Stars

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In case anyone was wondering those ads you hear about naming stars or buying planets is a bunch of bull. International laws prohibit from purchasing land thats not on Earth. And if really think that scientist are going to go around "Give me the coordinates for John Smith or Billy Bob Joe," well then I could give you a great deal on the Washington Bridge. Trust me you're just paying $80 for a fancy piece of paper.
Oh and I know i forgot some constellations, but my hands hurt from typing I'll but them on later.

Andromeda

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 01h
Declination: +40º
Source: Greek mythology; similar to, or based on versions in the earlier Tigris-Euphraetes and other eastern Mediterranean civilizations

The story behind the name: Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, king and queen of Joppa, a country on the Mediterranean coast. Queen Cassiopeia boasted that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea-nymph attendants of the sea god Poseidon and the sea goddess Thetis. Some stories say that both Thetis and Amphitrite, who was the wife of the sea god Poseidon (and in some places considered an alternate sea goddess) were also Nereids. This meant that Cassiopeia had insulted the gods with her boast. The Nereids begged Poseidon to punish Cassiopeia. Poseidon sent flood waters carrying a sea monster (in some versions named Cetus) to destroy the kingdom.

An oracle told Cepheus that the only way to appease Poseidon and save the kingdom was to sacrifice Andromeda to the monster. Andromeda was chained to a seaside cliff to be eaten by the monster. Perseus, a son of Zeus and a mortal mother, was on his way home from carrying out his pledge to destroy the Medusa. He saw Andromeda in peril and instantly fell in love with her.

Johannes Hevelius' Andromeda from Uranographia (1690)

He offered to destroy the monster, rescue Andromeda, and save the kingdom in return for her hand in marriage. Cepheus and Cassiopeia agreed reluctantly (having already promised her to someone else). Perseus killed the monster and freed the princess.

Andromeda insisted on keeping the promise made by her parents and married Perseus. As a reward, the goddess Athena (who had been helping Perseus to defeat the Medusa) placed an image of Andromeda in the stars.

The basic constellation is in the shape of an "A" with a star representing Andromeda's head at the point of the "A". Some versions are more elaborate, tracing her outspread arms chained to the cliff.

Aquarius (the Water Bearer)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible in both hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 23h
Declination: -15º
Source: Identified by most ancient cultures

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. The pattern of Aquarius was identified with water by almost all ancient cultures, including the Chinese and Indian, probably because its rising coincided with the rainy season.

Johannes Hevelius' Aquarius from Uranographia (1690)

The names given by Arabs to several of the stars in this constellation contain the word "luck", perhaps a reference to the good fortune brought by the effect of seasonal rains on the harvest, and the Arab name for the entire constellation translates as "well bucket". The constellation is located in the area of the sky that contains many other water-related constellations including Pisces and Capricornus. The Babylonians associated it with their myth of a great flood. The Greeks and Romans associated it with a figure pouring or bearing water - Zeus pouring life-giving water down on the Earth, or Ganymede bearing the libations of the gods. The Romans also saw it as the source of the celestial river Eridanus that figures in other myths of the Gods.

Aquila (the Eagle)

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 20h
Declination: 05º
Source: Various cultures - Greek, Arab, Persian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean

The story behind the name: In the ancient Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cultures, the constellation Aquila is seen as the shape of a flying bird. The pattern contains three prominent stars that can be seen to outline the wings of a bird, but are also the focus of quite different myths in eastern and far eastern cultures. In Indian mythology the three stars are said to be the footprints of Vishnu, the god who preserves the universe. In the mythologies of China, Japan and Korea, Altair, Aquila's brightest star, is part of a myth related to another bright star, Vega, in the configuration known as the Summer Triangle. Altair represents a royal herdsman and Vega represents the Sun king. The herdsman falls in love with the king's daughter and marries her, but they are banished to opposite sides of a "river" (the Milky Way) for being so in love that they neglect their duties. They are said to be able to reunite when birds span the river. The birds associated with the myth are magpies, but may have been inspired by the two bird-shaped constellations, Aquila and Cygnus, that appear in this area of the Milky Way. This love story is still celebrated by a Japanese festival.

