History of constellation names. Pisces closes the ring of zodiac constellations

In the names of the constellations Peacock, Toucan, Indian, South. The Cross, Bird of Paradise reflected the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries.

There are a lot of constellations - 88. But not all of them are bright and noticeable. The winter sky is richest in bright stars.

At first glance, the names of many constellations seem strange. Often in the arrangement of stars it is very difficult or even simply impossible to see what the name of the constellation suggests. Big Dipper, for example, resembles a ladle, it is very difficult to imagine a Giraffe or Lynx in the sky. But if you look at ancient atlases starry sky, then the constellations are depicted in the form of animals.

What did the ancient Greeks say about the Ursa?

There are many legends about Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Here is one of them. Once upon a time, King Lycaon, who ruled the country of Arcadia, had a daughter named Callisto. Her beauty was so extraordinary that she risked competing with Hera, the goddess and wife of the almighty supreme god Zeus. Jealous Hera eventually took revenge on Callisto: using her supernatural power, she turned her into an ugly bear. When the son of Callisto, young Arkad, one day returning from a hunt, saw a wild beast at the door of his house, he, suspecting nothing, almost killed his mother bear. Zeus prevented this - he held Arkad's hand, and took Callisto to his sky forever, turning him into a beautiful constellation - the Big Dipper. At the same time, Callisto’s beloved dog was also transformed into Ursa Minor. Arkad did not remain on Earth either: Zeus turned him into the constellation Bootes, doomed to forever guard his mother in the heavens.

Main star This constellation is called Arcturus, which means “guardian of the bear.” Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are non-setting constellations, most visible in the northern sky. There is another legend about the circumpolar constellations. Fearing the evil god Kronos, who devoured babies, Zeus's mother Rhea hid her newborn in a cave, where he was fed, in addition to the goat Amalthea, by two she-bears - Melissa and Helica, who were subsequently placed in heaven for this. Melissa is sometimes called Kinosura, which means "dog's tail." In legends different nations The Big Dipper is often called a chariot, a wagon, or simply seven bulls.

Next to the star Mizar (from the Arabic word for “horse”) - the second, or middle, star in the handle of the ladle Ursa Major- the Alcor star is barely visible (in Arabic this means “horseman”, “rider”). These stars can be used to test your eyesight; every star should be visible to the naked eye.

How Perseus saved Andromeda

The names of the starry sky reflect the myth of the hero Perseus. A long time ago, according to the ancient Greeks, Ethiopia was ruled by a king named Cepheus and a queen named Cassiopeia. Their only daughter was the beautiful Andromeda. The queen was very proud of her daughter and one day had the imprudence to boast of her beauty and the beauty of her daughter to the mythical inhabitants of the sea - the Nereids. They were very angry, because they believed that they were the most beautiful in the world. The Nereids complained to their father, the god of the seas Poseidon, so that he would punish Cassiopeia and Andromeda. And the powerful ruler of the seas sent a huge sea monster - Whale - to Ethiopia. Fire burst out of Keith's mouth, black smoke poured out of his ears, and his tail was covered with sharp spikes. The monster devastated and burned the country, threatening the death of the entire people. To appease Poseidon, Cepheus and Cassiopeia agreed to give their beloved daughter to be devoured by the monster. Beauty Andromeda was chained to a coastal rock and meekly awaited her fate. And at this time, on the other side of the world, one of the most famous legendary heroes - Perseus - accomplished an extraordinary feat. He entered the island where gorgons lived - monsters in the form of women who had snakes instead of hair. The gaze of the gorgons was so terrible that anyone who dared to look into their eyes was instantly petrified. But nothing could stop the fearless Perseus. Seizing the moment when the gorgons fell asleep. Perseus cut off the head of one of them - the most important, the most terrible - the gorgon Medusa. At the same moment, the winged horse Pegasus flew out of Medusa’s huge body. Perseus jumped on Pegasus and rushed to his homeland. Flying over Ethiopia, he noticed Andromeda chained to a rock, who was about to be grabbed by the terrible Whale. Brave Perseus entered into battle with the monster. This struggle continued for a long time. Perseus's magic sandals lifted him into the air, and he plunged his curved sword into Keith's back. The whale roared and rushed at Perseus. Perseus directed the deathly gaze of the severed head of Medusa, which was attached to his shield, at the monster. The monster petrified and drowned, turning into an island. And Perseus unchained Andromeda and brought her to the palace of Cepheus. The delighted king gave Andromeda as his wife to Perseus. In Ethiopia the merry feast continued for many days. And since then the constellations Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, and Perseus have been burning in the sky. On the star map you will find the constellation Cetus, Pegasus. This is how the ancient myths of the Earth found their reflection in the sky.

How the winged horse Pegasus “flew” into the sky

Near Andromeda is the constellation Pegasus, which is especially visible at midnight in mid-October. These three constellations and the star Alpha Andromeda form a figure that astronomers call the “Big Square”. It can be easily found in the autumn sky. The winged horse Pegasus arose from the body of the Gorgon Medusa, beheaded by Perseus, but did not inherit anything bad from her. He was the favorite of nine muses - the daughters of Zeus and the goddess of memory Mnemosyne; on the slope of Mount Helikon he knocked out the spring of Ip-pokrena with his hoof, the water of which brought inspiration to poets.

And one more legend in which Pegasus is mentioned. The grandson of King Sisifus, Bellerophon, was supposed to kill the fire-breathing monster Chimera (Chimera means “goat” in Greek). The monster had the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. Bellerophon managed to defeat the Chimera with the help of Pegasus. One day he saw a winged horse and the desire to take possession of it seized the young man. In a dream, the goddess Athena, the beloved daughter of Zeus, wise and warlike, the patroness of many heroes, appeared to him. She gave Bellerophon a wonderful horse-taming bridle. With her help, Bellerophon caught Pegasus and went to battle the Chimera. Rising high into the air, he threw arrows at the monster until it gave up the ghost.

But Bellerophon was not satisfied with his luck, but wished to ascend to heaven on a winged horse, to the home of the immortals. Zeus, having learned about this, became angry, enraged Pegasus, and he threw his rider to Earth. Pegasus then ascended to Olympus, where he carried the lightning bolts of Zeus.

The main attraction of the Pegasus constellation is a bright globular cluster. Through binoculars you can see a round luminous foggy spot, the edges of which sparkle like the lights of a big city visible from an airplane. It turns out that this globular cluster contains about six million suns!

The most beautiful constellation in the southern sky

There is no other constellation in the entire sky that would contain so many interesting and easily accessible objects for observation as Orion, located near the constellation Taurus. Orion was the son of Poseidon - the god of the seas Greek mythology(in Roman - Nep-tun). He was a famous hunter, fought with a bull and boasted that there was no animal that he could not defeat, for which Hera, the powerful wife of the mighty Zeus, sent Scorpio against him. Orion cleared the island of Chios from wild animals and began to ask the king of this island for the hand of his daughter, but he refused him. Orion tried to kidnap the girl, and the king took revenge on him: after getting drunk, he blinded Orion. Helios restored Orion’s sight, but Orion still died from the bite of the Scorpio sent by the Hero. Zeus placed him in the sky in such a way that he can always escape from his pursuer, and indeed, these two constellations are never visible in the sky at the same time

Where does Veronica's hair come from in the sky?

The ancient constellation Leo had a fairly large “territory” in the sky, and Leo himself had a magnificent “tassel” on his tail. But in 243 BC. he lost it. Happened funny story, about which the legend says.

The Egyptian king Ptolemy Everget had a beautiful wife, Queen Veronica. Her luxurious hair was especially magnificent long hair. When Ptolemy went to war, his saddened wife swore an oath to the gods: if they kept her beloved husband safe and sound, she would sacrifice her hair

Soon Ptolemy returned home safely, but when he saw his shorn wife, he was upset. The royal couple was somewhat reassured by Konon. declaring that the gods carried Veronica's hair to heaven, where it was destined to decorate the spring nights.

