claws, but they were cut off by Julius Ceasar to form the constellation Libra. Scorpious is a Summer constellation.
The Scorpion Scorpius represents death, darkness, and everything that we look on as evil. Orion Boasted that so great was his might and skill as a hunter that he could kill all the animals on the face of the Earth. Hera was alarmed at such a boastful and inappropriate statement. Hera decided that Orion must be killed just in case he might one day decide to carry out his boast. So Hera to sting Orion. As mighty as Orion was, after only a brief battle, the scorpion managed to deliver the hunter a deadly sting. Scorpius stung Orion on the heel (at the star Rigel). Orion and the scorpion were given honored places in the sky, but they were placed at opposite ends of the great sky dome so that they would never engage in battle again. Although there are other storied about how Orion met his death, this one is the most common.
Scorpius - Summary Immortals: Hera Mortals Orion Myth Orion boasted no animal could kill him. Hera sent a scorpion who did.
Cancer Cancer, the Crab, is best seen during the Spring. Although the Crab is one of the more famous constellations, it is mostly made of dim stars. Fortunately, Cancer is surrounded by much brighter figures, like Gemini and Leo. If you use your imagination, a figure that looks like a crab appears. Looking at the picture, one can see a body with two "claws" coming out of it.
The Crab The name comes from the Latin "cancer," means crab. Cancer joined the dreaded Hydra in battle against Hercules. It was only a bit part, but one which secured its immortality. The swamps of Lerna was home of the Hydra, an enormous water snake with nine heads (one of which was immortal), and with breath that would kill on contact. With the help of Athene, Hercules located the monster's lair, and the ensuing struggle was a standoff. When one head was sliced off, another appeared in its place. Then at Hydra's plea, a giant crab emerged from the swamp and bit into Hercules' foot. Hercules promptly killed the animal and then cut off the Hydra's immortal head, killing it as well. He then dipped his arrows in the Hydra's blood. The slightest scratch from one of these arrows would bring instant death to his enemies. Scholars believe that astrologers later added the crab to the myth in order to have the Twelve Labors of Hercules reflect the Twelve Signs of the Zodiac. While it is difficult to associate all of Hercules' labors with the zodiac, it is true that the crab figured in Hercules' Second Labor, and is in fact the Second Sign of the Zodiac. In any case, apparently for following its masters command and sacrificing its life, the crab was awarded with a heavenly home. But, because Cancer failed to defeat Hercules, the gods did not give Cancer bright stars to mark the constellation.
Cancer Summary Immortals: Hera Mortals: Hercules Myth Hercules had a great battle with the monster Hydra. The giant crab tried to help Hydra, but Heracles smashed it with his foot. Hera put the crab in the sky because it was so brave.
Ursa Major Ursa Minor Ursa Major Big Dipper Great Bear Ursa Minor Little Dipper Little Bear
Draco Cassiopeia Draco Dragon Cassiopeia Vain Queen
Cepheus Perseus Cepheus King Perseus The hero
Andromeda Gemini Andromeda The chained maiden Gemini The twins
Orion Canis Major Orion The hunter Canis Major Orion s Dog
Cygnus Leo Cygnus Northern Cross Swan Leo The lion
Hercules Pegasus Scorpius Cancer Hercules The strongman Pegasus The winged horse Scorpius The scorpion Cancer The crab