Johannes Hevelius' Aquila from Uranographia (1690)

In Greek and Middle Eastern cultures, the constellation Aquila has been identified with a bird since the first millennium B.C.E. The Arabic and Persian names for the constellation and its main stars refer to an eagle and its parts (wings, tail, etc.). The eagle was seen by many ancient cultures as a bird with royal associations and this link carried over into Greek mythology. The eagle is sometimes identified as a servant of Zeus, king of the Greek gods. An eagle was keeper of the the thunderbolts which were Zeus's signature weapon. There are legends of Zeus using the disguise of an eagle, in one seducing Aegina, daughter of the river-god Asopus, in another carrying off the beautiful youth Ganymede, son of King Tros (of Troy), to serve as cupbearer to the gods. Possibly as a reward for its services, possibly as a symbol of his own royalty, Zeus is said to have placed the image of an eagle in the sky.

Boötes

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 15h
Declination: +30º
Source: Various and ancient - Sumerian, Egyptian, Arab, Chinese and Greek-Roman

The story behind the name: Boötes is said to be one of the most ancient constellations in the sky. There is no single definitive myth associated with this constellation, but it seems to have impressed early civilizations with its resemblance to a human torso (a kite-like shape, sometimes with legs or a raised arm). The most ancient associations from the area of the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are that of herdsman, cart driver, and plowman. In Greek literature, the name Boötes (thought to be derived from ox-driver or herder) is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey in a long and complicated multi-generational story of intrigue. The story starts with newborn twins, whose father was Poseidon, who were abandoned on Mt. Pelion to die and later rescued and raised by a herdsman. One of the twins was named Boeotus and went on to be reclaimed by his maternal grandfather and to inherit part of his kingdom. An Egyptian legend saw Boötes as a guardian goddess in the form of a Hippopotamus who kept the evil pole stars under control. An Arab legend saw the same pole stars as a flock of sheep herded by Boötes.

A different interpretation, also loosely from Greek legend, saw Ursa Major as a plow, and saw the human figure in Boötes as the person who first taught plowing and agriculture to humans. In that story, the knowledge of agriculture is given to humans by Demeter through a herder named Triptolemus. Demeter rewards him for identifying Hades as the kidnapper of her daughter Core (also known as Persephone). The Romans saw the stars of Ursa Major as both the Triones, a mythical group of oxen, and a plow, and saw the figure in Boötes as the ox driver and ploughman.

Johannes Hevelius' Boötes from Uranographia (1690)

Other Greek legends regard the figure in Boötes as a keeper or driver or chaser of bears, represented by the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The most prominent star in Boötes is the 4th brightest star in the sky, an orange-yellow giant known as Arcturus, which means "guardian of the bears". Arcturus was an alternate name of this constellation. It is not clear which came first, seeing Ursa Major and Minor as bears, or the idea of the star Arcturus as a guardian of bears. In any case, versions of the legend of Callisto and her son Arcas, one or both of whom were transformed into bears and placed in the sky by Zeus, are associated with Boötes. Later, in the 17th Century, the astronomer Hevelius created two bear-hunting dogs for Boötes with the constellation Canes Venatici.

In a completely different interpretation, ancient Chinese astronomers also placed significance on Arcturus. They saw the star as one of the horns of a giant dragon in a large constellation that stretched from Boötes to the constellation Virgo. The full moon appearing near Arcturus was a sign of the new Chinese year.

Canes Venatici (hunting dogs)

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 13h
Declination: +40º
Source: Created by astronomer Johannes Hevelius around 1687

The story behind the name: Hevelius was an observational astronomer who cataloged stars, and created some new constellations in parts of the sky where none had been marked out by earlier civilizations. The constellation of Canes Venatici, consisting mainly of two bright stars, is supposed to represent the two hunting dogs of Boötes held on a leash. Hevelius even named them, Asterion and Chara. The constellation, found in the sky between Boötes and Ursa Major and Minor, forms a link between Boötes, in his role as bear-driver, and the bears he is chasing, represented by the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

Johannes Hevelius' Canes Venatici from Uranographia (1690)

Hevelius may have wanted to give a marker to this area of the sky because it contains interesting objects that are visible through the kind of early telescopes that were available to him. Edmund Halley, the discoverer of Halley's comet, began using an alternate name, "Cor Caroli", or "heart of Charles", for Asterion, which is the brighter of the two stars and really a double star system. The alternate name is a reference to one of two 17th century English kings, Charles I, who was beheaded during Cromwell's revolution, or his son Charles II, who "restored" the throne. There are stories which support each king as the intended namesake.