Taurus constellation

Among the ancient peoples, the most important constellation was Taurus, since the new year began in the spring. In the zodiac, Taurus is the most ancient constellation, since cattle breeding played a role in the life of ancient peoples huge role, and the bull (Taurus) was associated with the constellation where the Sun seemed to conquer winter and herald the arrival of spring and summer. In general, many ancient peoples revered this animal and considered it sacred. IN Ancient Egypt was sacred bull Apis, who was worshiped during his lifetime and whose mummy was solemnly buried in a magnificent tomb. Every 25 years Apis was replaced with a new one. In Greece, the bull was also held in high esteem. In Crete the bull was called Minotaur. The heroes of Hellas Hercules, Theseus, and Jason pacified the bulls. The constellation Aries was also highly revered in ancient times. The supreme god of Egypt, Amon-Ra, was depicted with a ram's head, and the road to his temple was an alley of sphinxes with ram's heads. It was believed that the constellation Aries was named after Aries with the Golden Fleece, after whom the Argonauts sailed. By the way, there are a number of constellations in the sky that reflect the Argo Ship. The alpha (brightest) star of this constellation is called Gamal (Arabic for "adult ram"). The brightest star in the constellation Taurus is called Aldebaran.

Where are Gemini in the sky?

Castor was famous as a skilled charioteer, and Pollux as an unsurpassed fist fighter. They took part in the Argonauts' campaign and the Calydonian hunt. But one day the Dioscuri did not share the spoils with their cousins, the giants Idas and Lynceus. In the battle with them, the brothers were severely wounded. And when Castor died, the immortal Pollux did not want to part with his brother and asked Zeus not to separate them. Since then, by the will of Zeus, the brothers spend six months in the kingdom of gloomy Hades, and six months on Olympus. There are periods when on the same day the star Castor is visible against the background of the morning dawn, and Pollux - in the evening. Perhaps it was precisely this circumstance that gave rise to the birth of the legend about the brothers living in kingdom of the dead, then in the sky.

The Dioscuri brothers were considered in ancient times to be the patrons of sailors caught in a storm. And the appearance of “St. Elmo’s Fire” on the masts of ships before a thunderstorm was considered a visit to the Twins by their sister Elena. St. Elmo's lights are luminous discharges of atmospheric electricity observed on pointed objects (tops of masts, lightning rods, etc.). The Dioscuri were also revered as guardians of the state and patrons of hospitality.

IN Ancient Rome The silver coin “Dioscuri” with the image of stars was in circulation.

How Cancer appeared in the sky

The length of the day gradually decreased.

According to classical ancient mythology a huge sea Cancer attacked Hercules when he was fighting the Lernaean Hydra. The hero crushed him, but the goddess Hera, who hated Hercules, placed Cancer in heaven.

The Louvre houses the famous Egyptian circle of the zodiac, in which the constellation Cancer is located above all others.

Is Leo scary in the sky?

About 4.5 thousand years ago, the summer solstice point was located in this constellation, and the Sun was in this constellation during the hottest time of the year. Therefore, for many peoples, it was the Lion that became the symbol of fire.

The Assyrians called this constellation “great fire,” and the Chaldeans associated the fierce lion with the equally fierce heat that occurred every summer. They believed that the Sun received additional strength and warmth while being among the stars of Leo.

In Egypt, this constellation was also associated with in summer: flocks of lions, fleeing the heat, migrated from the desert to the valley of the Nile, which was flooding at that time. Therefore, the Egyptians placed images in the form of a lion's head with an open mouth on the gates of irrigation canals that directed water to the fields.
Virgo

The constellation Virgo, located next to Leo, this constellation was sometimes represented by a fairy-tale sphinx - a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. Often in early myths The virgin was identified with Rhea, the mother of the god Zeus, the wife of the god Kronos. Sometimes she was seen as Themis, the goddess of justice, who in her classical guise holds Libra (the zodiac constellation next to Virgo). There is evidence that in this constellation ancient observers saw Astraea, the daughter of Themis and the god Zeus, the last of the goddesses who left the Earth at the end Bronze Age. Ast-reya - the goddess of justice, a symbol of purity and innocence, left the Earth because of the crimes of people. This is how we see the Virgin in ancient myths.

The Virgin is usually depicted with the rod of Mercury and an ear of corn. Spica (Latin for “spike”) is the name given to the brightest star in the constellation. The very name of the star and the fact that the Virgin was depicted with an ear of corn in her hands indicate the connection of this star with human agricultural activities. It is possible that her appearance in the sky coincided with the beginning of some agricultural work.

Libra is the only "non-living" zodiac constellation

Indeed, it seems strange that among the animals and “semi-animals” in the Zodiac there is the sign of Libra. More than two thousand years ago, the point of the autumnal equinox was located in this constellation. The equality of day and night could be one of the reasons why the zodiacal constellation received the name “Libra”.

The appearance of Libra in the sky in the middle latitudes indicated that the time for sowing had come, and the ancient Egyptians, already at the end of spring, could consider this as a signal to begin harvesting the first harvest. Libra - a symbol of balance - could simply remind ancient farmers of the need to weigh the harvest.

Among the ancient Greeks, Astraea, the goddess of justice, weighed the destinies of people with the help of Libra. One of the myths explains the appearance of the zodiac constellation Libra as a reminder to people of the need to strictly observe the laws. The fact is that Astraea was the daughter of the almighty Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis. On behalf of Zeus and Themis, Astraea regularly “inspected” the Earth (armed with scales and blindfolded, in order to judge everything objectively, supply Olympus with good information and mercilessly punish deceivers, liars and everyone who dared to commit all kinds of unfair acts). So Zeus decided that his daughter’s Libra should be placed in heaven.

Does the constellation really look like Scorpio?

Not only because of its external similarity, this constellation was assigned the role of a poisonous creature.

The sun entered this area of the sky in late autumn, when all nature seemed to be dying, to be reborn again, like the god Dionysus, in early spring next year. The sun was considered to have been “stinged” by some poisonous creature (by the way, in this area of the sky there is also the constellation Snake!), and “as a result it was sick” all winter, remaining weak and pale.

According to classical Greek mythology, this is the same Scorpio that stung the giant Orion and was hidden by the goddess Hera on the diametrically opposite part of the celestial sphere. It was he, the heavenly Scorpio, who most frightened the unfortunate Phaeton, the son of the god Helios, who decided to ride across the sky on his fiery chariot, without listening to his father’s warnings. Other peoples gave this constellation their names. For example, for the inhabitants of Polynesia it seemed like a fishing hook, with which the god Maun pulled out an island from the depths of the Pacific Ocean New Zealand. The Mayan Indians associated this constellation with the name Yalagau, which means “Lord of Darkness.”

According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when there was a disaster in it - Saturn.

Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, in addition, this constellation is rich in bright star clusters.

Who is the star Sagittarius aiming at?

By ancient greek mythology The wisest of the centaurs, Chiron, the son of the god Chronos and the goddess Themis, created the first model of the celestial sphere. At the same time, he reserved one place in the Zodiac for himself. But he was ahead of him by the insidious centaur Krotos, who took his place by deception and became the constellation Sagittarius. And after his death, the god Zeus turned Chiron himself into the constellation Centaur. That's how two centaurs ended up in the sky. Even Scorpio himself is afraid of the evil Sagittarius, at whom he aims with a bow.

Sometimes you can find an image of Sagittarius in the form of a centaur with two faces: one facing backward, the other forward. In this way he resembles the Roman god Janus. The first month of the year, January, is associated with the name Janus. And the Sun is in Sagittarius in winter.

Thus, the constellation seems to symbolize the end of the old and the beginning of the new year, with one of its faces looking into the past, and the other into the future.

In the direction of the constellation Sagittarius is the center of our Galaxy. If you look at a star map, the Milky Way also passes through the constellation Sagittarius.

Like Scorpio, Sagittarius is very rich in beautiful nebulae. Perhaps this constellation, more than any other, deserves the name “celestial treasury”. Many star clusters are strikingly beautiful.

Where is Capricorn going?

Capricorn - mythical creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish. According to the most common ancient Greek legend The goat-footed god Pan, son of Hermes, patron of shepherds, was frightened by the hundred-headed giant Typhon and threw himself into the water in horror. From then on he became a water god and grew a fish tail. Transformed into a constellation by the god Zeus, Capricorn became the ruler of the waters and the harbinger of storms. It was believed that he sent abundant rains to the earth. According to another legend, this is the goat Amalthea, who fed Zeus with her milk.

The Indians called this constellation Makara, i.e. a miracle dragon, also half goat, half fish. Some peoples depicted him as a half-crocodile - half-bird. Similar ideas existed in South America. When the Sun entered the constellation Capricorn, the Indians celebrated New Year, wearing masks depicting goat heads for ceremonial dances. But the indigenous Australians called the constellation Capricorn the constellation Kangaroo, which celestial hunters are chasing in order to kill it and roast it on a big fire.

Many ancient peoples revered the goat as a sacred animal, and services were held in honor of the goat. People dressed in sacred clothes made of goat skins and brought a gift to the gods - a sacrificial goat.

It is with such customs and with this constellation that the idea of the “scapegoat” - Azazel - is associated. Azazel - (scapegoat) - the name of one of the goat-shaped gods, the demons of the desert. On the so-called day of scapegoating, two goats were selected: one for sacrifice, the other for release into the desert. Of the two goats, the priests chose which one would be for God and which one would be for Azazel. First, a sacrifice was made to God, and then another goat was brought to the high priest, on which he laid his hands and thereby, as it were, transferred to him all the sins of the people. And after that the goat was released into the desert. The desert was a symbol underground kingdom and a natural place for sins. The constellation Capricorn is located in the lower part of the ecliptic. Perhaps this gave rise to the idea of the underworld.

About 2 thousand years ago, the winter solstice point was located in the constellation Capricorn. The ancient philosopher Macrobius believed that the Sun, having passed the lowest point, begins to climb upward, like a mountain goat striving for the top.

Where does Aquarius pour water?

This constellation was called Hydrochos by the Greeks, Acuarius by the Romans, and Sa-kib-al-ma by the Arabs. All this meant the same thing: a man pouring water. The Greek myth about Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, the only people who escaped the global flood, is associated with the constellation Aquarius.

The name of the constellation really leads to the “homeland of the Flood” in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In some letters ancient people- Sumerians - these two rivers are depicted flowing from the vessel of Aquarius. The eleventh month of the Sumerians was called the “month of the water curse.” According to the Sumerians, the constellation Aquarius was located in the center of the “heavenly sea”, and therefore foreshadowed the rainy season. It was identified with God, who warned people about the flood. This legend of the ancient Sumerians is similar to the biblical tale of Noah and his family - the only people saved from the flood in the ark.

In Egypt, the constellation Aquarius was observed in the sky on the days of the highest water level in the Nile River. It was believed that the god of water, Knemu, was throwing a huge ladle into the Nile. It was also believed that the White and Blue Nile rivers, tributaries of the Nile, flowed from the vessels of God.

It is possible that the legend about one of the labors of Hercules is connected with the constellation Aquarius - the cleaning of the Augean stables (for which the hero needed to dam three rivers).

Pisces closes the ring of zodiac constellations

A similar legend existed among the ancient Greeks. Only they believed that Aphrodite and her son Eros had turned into fish: they walked along the river bank, but frightened by the evil Typhon, they threw themselves into the water and were saved by turning into fish. Aphrodite became the southern Pisces, and Eros became the northern Pisces.

The history of the constellations is very interesting. A very long time ago, sky observers united the brightest and most noticeable groups of stars into constellations and gave them various names. These were the names of various mythical heroes or animals, characters from legends and tales - Hercules, Centaurus, Taurus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, etc. In the names of the constellations Peacock, Toucan, Indian, South. The Cross, Bird of Paradise reflected the Age of Discovery. There are a lot of constellations - 88. But not all of them are bright and noticeable. Most rich bright stars winter sky. At first glance, the names of many constellations seem strange. Often in the arrangement of stars it is very difficult or even simply impossible to discern what the name of the constellation indicates. The Big Dipper, for example, resembles a ladle; it is very difficult to imagine a Giraffe or Lynx in the sky. But if you look at ancient star atlases, the constellations are depicted in the form of animals.

ARIES

0 – 30° ecliptic. Aries is considered the first in the zodiac belt, since at the time when Greek astronomy was created, the Sun entered this constellation during spring equinox. The constellation is not particularly remarkable; it consists of stars of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th magnitudes. The main star of Aries is Hamal - a navigation star.

The cult of the sacrificial lamb (lamb) has passed through millennia. The symbol of a white meek, innocent creature, sacrificing itself to people for the sake of their good and atonement for their actions - this is the idea of the hieroglyph of the constellation Aries.

The supreme god of Egypt, the sun god Amun-Ra, whose sacred animal was the ram, was often depicted with a ram's head, and his horns were bent so that he could not protect himself with them. On the additional horns of Aries the disk of the Sun shines - a symbol of cosmic wisdom.

CONSTELLATION TAURUS

30 – 60° ecliptic. Big constellation from stars of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th magnitude. The 1st magnitude star Aldebaran is yellowish-orange in color - a navigation star. One of the most beautiful stars in our sky. Around Aldebaran there is an open star cluster - the Hyades. To the right and above Aldebaran is a closer group of stars - the Pleiades. In the constellation Taurus there is an amazing crab nebula - the remains of a supernova that erupted in 1054.

In Egypt, the cult of the sacred bull (calf) Apis flourished for thousands of years. He personified strength, the power of reproduction. Therefore, images of Apis are a symbol of creative power.

Among the ancient peoples, the most important constellation was Taurus, since the new year began in the spring. In the zodiac, Taurus is the most ancient constellation, since cattle breeding played a huge role in the life of ancient peoples, and the bull (Taurus) was associated with the constellation where the Sun seemed to conquer winter and herald the arrival of spring and summer. In general, many ancient peoples revered this animal and considered it sacred. In ancient Egypt there was a sacred bull, Apis, who was worshiped during his lifetime and whose mummy was ceremonially buried in a magnificent tomb. Every 25 years Apis was replaced with a new one. In Greece, the bull was also held in high esteem. In Crete the bull was called Minotaur. The heroes of Hellas Hercules, Theseus, Jason pacified the bulls. The constellation Aries was also highly revered in ancient times. The supreme god of Egypt, Amon-Ra, was depicted with a ram's head, and the road to his temple was an alley of sphinxes with ram's heads. It was believed that the constellation Aries was named after Aries with the Golden Fleece, after whom the Argonauts sailed. By the way, there are a number of constellations in the sky that reflect the Argo Ship. The alpha (brightest) star of this constellation is called Gamal (Arabic for "adult ram"). The brightest star in the constellation Taurus is called Aldebaran.

WHERE ARE THE TWINS IN SKY FROM?

60 – 90° ecliptic. The constellation consists of stars of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th magnitudes. The twins' heads are marked by two beautiful stars: Castor, a whitish-green, 2nd magnitude star, and Pollux, a 1st magnitude, orange-yellow navigational star.