Canis Major (great dog)

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 07h
Declination: -20º
Source: Greek mythology, Egyptian, Indian

The story behind the name: Canis Major, "great dog" in Latin, is a constellation built around Sirius, known as the Dog Star, the brightest star in the sky. The star Sirius had significance for early civilizations. The dawn rising of Sirius predicted the annual flooding of the Nile for ancient Egyptians. That event signaled the beginning of the Egyptian new year and was associated with the return to the upper world of the Egyptian God of the dead, Osiris.

Johannes Hevelius' Canis Major from Uranographia (1690)

Greek and Roman legends involving dogs are associated with Canis Major. One is linked to the legends of Orion the hunter. Canis Major is thought to represent the larger of his two hunting dogs (the constellation Canis Minor is the smaller). In another, the constellation is linked to the story of Laelaps, a speed hound that was placed in the heavens after being caught up in an endless race with an unbeatable fox. The constellation traces a dog seen in profile, with Sirius representing either the dog's eye or nose.

In ancient Indian legend, the stars in this constellation are also linked to the Orion constellation, but the roles are reversed: Canis Major is seen as a deer hunter who is chasing a deer represented by the stars in Orion.

Capricornus (The Sea Goat)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible in both hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 21h
Declination: -20º
Source: Ancient, Babylonian and Greek mythology

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. Images of the creature represented by Capricornus, often with the head and body of a goat and the tail of a fish (a sea-goat), have been found in 3000 B.C.E. year-old Babylonian tablets. Recognition of the constellation is probably even older.

In Latin, Capricornus means "horned goat", and many of the names given to its stars by Arab astronomers refer to parts of a goat, kid, or ibex, and to related sacrificial rites. The constellation is found in the part of the sky identified with water constellations, including the two water constellations of the zodiac. Possibly the association with water is linked to the seasonal rains that come during the months that these constellations rise in the sky. Some accounts explain the pattern as only a fish tail, others as the shape of the two initial letters of the word "goat" in Greek. Myths and stories linked to the constellation often try to reconcile these two different associations.

Johannes Hevelius' Capricornus from Uranographia (1690)

One legend links this pattern to Babylonian Ea (Gr. Oannes), an ancient god with a human upper body and the tail of a fish who emerged from the sea to bring knowledge and culture to humans. Two to four thousand years B.C.E, the Sun would have reached winter solstice when passing through Capricorn. In the ancient civilizations of that time, the winter solstice was recognized as the "bottom" of the Sun's yearly path. From there it rose again, higher and for longer periods in the northern sky as the seasons progressed toward summer. Thus this constellation (or possibly an earlier version) may have been associated from very ancient times with legends and rituals of annual sacrifice, renewal, and nourishment. In Greek mythology, the constellation was variously associated with the gate through which the souls of the dead passed, with a legendary goat said to have nursed the infant Zeus (and by metaphorical extension, the Sun), and with a myth in which the god Pan (lower half goat, human torso and head with goat horns) tried to escape the monster Typhon by turning into a fish; he managed to morph only his lower half.

Carina (keel of a ship)

Location: Mostly Southern Hemisphere, low on the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 09h
Declination: -60º
Source: Modern Constellation by astronomer Abbe Nicholas de Lacaille, from Argo Navis; Greek mythology, also Egyptian and Indian

The story behind the name: Carina means the keel or bottom of a ship. This constellation was originally part of a larger pattern representing an entire sailing ship. A ship pattern was recognized by several ancient civilizations. The Egyptians saw the constellation as the boat that carried the gods Isis and Osiris during a worldwide flood. The ancient Indians also saw a ship. The Greeks recognized a giant constellation which was called (in Latin) Argo Navis. The story most often associated with the constellation is that it represented the ship, Argo, sailed by the mythical Greek heroes Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. The story of Jason was popular by the time of Homer. Jason (originally named Diomedes) was the rightful heir to the throne of Ioclan. To save his life during dynastic struggles and treachery, his mother smuggled him to Mount Pelion to be raised by the wise King of the Centaurs, Chiron. The usurper Pelias promised Jason the return of his throne if he could lift the curse placed on the kingdom. He had to find and return the ghost of Phrixas for proper burial, and bring back the Golden Fleece. Jason convinced the master builder, Argus, to construct a special ship (Argo Navis) and assembled a group of prominent Greek heros (including Heracles) for the mission. Stories of the exploits and adventures of Jason and the Argonauts became part of popular ballad cycles and Greek mythology and their ship was represented in the sky, sailing off on its exotic quest. Another explanation identifies the ship as the one that carried King Menelaus, husband of Helen of Troy, home from the Trojan Wars. The supergiant star located in the rudder of the ship, the second brightest star in the sky, is named after Canopus, the famous pilot of the fleet of Menelaus. In the 20th century, Canopus is one of the primary guide stars used to navigate spacecraft.