The names of the stars marking the heads of Gemini reflected elements of Greek mythology - Castor and Pollux - twin heroes, sons of Zeus and Leda, who accomplished a number of feats.

The Egyptians gave this constellation their own interpretation.

Depicted hieroglyphically standing woman, overshadowed by the star Pollux. The man walks opposite her. Press his head with the star Castor, left hand it is actively brought forward. The right hand is connected to the woman’s hand, which symbolically indicates the harmonious union of these two principles: female potential energy and male – realizing energy.

In this constellation, two bright stars are very close to each other. They received their name in honor of the Argonauts Dioscuri - Castor and Pollux - twins, sons of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympian gods, and Leda, a frivolous earthly beauty, brothers of Helen the beautiful - the culprit of the Trojan War. Castor was famous as a skilled charioteer, and Pollux as an unsurpassed fist fighter. They took part in the Argonauts' campaign and the Calydonian hunt. But one day the Dioscuri did not share the spoils with their cousins, the giants Idas and Lynceus. In the battle with them, the brothers were severely wounded. And when Castor died, the immortal Pollux did not want to part with his brother and asked Zeus not to separate them. Since then, by the will of Zeus, the brothers spend six months in the kingdom of gloomy Hades, and six months on Olympus. There are periods when on the same day the star Castor is visible against the background of the morning dawn, and Pollux - in the evening. Perhaps it was precisely this circumstance that gave rise to the birth of the legend about brothers living either in the kingdom of the dead or in heaven. The Dioscuri brothers were considered in ancient times to be the patrons of sailors caught in a storm. And the appearance of “St. Elmo’s Fire” on the masts of ships before a thunderstorm was considered a visit to the Twins by their sister Elena. St. Elmo's lights are luminous discharges of atmospheric electricity observed on pointed objects (tops of masts, lightning rods, etc.). The Dioscuri were also revered as guardians of the state and patrons of hospitality. In ancient Rome, a silver coin “Dioscuri” with images of stars was in circulation.

HOW CANCER APPEARED IN THE SKY

90 – 120° ecliptic. A barely noticeable constellation: its brightest stars do not exceed 4th magnitude. The most modest of the zodiac constellations. The main star is Akubens. This constellation contains the Manger star cluster. The Tropic of Cancer is named after the constellation sign.

Over two thousand years ago, the summer solstice fell on this constellation. The sun, like a mother, poured light and warmth onto the Earth. Therefore, the constellation is associated with the name of the goddess Isis, who personifies the idea of motherhood, eternal femininity and earthly wisdom. One of the attributes of the goddess is the Moon, and the constellation Cancer is dedicated to the Moon, and its symbol is depicted as a crab, resembling the moon in shape. Hieroglyphically, the constellation means wisdom, which manifests itself in selfless love.

The constellation Cancer is one of the most inconspicuous zodiac constellations. His story is very interesting. There are several rather exotic explanations for the origin of the name of this constellation. For example, it was seriously argued that the Egyptians placed Cancer in this area of the sky as a symbol of destruction and death, because this animal feeds on carrion. Cancer moves tail first. About two thousand years ago, the summer solstice point (i.e., the longest daylight hours) was located in the constellation Cancer. The sun, having reached its maximum distance to the north at this time, began to “back away” back. The length of the day gradually decreased. According to classical ancient mythology, a huge sea Cancer attacked Hercules when he was fighting the Lernaean Hydra. The hero crushed him, but the goddess Hera, who hated Hercules, placed Cancer in heaven. The Louvre houses the famous Egyptian circle of the zodiac, in which the constellation Cancer is located above all others.

IS THE LION SCARY IN THE SKY?

120 – 150° ecliptic. Occupies large area sky. Stars of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th magnitude. 1st magnitude star - Regulus, or Heart of Leo, blue, navigation star. Its luminosity is 150 times greater than the Sun1. In the “tail” of the constellation there is a 2nd magnitude star – Denebola.

Hieroglyphically, this constellation depicts a Leo - a symbol of courage and strength, supported by the serpent - a symbol of wisdom. Denebola is depicted as a meek maiden - a symbol of the highest wisdom. At the end of the serpent's tail is a falcon - a symbol of the god Horus. Above the back of the Lion, with a scroll in his hand - a symbol of secret knowledge, sits the god of knowledge Sioux, who helped the creator god Atum create the building of the world. The meaning of the hieroglyph comes down to the fact that at this stage of development a person reaches the full flowering of his spiritual and physical strength and strives for further improvement.

About 4.5 thousand years ago, the summer solstice point was located in this constellation, and the Sun was in this constellation during the hottest time of the year. Therefore, among many peoples, it was the Lion that became the symbol of fire. The Assyrians called this constellation “great fire,” and the Chaldeans associated the fierce lion with the equally fierce heat that occurred every summer. They believed that the Sun received additional strength and warmth by being among the stars of Leo. In Egypt, this constellation was also associated with the summer period: flocks of lions, escaping the heat, migrated from the desert to the Nile valley, which was flooding at that time. Therefore, the Egyptians placed images in the form of a lion's head with an open mouth on the gates of irrigation canals that directed water to the fields.

VIRGO

150 – 180° ecliptic. A large constellation of stars of 1st, 3rd, 4th magnitude. The 1st magnitude star is the bluish-white navigation star Spica, with 740 times the luminosity of the Sun. There is currently a point in the constellation autumn equinox.

Hieroglyphically, the Virgin is depicted here with an ear of bread in her hand - a symbol of the origin of life. She stands motionless, and this means that she is outside of time and space - eternal. Behind the Virgin is depicted one of the gods of the underworld - Anubis, in his left hand he holds the wand of was - a symbol of power, inviolability, in his right - an Egyptian cross - a symbol of life. Anubis symbolizes the idea of death as a transitory phenomenon and subordinate to life, so he follows Virgo and is smaller in size. General meaning hieroglyph - a person learns the idea of Life and Death, their Unity.

The constellation Virgo, located next to Leo, this constellation was sometimes represented by the fairy-tale sphinx - a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. Often in early myths, the Virgin was identified with Rhea, the mother of the god Zeus, the wife of the god Kronos. Sometimes she was seen as Themis, the goddess of justice, who in her classical guise holds Libra (the zodiac constellation next to Virgo). There is evidence that in this constellation ancient observers saw Astraea, the daughter of Themis and the god Zeus, the last of the goddesses who left the Earth at the end of the Bronze Age. Ast-reya - the goddess of justice, a symbol of purity and innocence, left the Earth due to the crimes of people. This is how we see the Virgin in ancient myths. The Virgin is usually depicted with the rod of Mercury and an ear of corn. Spica (Latin for “spike”) is the name given to the brightest star in the constellation. The very name of the star and the fact that the Virgin was depicted with an ear of corn in her hands indicate the connection of this star with human agricultural activities. It is possible that her appearance in the sky coincided with the beginning of some agricultural work.

LIBRA IS THE ONLY "NON-LIVING" ZODIAC CONSTELLATION

180 – 210° ecliptic. A small constellation with stars of the 3rd and 4th magnitudes. Libra is a double star2, the Arabs called it Zuben Elgenubi - Southern Libra and Zuben El Hamali - Northern Libra. More than two thousand years ago, the Sun was in this constellation during the spring equinox, hence the emergence of a sign that “balances day with night and work with rest.”

Hieroglyphically, the sign means the next stage in development. Sagittarius - half-animal, half-man, having defeated Scorpio (sensuality), turns into thinking man who must think about his actions and be responsible for them; then the scales will be in balance, and the person will begin to be in harmony.

Indeed, it seems strange that among the animals and “semi-animals” in the Zodiac there is the sign of Libra. Over two thousand years ago, the autumnal equinox was located in this constellation. The equality of day and night could be one of the reasons why the zodiac constellation received the name “Libra”. The appearance of Libra in the sky in the middle latitudes indicated that the time for sowing had come, and the ancient Egyptians, already at the end of spring, could consider this as a signal to begin harvesting the first harvest. Scales - a symbol of balance - could simply remind ancient farmers of the need to weigh the harvest. Among the ancient Greeks, Astraea, the goddess of justice, weighed the destinies of people with the help of Libra. One of the myths explains the appearance of the zodiac constellation Libra as a reminder to people of the need to strictly observe the laws. The fact is that Astraea was the daughter of the almighty Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis. On behalf of Zeus and Themis, Astraea regularly “inspected” the Earth (armed with scales and blindfolded, in order to judge everything objectively, supply Olympus with good information and mercilessly punish deceivers, liars and everyone who dared to commit all kinds of unfair acts). So Zeus decided that his daughter’s Libra should be placed in heaven.

210 – 240° ecliptic. A large constellation with a very beautiful grouping of stars of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th magnitudes. The heart of Scorpio is a reddish-orange star of 1st magnitude - Antares - one of the most beautiful stars in our sky. Navigation star. The curved “tail” of the constellation with a “sting” is marked by two stars of the 2nd magnitude.

Hieroglyphically, Scorpio represents the sensuality that Sagittarius must conquer in order to move further along the path of inner growth and improvement.

Not only because of its external similarity, this constellation was assigned the role of a poisonous creature. The sun entered this area of the sky in late autumn, when all nature seemed to be dying, only to be reborn again, like the god Dionysus, in the early spring of the next year. The sun was considered to have been “stinged” by some poisonous creature (by the way, in this area of the sky there is also the constellation Snake!), “as a result of which it was sick” all winter, remaining weak and pale. According to classical Greek mythology, this is the same Scorpio that stung the giant Orion and was hidden by the goddess Hera on the diametrically opposite part of the celestial sphere. It was he, the heavenly Scorpio, who most frightened the unfortunate Phaeton, the son of the god Helios, who decided to ride across the sky on his fiery chariot, without listening to his father’s warnings. Other peoples gave this constellation their names. For example, for the inhabitants of Polynesia, it was represented as a fishing hook, with which the god Maun pulled the island of New Zealand from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The Mayan Indians associated this constellation with the name Yalagau, which means “Lord of Darkness.” According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when the planet of disasters - Saturn - appeared in it. Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, in addition, this constellation is rich in bright star clusters.

WHO IS THE STAR SAGITTARIUS AIMING AT?

240 – 270° ecliptic. A large constellation of stars of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and two stars of 2nd magnitude. Lies in an area rich in star clusters and nebulae. The main star is called Alrami. Nowadays the winter solstice point is located in the constellation.

Sagittarius is located east of Scorpio. The development of Pisces continues - it is already a creature with the body of an animal, the torso and head of a man, the conqueror of the four elements, which are depicted: the earth - in the form of a barge - a support for the front legs, which will later become human; water is given in the form of a complex symbol "sky" ("lord"), resting in a stream of water - a support for the hind legs; the wing symbolizes air, and the arrow with which Sagittarius will defeat Scorpio for further advancement is fire.

According to ancient Greek mythology, the wisest of the centaurs, Chiron, the son of the god Chronos and the goddess Themis, created the first model of the celestial sphere. At the same time, he reserved one place in the Zodiac for himself. But he was ahead of him by the insidious centaur Krotos, who took his place by deception and became the constellation Sagittarius. And after his death, the god Zeus turned Chiron himself into the constellation Centaur. That's how two centaurs ended up in the sky. Even Scorpio himself is afraid of the evil Sagittarius, at whom he aims with a bow. Sometimes you can find an image of Sagittarius in the form of a centaur with two faces: one facing backward, the other forward. In this way he resembles the Roman god Janus. The first month of the year, January, is associated with the name Janus. And the Sun is in Sagittarius in winter. Thus, the constellation seems to symbolize the end of the old and the beginning of the new year, with one of its faces looking into the past, and the other into the future. In the direction of the constellation Sagittarius is the center of our Galaxy. If you look at a star map, the Milky Way also passes through the constellation Sagittarius. Like Scorpio, Sagittarius is very rich in beautiful nebulae. Perhaps this constellation, more than any other, deserves the name “celestial treasury.” Many star clusters and the nebulae are strikingly beautiful.

WHERE WILL CAPRICORN GO?

2– 300° ecliptic. The constellation consists of stars no brighter than 3rd magnitude. On the “forehead” of this hieroglyphic animal, the main star Giedi is double. Each of its constituent stars is in turn triple. The name of the Tropic of Capricorn is associated with the sign of the constellation.

The hieroglyph for Capricorn means that as a result of evolution, the Fish turns half into an animal, retaining only part of the body as a fish. Above Capricorn is the god Horus, in right hand he has ankh, in his left vas. He patronizes Capricorn and its further development. Horus, according to the ancient Egyptians, was a benefactor god who was in an eternal struggle with the god Seth, the personification of evil.

Capricorn is a mythical creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish. According to the most widespread ancient Greek legend, the goat-footed god Pan, son of Hermes, patron of shepherds, was frightened by the hundred-headed giant Typhon and threw himself into the water in horror. From then on he became a water god and grew a fish tail. Transformed into a constellation by the god Zeus, Capricorn became the ruler of the waters and the harbinger of storms. It was believed that he sent abundant rains to the earth. According to another legend, this is the goat Amalthea, who fed Zeus with her milk. The Indians called this constellation Makara, i.e. a miracle dragon, also half goat, half fish. Some peoples depicted him as a half-crocodile - half-bird. Similar ideas existed in South America. When the Sun entered the constellation Capricorn, the Indians celebrated the New Year by wearing masks depicting goat heads for ceremonial dances. But the indigenous Australians called the constellation Capricorn the constellation Kangaroo, which celestial hunters are chasing in order to kill it and roast it on a big fire. Many ancient peoples revered the goat as a sacred animal, and services were held in honor of the goat. People dressed in sacred clothes made of goat skins and brought a gift to the gods - a sacrificial goat. It is with such customs and with this constellation that the idea of the “scapegoat” - Azazel - is associated. Azazel - (scapegoat) - the name of one of the goat-shaped gods, demons of the desert. On the so-called day of scapegoating, two goats were selected: one for sacrifice, the other for release into the desert. Of the two goats, the priests chose which one would be for God and which one would be for Azazel. First, a sacrifice was made to God, and then another goat was brought to the high priest, on which he laid his hands and thereby, as it were, transferred to him all the sins of the people. And after that the goat was released into the desert. The desert was a symbol of the underworld and a natural place for sins. The constellation Capricorn is located in the lower part of the ecliptic. Perhaps this gave rise to the idea of the underworld. About 2 thousand years ago, the winter solstice point was located in the constellation Capricorn. The ancient philosopher Macrobius believed that the Sun, having passed the lowest point, begins to climb upward, like a mountain goat striving for the top.

WHERE DOES AQUARIUS POUR WATER?

300 – 330° ecliptic. A large and complex constellation. Consists only of stars of the 3rd, 4th, 5th magnitudes. Almost entirely lies in the southern hemisphere. It contains a beautiful planetary nebula.

The zodiac constellation hieroglyphically shows that Pisces, having begun the path of its development, is subjected to various trials and sufferings. This is depicted in the form of fiery streams pouring onto her from two vessels, the symbolism of which is testing and encouragement.