Johannes Hevelius' Argo Navis from Uranographia (1690)

By the 18th century, astronomers found that Argo Navis covered too large an area of the sky to be useful in locating deep sky objects so it was deconstructed (by astronomer Nicholas de Lacaille) into three component constellations: the keel (Carina), the sail (Vela) and the poop (stern) deck (Puppis).

Cassiopeia

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 01h
Declination: +60º
Source: Greek mythology. The constellation was also identified by the Egyptians (associated with an evil god), the Chinese (a charioteer), and the Celts (home of the king of the Fairies).

The story behind the name: Cassiopeia is named after the queen of a country on the northern coast of Africa, Aethiopia (not modern Ethiopia). She boasted that she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than the Nereids, the 50 sea nymph attendants of Thetis, the sea goddess, and Poseidon, the sea god. Thetis, and Poseidon's wife Amphitrite (an alternate sea goddess), were also Nereids, so Cassiopeia's boast was an insult to the gods. The Nereids begged Poseidon to punish Cassiopeia. Poseidon sent a flood carrying a sea monster to destroy the kingdom. Cassiopeia's husband, King Cepheus consulted an oracle, who told him that the only way to appease Poseidon and stop the monster was to sacrifice Andromeda. Andromeda was chained to a sea cliff to be eaten by the monster. She was rescued by the hero Perseus who had seen her chained to the cliff and had fallen instantly in love with her. Perseus was returning from carrying out his oath to kill the Gorgon, Medusa. Perseus offered to kill the sea monster and rescue Andromeda in return for her hand in marriage. Cepheus and Cassiopeia agreed reluctantly. They had already agreed to marry her to Cephus's uncle (his father's twin brother Agenor), and once she had been rescued, they tried to break their promise to Perseus.

Johannes Hevelius' Cassiopeia from Uranographia (1690)

Andromeda wanted to keep their promise and insisted that the wedding be held immediately. In some versions of the myth, Cassiopeia summoned Agenor, who rushed into the wedding party with armed men. Perseus fought off a number of them but was greatly outnumbered. He picked up Medusa's head (which he was bringing back as proof that he killed her) and when his attackers looked at it, they turned to stone. Poseidon is supposed to have set images of Cepheus and Cassiopeia in the sky. As a punishment for her treachery, her constellation (a zig-zag shape like an "M" or "W") is supposed to represent Cassiopeia either chained to her throne (in an ironic reference to her daughter's ordeal) or stuffed into a basket. Because the constellation is in a circumpolar position (meaning that it seems to revolve centered around the pole star, Polaris), Cassiopeia is at times suspended upside down in the sky in a very undignified position.

Centaurus

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 13h
Declination: -50º
Source: Greek mythology

The story behind the name: Centaurus is one of two constellations said to represent Centaurs, mythical creatures with a human head and torso on top of a horse's body. Centaurus was the name of the first Centaur. The constellation is primarily associated with Chiron (Cheiron), a wise, immortal being who was King of the Centaurs. He was said to be skilled in the healing arts, and to be a scholar and a prophet. From his cave on Mount Pelion, he is said to have raised, tutored, or counselled several persons prominent in Greek mythology, including Jason, Heracles and Asclepius.

There are several stories which explain Chiron's association with this constellation. One legend says that Chiron was the first to identify the constellations and teach them to humans. He placed an image of himself in the sky to help guide Jason on his quest for the Golden Fleece. A different story says that Chiron was placed in the sky by Zeus. There are several variants of the story, but the incident common to most is that Chiron was accidentally wounded by a poisoned arrow and was in such continuous pain that he offered to give up his immortality. In one version, Heracles was attacked by a group of Centaurs who were enraged that he drank from their communal wine jar. An arrow fired at the attackers hit Chiron instead.

Johannes Hevelius' Centaurus from Uranographia (1690)

In another, Chiron, Achilles and another Centaur, the prophet Pholus, were entertaining Heracles and an arrow (somehow) pierced Chiron's foot. Another version says that Chiron was not so much in pain but just tired of his long life. At this point Chiron's story connects with the legend of Prometheus, the Titan who underwent perpetual torture for stealing fire from the gods to give to humans. Prometheus could not be released from his torture until an immortal being volunteered to give up immortality and go to Tartarus in his place. Someone - there are variants suggesting Zeus, Heracles, or Chiron himself - suggested that Chiron's offer be used to release Prometheus. Zeus honored Chiron with a place in the sky.