This constellation was called Hydrochos by the Greeks, Acuarius by the Romans, and Sakib-al-ma by the Arabs. All this meant the same thing: a man pouring water. The Greek myth about Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, the only people who escaped the global flood, is associated with the constellation Aquarius. The name of the constellation really leads to the “homeland of the Flood” in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In some writings of the ancient people - the Sumerians - these two rivers are depicted flowing from the vessel of Aquarius. The eleventh month of the Sumerians was called the “month of the water curse.” According to the Sumerians, the constellation Aquarius was located in the center of the “heavenly sea”, and therefore foreshadowed the rainy season. It was identified with God, who warned people about the flood. This legend of the ancient Sumerians is similar to the biblical tale of Noah and his family - the only people saved from the flood in the ark. In Egypt, the constellation Aquarius was observed in the sky on the days of the highest water level in the Nile River. It was believed that the god of water, Knemu, was throwing a huge ladle into the Nile. It was also believed that the White and Blue Nile rivers, tributaries of the Nile, flow from the vessels of God. It is possible that the legend about one of the labors of Hercules is connected with the constellation Aquarius - the cleaning of the Augean stables (for which the hero needed to dam three rivers).

PISCES CLOSES THE RING OF THE ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS

330 – 360° ecliptic. Large zodiacal constellation of stars of the 4th and 5th magnitudes. It lies almost entirely in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The main star of Pisces is the beautiful double star El-Risha. Nowadays the vernal equinox is located in the constellation.

The two symbolic fish shown in the figure are connected by a cord. A small rectangle with waves, placed between the fish, carries the idea of primordial water - the beginning of all living things. The lower fish is under the streams of water in its usual environment. In the circle below her stands a woman holding a boar - an object representing the god of darkness - Set. The upper fish, protected by ajat - the eye of Horus, depicted in a small circle above the fish, broke out of its usual environment and, driven by a thirst for knowledge, rushed into the unknown.

The very arrangement of the stars in the sky suggests the idea of two fish tied together with a ribbon or rope. The origin of the name of the constellation Pisces is very ancient and, apparently, is associated with Phoenician mythology. The Sun entered this constellation at the time of rich fishing. The goddess of fertility was depicted as a woman with a fish tail, which, as legend has it, appeared when she and her son, frightened by a monster, threw themselves into the water. A similar legend existed among the ancient Greeks. Only they believed that Aphrodite and her son Eros had turned into fish: they walked along the river bank, but frightened by the evil Typhon, they threw themselves into the water and were saved by turning into fish. Aphrodite became the southern Pisces, and Eros became the northern Pisces.

MINISTRY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION UR

ABSTRACT ON THE TOPIC: “Constellations of the Zodiac”

Performed:

Student of 11th grade "B"

Serebryakova M.A.

Checked:

Nikitina N.Yu.

Izhevsk, 2001

History of the names of the constellations................................................... ........................... 3

Aries................................................. ........................................................ ................ 3

Constellation Taurus................................................... .............................................. 4

Where are the twins in the sky from?................................................. ................................ 5

How cancer appeared in the sky................................................... .................................. 6

Is the lion in the sky scary?................................................ .................................... 7

Virgo................................................. ........................................................ ................. 8

Libra is the only “non-living” zodiac constellation.................................... 10

Is the constellation really similar to Scorpio?.................................... 11

Who is the star archer aiming at?................................................. .................... 12

Where is the Capricorn galloping?................................................... ........................................ 13

Where does Aquarius pour water?................................................. ................................... 15

Pisces closes the ring of zodiac constellations.................................................. 16

Bibliography................................................ ........................................... 17

HISTORY OF CONSTELLATION NAMES

The history of the constellations is very interesting. A very long time ago, sky observers united the brightest and most noticeable groups of stars into constellations and gave them various names. These were the names of various mythical heroes or animals, characters from legends and tales - Hercules, Centaurus, Taurus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, etc. In the names of the constellations Peacock, Toucan, Indian, South. The Cross, Bird of Paradise reflected the Age of Discovery. There are a lot of constellations - 88. But not all of them are bright and noticeable. The winter sky is richest in bright stars. At first glance, the names of many constellations seem strange. Often in the arrangement of stars it is very difficult or even simply impossible to discern what the name of the constellation indicates. The Big Dipper, for example, resembles a ladle; it is very difficult to imagine a Giraffe or Lynx in the sky. But if you look at ancient star atlases, the constellations are depicted in the form of animals.

0 – 30° ecliptic. Aries is considered the first in the zodiac, since at the time when Greek astronomy was created, the Sun entered this constellation during the spring equinox. The constellation is not particularly remarkable; it consists of stars of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th magnitudes. The main star of Aries is Hamal - a navigation star.

CONSTELLATION TAURUS

30 – 60° ecliptic. A large constellation of stars of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th magnitudes. The 1st magnitude star Aldebaran is yellowish-orange in color - a navigation star. One of the most beautiful stars in our sky. Around Aldebaran there is an open star cluster - the Hyades. To the right and above Aldebaran is a closer group of stars - the Pleiades. In the constellation Taurus there is an amazing crab nebula - the remains of a supernova that erupted in 1054.

In Egypt, the cult of the sacred bull (calf) Apis flourished for thousands of years. He personified strength, the power of reproduction. Therefore, images of Apis are a symbol of creative power.

Among the ancient peoples, the most important constellation was Taurus, since the new year began in the spring. In the zodiac, Taurus is the most ancient constellation, since cattle breeding played a huge role in the life of ancient peoples, and the bull (Taurus) was associated with the constellation where the Sun seemed to conquer winter and herald the arrival of spring and summer. In general, many ancient peoples revered this animal and considered it sacred. In ancient Egypt there was a sacred bull, Apis, who was worshiped during his lifetime and whose mummy was ceremonially buried in a magnificent tomb. Every 25 years Apis was replaced with a new one. In Greece, the bull was also held in high esteem. In Crete the bull was called Minotaur. The heroes of Hellas Hercules, Theseus, Jason pacified the bulls. The constellation Aries was also highly revered in ancient times. The supreme god of Egypt, Amon-Ra, was depicted with a ram's head, and the road to his temple was an alley of sphinxes with ram's heads. It was believed that the constellation Aries was named after Aries with the Golden Fleece, after whom the Argonauts sailed. By the way, there are a number of constellations in the sky that reflect the Argo Ship. The alpha (brightest) star of this constellation is called Gamal (Arabic for "adult ram"). The brightest star in the constellation Taurus is called Aldebaran.

WHERE ARE THE TWINS IN SKY FROM?

The names of the stars marking the heads of Gemini reflected elements of Greek mythology - Castor and Pollux - twin heroes, sons of Zeus and Leda, who accomplished a number of feats.

The Egyptians gave this constellation their own interpretation.

Hieroglyphically depicts a standing woman, overshadowed by the star Pollux. The man walks opposite her. Star Castor presses his head, his left hand is actively brought forward. The right hand is connected to the woman’s hand, which symbolically indicates the harmonious union of these two principles: female potential energy and male – realizing energy.

HOW A CANCER WALKED IN THE SKY

IS THE LION SCARY IN THE SKY?

120 – 150° ecliptic. Occupies a large area of the sky. Stars of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th magnitude. 1st magnitude star - Regulus, or Heart of Leo, blue, navigation star. Its luminosity is 150 times greater than the sun. In the “tail” of the constellation there is a 2nd magnitude star – Denebola.

150 – 180° ecliptic. A large constellation of stars of 1st, 3rd, 4th magnitude. The 1st magnitude star is the bluish-white navigation star Spica, with 740 times the luminosity of the Sun. The autumnal equinox is currently located in the constellation.

Hieroglyphically, the Virgin is depicted here with an ear of bread in her hand - a symbol of the origin of life. She stands motionless, and this means that she is outside of time and space - eternal. Behind the Virgin is depicted one of the gods of the underworld - Anubis, in his left hand he holds the wand of was - a symbol of power, inviolability, in his right - an Egyptian cross - a symbol of life. Anubis symbolizes the idea of death as a transitory phenomenon and subordinate to life, so he follows Virgo and is smaller in size. The general meaning of the hieroglyph is that a person learns the idea of Life and Death, their Unity.

LIBRA IS THE ONLY "NON-LIVING" ZODIAC CONSTELLATION

180 – 210° ecliptic. A small constellation with stars of the 3rd and 4th magnitudes. Libra is a double star, the Arabs called it Zuben Elgenubi - Southern Libra and Zuben El Hamali - Northern Libra. More than two thousand years ago, the Sun was in this constellation during the spring equinox, hence the emergence of a sign that “balances day with night and work with rest.”

Hieroglyphically, the sign means the next stage in development. Sagittarius - half-animal, half-man, having defeated Scorpio (sensuality), turns into a thinking person who must think about his actions and be responsible for them; then the scales will be in balance, and the person will begin to be in harmony.

IS THE CONSTELLATION REALLY LIKE SCORPIO?

Hieroglyphically, Scorpio represents the sensuality that Sagittarius must conquer in order to move further along the path of inner growth and improvement.

Not only because of its external similarity, this constellation was assigned the role of a poisonous creature. The sun entered this area of the sky in late autumn, when all nature seemed to be dying, only to be reborn again, like the god Dionysus, in the early spring of the next year. The sun was considered to have been "stung" by some a poisonous creature (by the way, in this area of the sky there is also the constellation Snake!), “from which I was sick” all winter, remaining weak and pale. According to classical Greek mythology, this is the same Scorpio that stung the giant Orion and was hidden by the goddess Hera on the diametrically opposite part of the celestial sphere. It was he, the heavenly Scorpio, who most frightened the unfortunate Phaeton, the son of the god Helios, who decided to ride across the sky on his fiery chariot, without listening to his father’s warnings. Other peoples gave this constellation their names. For example, for the inhabitants of Polynesia, it was represented as a fishing hook, with which the god Maun pulled the island of New Zealand from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The Mayan Indians associated this constellation with the name Yalagau, which means “Lord of Darkness.” According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when the planet of disasters - Saturn - appeared in it. Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, in addition, this constellation is rich in bright star clusters.

WHO IS THE STAR SAGITTARIUS AIMING AT?

WHERE WILL CAPRICORN GO?

270 – 300° ecliptic. The constellation consists of stars no brighter than 3rd magnitude. On the “forehead” of this hieroglyphic animal, the main star Giedi is double. Each of its constituent stars is in turn triple. The name of the Tropic of Capricorn is associated with the sign of the constellation.

The hieroglyph for Capricorn means that as a result of evolution, the Fish turns half into an animal, retaining only part of the body as a fish. The god Horus is depicted above Capricorn, with an ankh in his right hand and vas in his left. He patronizes Capricorn and its further development. Horus, according to the ancient Egyptians, was a benefactor god who was in an eternal struggle with the god Seth, the personification of evil.

WHERE DOES AQUARIUS POUR WATER?

PISCES CLOSES THE RING OF THE ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Siegel F.Yu. Treasures of the Starry Sky: A Guide to the Constellations and the Moon. - M.: Nauka, 1980. - 312 p.

2. I explore the world: Det. Encycl.: Space / Author. - comp. T.I. Gontaruk. - M.: 1995. - 448 p.

The hook with which the god Maun pulled out the island of New Zealand from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The Mayan Indians associated this constellation with the name Yalagau, which means “Lord of Darkness.” According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when the planet of disasters - Saturn - appeared in it. Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, except...

There is something else here that he likes more, but in any case, there is too big a void in the sky to leave it unfilled.” After that general overview circumpolar constellations, let's take a closer look at each of them separately. On modern star maps, the constellation Ursa Major occupies a much larger place than that seven-star in the shape of a bucket, with...

Coin "Dioscuri" with the image of stars. The constellation Cancer is one of the most inconspicuous zodiac constellations. His story is very interesting. There are several, rather exotic, explanations for the origin of the name of this constellation. For example, it was seriously argued that the Egyptians placed Cancer in this area of the sky as a symbol of destruction and death, because this animal feeds on carrion. Cancer...

Watching the stars, it seems that they are all chaotically scattered across the sky and do not correspond to their names at all. What guided astronomers when singling them out into constellations and giving them names? We'll figure out.

Small Lions and large Hydras

The stars that we see from the earth may be millions of light years away from each other, but it seems to us that they are very close and form a certain shape - a cross, a crown, a triangle... The first constellations were identified a long time ago, about five thousand years ago . It all started with the fact that people noticed that the sky was not randomly dotted with sparkling dots, that every night the same stars with familiar outlines appeared from behind the horizon. In fact, the constellations we know are very different from how the ancients imagined them. Headline

In the era Ancient World and the Middle Ages, people identified only groups of the brightest stars. It often happened that dim and inconspicuous stars were not included in any constellations.

Only in the XVI-XVII centuries. they were included in star atlases. Even ancient astronomers mentioned several stars above bright constellation Leo, but only in 1690 the Pole Jan Hevelius gave them a name and called them “Little Lion”. In 1922, at the First Assembly of the International Astronomical Union, the sky was divided into 88 sectors, according to the number of recognized constellations. Of these, about fifty were known to the ancient Greeks, and the names of the rest appeared later, when the stars of the Southern Hemisphere were discovered.

Modern constellations are not the figures of lions and unicorns: the sky is divided into conventional areas, between which precise boundaries are drawn; the brightest stars are designated by Greek letters (Alpha, Beta, Gamma...). The largest constellation by area is Hydra; it occupies 3.16 percent of the sky, the smallest being the Southern Cross.

There are also “unofficial” constellations - bright stars inside other constellations that have their own name (sometimes called “asterisms”) - for example, Orion’s Belt inside the constellation Orion or the Northern Cross in the constellation Cygnus.

If an ancient astronomer had looked at the current map of constellations, he would hardly have been able to understand anything about it.

Over centuries and millennia, the stars have changed their position greatly.

So, for example, the large star Sirius from the Canis Constellation changed its location by four diameters of the Moon, the star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes moved even further - by eight diameters of the Moon, and many even moved to another constellation. Any constellations are very conditional; they include luminaries from different areas outer space, different distances from the Earth, different brightness, accidentally ending up in the same part of the sky. Nothing more unites the stars of the same constellation, except that from Earth we see them in the same part of the sky.

In 1952, the American children's writer and amateur astronomer H.A. Ray came up with new shapes for the constellations. He guessed to connect the most noticeable stars in the simple figures, corresponding to the name of the constellation. Sometimes Ray's diagrams look strange or funny (for example, why in the constellation Virgo the brightest star, Spica, ended up somewhere below Virgo's back?), but the figure of the girl in short skirt It’s easier to remember and then see in the sky than just a dozen lines.

Ancient hunt

What people see in the sky is directly related to their material culture. Thus, many peoples see the Big Dipper as hunters and prey. In this constellation, next to the star Mizar, there is a tiny star - Alcor. Many tribes North American Indians and the peoples of Siberia believed that Alcor was a kettle for cooking meat.

The Iroquois said that one day six hunters went after a bear. One pretended to be sick, and the others carried him on a stretcher; a man with a bowler hat walked behind. When the tired hunters saw the bear, the cunning man jumped off the stretcher and was the first to catch up with the beast. They all ended up in heaven; That’s why the leaves turn red in the fall—bear’s blood drips from the sky onto them.

The Khanty, Kets and Evenks know similar stories in Siberia. The Mohawk Indians consider the dipper of the Big Dipper to be a bear, and the stars in the “handle” of the dipper to be hunters with a dog (Alcor). Alcor and many other peoples – Ukrainians, Estonians, Basques – consider Alcor to be a dog or a wolf.