Another story suggests that the constellation represents the Centaur Pholus who was honored by Zeus for his skill in prophecy.

The constellation has a large, four-sided shape representing the human head and torso, attached to two legs. Rigel Kentaurus, the triple star system that contains Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Sun, forms one of the Centaur's feet.

Circinus (drawing compass)

Location: Primarily Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 15h
Declination: -60º
Source: Astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille

The story behind the name: Circinus was created by de Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope in the mid-18th century. Circinus is a very small and faint constellation. The three brightest stars form a narrow triangle. The shape is reminiscent of a drawing (or drafting) compass of the sort used to plot sea and sky charts.

Corvus (crow)

Location: Southern Hemisphere, very low on the southern horizon in the Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 12h
Declination: -20º
Source: Greek mythology, Arab, sailor's lore

The story behind the name: The constellation Corvus is named for the crow, a bird associated with Apollo. The star pattern looks nothing like a bird. It consists of four bright stars that form a quadrilateral and better fits the Arab designation of a tent, or the sailor's lore that identifies it as a sail. This constellation was not created because it looked like a crow, but because it was near the constellation Hydra. While Hydra is chiefly associated with a very different story, the snake shape also reminded sky watchers of a fable about Apollo, written down by Ovid, which involved a crow, a watersnake and a cup. With one element of the story already in place (the snake), the two constellations, Corvus (crow) and Crater (cup) were created to represent the other two story elements. In ancient times, when stories were passed on by oral tradition, it was useful to have the main points of a fable hanging in the sky for all to see.

Johannes Hevelius' Corvus from Uranographia (1690)

In the story, Apollo needed water to prepare a libation. He sent the crow, who did odd jobs for him, to bring water back in a cup. The crow was not known for having a serious or respectful attitude. At the water source, he found a tree of ripe figs and could not pass up feasting on them. He realized that he had kept Apollo waiting and that the god would be angry so he snatched up a water snake (not the infamous Hydra) and brought it back with him to blame for his delay. Apollo did not believe him and threw the crow, the snake, and the cup up into the sky. As a punishment, the crow is never able to reach the water in the cup. The crow and the raven (a related bird) were also associated with other stories about Apollo.

Crater (cup)

Location: Southern Hemisphere, low on the southern horizon in the Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 11h
Declination: -15º
Source: Greek mythology

The story behind the name: The constellation Crater is in the same area of the sky as the constellations Hydra and Corvus. This constellation was not created so much because it looked like a cup, but because the stars that make it up were near the constellation Hydra. While Hydra is associated primarily with a very different story, the snake shape also reminded sky watchers of a fable about Apollo, written down by Ovid, which involved a crow, a watersnake and a cup. With one element of the story, the snake (Hydra), already in place, the two constellations, Corvus (crow) and Crater (cup) were created to represent the other two story elements.

Johannes Hevelius' Crater from Uranographia (1690)

In ancient times, when stories were passed on by oral tradition, it was useful to have the main points of a fable hanging in the sky for all to see. In the story, Apollo needed water to prepare a libation. He sent the crow, who did odd jobs for him, to bring water back in a cup. The crow was not known for having a serious or respectful attitude. At the water source he found a tree of ripe figs and could not pass up feasting on them. He realized that he had kept Apollo waiting and that the god would be angry so he snatched up a water snake (not the infamous Hydra) and brought it back with him to blame for his delay. Apollo did not believe him and threw the crow, the snake, and the cup up into the sky. As a punishment, the crow is never able to reach the water in the cup. The cup is sometimes also associated with Ganymede, the cup bearer to the gods.

Cygnus (swan)
also (modern) Northern Cross

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 21h
Declination: +40º
Source: Greek mythology, also Arab

The story behind the name: Cygnus is one of the older constellations recognized by early civilizations. It was first seen as a bird or a hen, but became associated with several Greek myths involving swans. The shape of the constellation with a short tail and long neck stretching out suggests a flying swan more than the other birds.
As with other more ancient constellations, a number of myths have been proposed as the inspiration for the image. A well-known myth is the story of Zeus who disguised himself as a swan to seduce Leda, mother of Helen of Troy. Various children are attributed to that liaison - Helen, Clytaemnestra, Castor, and Pollox - but only Helen is consistently named as a child of Zeus.