The ancient Greek astronomer Aratus wrote that the Great and Ursa Minor- Gelika and Kinosura were she-bears who fed the god Zeus with their milk. According to other versions, Ursa Major was once the lover of Zeus and her name was Callisto; Zeus turned her into a bear and took her to heaven.

Orion - a hunchbacked hunter with a large sword

Three bright stars - Orion's belt - are easy to spot in the sky. Orion is known to almost all peoples of the world. Usually in this constellation they see not only the belt, but also the sword, shield and club of Orion.

Among the Greeks, Orion was a hunter who haunted the seven Pleiades sisters, daughters of the titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione. Orion boasted that he could kill all the animals on earth; Frightened, Mother Earth sent a scorpion to him, which bit him and the hunter died. Orion, Scorpio, and the Pleiades appeared in the sky and became constellations.

The Australians believed that Orion was an old man who chased his seven sisters and drowned them when they rejected him. But the Chukchi thought that Orion’s belt was his back. It turns out that Orion was married, and his wife did not like him pestering the Pleiades. The wife hit Orion on the back with a board; after that he became hunchbacked. The Pleiades rejected the hunchback. He tried to kill them, but missed: the star Aldebaran is his arrow. By the way, both the Chukchi and the peoples of the Sahara believe that the sword of Orion is not a sword at all, but part of the body of a loving hunter.

In addition to Scorpio, thanks to Orion, the constellations included the hunting Dog (the constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor), as well as the Hare: “Below both feet of Orion, the Hare rotates, chased day and night,” wrote Arat.

"Animal Circle"

The most famous constellations are the 12 constellations located along the path along which the Sun, Moon and planets move. The Greeks called this orbit the zodiac, which literally means “beast circle.”

The Greco-Roman zodiac known to us came from Babylonia, but in ancient times it was a little different: there was no Libra (this group of stars was considered the claws of Scorpio) and the circle of the zodiac began not with Aries, but with Cancer - the days associated with this sign fall summer solstice.

The ancient Sumerians called Aries the “Mercenary” (“Penor”). This rural worker began to be identified with the shepherd god Dumuzi, and from here it is not far to the ram-Aries. The Greeks believed that this was the same ram that had a magical skin - The Golden Fleece. As for Taurus, both the Sumerians and the Greeks saw only half a bull in the sky. According to myth, the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh rejected the love of the goddess Inanna; she sent the monstrous bull Gugalanna to attack him. Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu killed the bull, and Enkidu tore off its hind legs. Therefore, only the front part of the bull was in the sky.

In the constellation Gemini, two bright stars shine: the ancient Greeks considered them twins - Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux in Latin). They were the brothers of Helen of Troy and the sons of Leda, and the father of Polydeuces was Zeus, and Castor was a mortal. When Castor died, Polydeuces persuaded Zeus to allow his brother to return from the kingdom of the dead and grant him immortality. IN ancient Mesopotamia it was believed that the Twins' names were Lugalgir (Great King) and Meslamtaea (He who returned from the underworld). Sometimes they were identified with the moon god Sin and the god of the underworld Nergal.

The Greeks considered the constellation Cancer to be a monster cancer that attacked Hercules; in Babylon it was called the Crab, and the ancient Egyptians called it a sacred scarab. In the constellation Leo, the Babylonians distinguished the Breast, Thigh and even Hind Paw(now this is the star Zaviyava, or Beta Virgo). In Greece it was the Nemean lion that Hercules killed.

The Heavenly Maiden was considered Rhea, the wife of Kronos (Saturn) or the goddess Astraea - the defender of goodness and truth. In ancient Mesopotamia, the Virgin was called the Furrow.

The patroness of this constellation was the goddess Shala, who was depicted with an ear of corn in her hand: the star, now called Gamma Virgo, was considered by the Babylonians to be the Ear of Barley. The Greeks did not know the constellation Libra in ancient times, but the Babylonians did; Libra in Mesopotamia was considered the patron of justice and called this constellation “Judgment.”

Scorpio, the killer of Orion, was revered and feared in Mesopotamia. In the constellation Scorpio, the Babylonians distinguished the Tail, Sting, Head, Chest and even the Navel of Scorpio. In the constellation Sagittarius, the Greeks saw a centaur, and the Sumerians called Sagittarius Pabilsag - “Priest” or “Elder”. Pabilsag was one of the oldest Sumerian gods; The Assyrians depicted him as a winged centaur with two heads - a man and a lion, and two tails (a horse and a scorpion).

The Greeks considered Capricorn to be the harmless goat Amalthea, who fed Zeus with her milk. The constellation Aquarius in antiquity was associated with global flood and with the hero Deucalion, who survived the disaster. Among the Sumerians, Aquarius was a good river god named Gula (“Giant”); then he was also called Lahmu (“Hairy”). He was depicted as a naked, hairy giant, from whose shoulders flowed streams of water full of fish.

The Greeks depicted fish as two fish. tied with rope: they say that one day the goddess of love Aphrodite and her son Eros walked along the river. The monster Typhon chased after them. Aphrodite and Eros jumped into the river, turned into fish and at the same time tied themselves with a rope so as not to get lost. In Mesopotamia, it was believed that one fish in this constellation was a flying one (it was also called the Swallow-Fish), and the other was the incarnation of the goddess of war Anunitu.

How the fox's goose was taken away from him

During the Age of Discovery, Europeans saw the sky of the southern hemisphere for the first time. Peter Keyser, navigator on the ship of the Dutch merchant de Houtman, while sailing around the cape Good Hope in 1595-1596 he saw and named twelve southern constellations. Among them were Crane, Golden Fish, Fly, Peacock, Southern Triangle and others. In the northern hemisphere, several new constellations have also been identified - the Fox with the Goose, the Lizard, the Lynx. Not all of these constellations have received recognition: for example, Chanterelle became simply Chanterelle (although the brightest star of Chanterelle is still called Goose).

IN mid-18th century V. Frenchman Nicolas Louis de Lacaille, at the same Cape of Good Hope, described seventeen more southern constellations. He chose names mainly from the field of science and art: Telescope, Compass, Painter's Easel, Chemical Furnace. The large constellation "Ship Argo", which the Greek sailors could see low above the horizon, Lacaille divided into Carina, Stern and Sails. He named another constellation Table Mountain - after the mountain on the Cape Peninsula in South Africa, where he conducted astronomical observations.

Subsequently, these constellations were redrawn and renamed more than once. In the 18th century They proposed placing in the sky, in addition to just the Telescope, the Herschel Telescope (with the help of which Herschel discovered the planet Uranus) and the Small Herschel Telescope: this idea did not find support. Gradually, the “Chemical Furnace” became simply a Furnace, the “Sculptor’s Workshop” became a Sculptor, and the “Painter’s Easel” became a Painter. The Printing House, the Electric Machine, and the Wall Quadrant could not stay in the sky.

Of course, the inhabitants of the southern hemisphere had their own names for the constellations even before the arrival of Europeans. The Polynesians had a constellation of the Great Bird (Manuk): Sirius considered it the head (or body), Canopus and Procyon - the wings. The Southern Cross was called the triggerfish (Bubu). Polynesia was also well aware of the Magellanic clouds, which Europeans saw only in the 15th-16th centuries: in Tonga they were called Ma'afu lele "Flying Fire" and Ma'afu Toka "Standing Fire", and in Fiji they were called Matadrava ni sautu - " A center of peace and abundance."

Sometimes, “through acquaintance,” less illustrious persons also went to heaven. Thus, the French astronomer Lalande in 1799 proposed highlighting the constellation Cats: “I love cats, I adore them. I hope that they will forgive me if, after my sixty years of tireless labor, I place one of them in heaven.” Unfortunately, the Cat (and also the Lonely Blackbird, Reindeer and Turtle) were unlucky: in modern list They didn’t include any constellations either.