Johannes Hevelius' Cygnus from Uranographia (1690)

Variants on this myth have Zeus seducing Nemesis, goddess of the Pelopennesian swan cult. In some variants, Nemesis is also able to transform herself into a bird. She lays an egg from which Helen will be born, but gives it to or leaves it for Leda to find. Zeus was supposed to have placed the image of a swan in the heavens to commemorate the success of his trickery.
Another myth which may be represented by the constellation is the story of Cycnus, son of Aries, who was transformed into a swan when he died.

Dorado (golden fish)

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 05h
Declination: -65º
Source: Modern constellation mapped by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, circa 1595

The story behind the name: The constellation Dorado is in the shape of a fish. It is referred to in some early atlases as Xiphias (swordfish), but that is the result of an erroneous translation of the species. The constellation has been credited to two Dutch navigators, Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, who were asked to make celestial observations on a voyage to the East Indies. Keyser died within a year but de Houtman continued adding observations. Their results, including Dorado, were included on a star globe created by Petrus Plancius in 1598 and were incorporated into a star atlas published by Johann Bayer in 1603. Dorado is a name for the dolphinfish, a species common in the Pacific. It is a fish, not to be confused with the mammal we more commonly call dolphin.

Johannes Hevelius' Dorado from Uranographia (1690)

The dolphinfish has two subspecies, the common dolphin and the pompano dolphin and is a prime eating fish. It is also known as mahi mahi and dorado. Alive, it has an iridescent golden hue.

Draco (dragon or serpent)

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 17h
Declination: +65º
Source: Creation and dragon myths from Greek, Roman, eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, Indian and Norse cultures

The story behind the name: Two circumstances lie behind the multitude of myths associated with Draco. First, due to the precession of the Earth, Draco's star Thuban was the pole star approximately 4000 years ago. It would have seemed to ancient sky watchers that the Earth revolved around Draco. Second, dragons and other large, powerful creatures were frequently associated with early creation myths. In many stories, the gods had terrible battles with monsters which they destroyed and flung into the skies, from whom they ripped control of the Earth, or from whose remains or corpse the Earth was born.

One such myth was the Babylonian creation story of Tiamat who turned herself into a dragon, but was defeated and split into two, one half becoming the heavens, the other half the Earth. A very early Greek creation myth shows the influences of this story.

In a Norse creation myth, a dragon gnaws at the roots of Ygdrasil, the tree that covers the world.

The Egyptians saw Draco as a hippopotamus or crocodile, representing gods and goddesses who appeared in the forms of those animals.

Johannes Hevelius' Draco from Uranographia (1690)

Greek and Roman mythology have many legends about dragons and serpents, but two especially are connected with Draco. One story is Zeus's battle against his father, the Titan Cronus. It had been prophesied that one of his own sons would dethrone him, so each time his wife Rhea bore a child, Cronus swallowed it. Rhea hid the infant Zeus and tricked Cronus into swallowing a stone. He uncovered the trick and went after Zeus who escaped by turning himself into a serpent and his nurses into bears. The constellations Draco and Ursa Major and Minor commemorate his escape.

Another legend is the eleventh labor of Hercules. Hercules was asked to obtain fruit from the golden apple tree, a wedding gift from Gaia, that was planted in Hera's garden and guarded by the dragon Ladon. In accomplishing the task, Hercules killed the dragon. Hera wept for Ladon and set his image in the stars.

Fornax (furnace)

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 03h
Declination: -30º
Source: Astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille

The story behind the name: The constellation Fornax, originally Fornax Chemica (chemical furnace), was named in honor of Antoine Lavoisier, an 18th century French scientist and government official who was a major figure in the development of modern chemistry. Lavoisier developed an accurate theory of combustion (how things burn), and a theory to explain chemical reactions, so the the name of this constellation in his honor is very appropriate. He also worked on a modern system for naming chemical terms, and wrote an important paper explaining the nature of elements.

In the 18th century, advances in chemistry had many practical applications. One of Lavoisier's assignments for the French government was to improve the quality of their gunpowder. He trained a young Frenchman named Irenee du Pont who emigrated to the United States and founded the du Pont company. The company's first job was to make high quality gun powder for the new US government. Lavoisier was from an affluent background and was a relatively liberal thinker who sympathized with the need to reform the government. He was also an investor in a company that collected taxes and fees for the government. Members of this company were particularly targeted by radicals during the Reign of Terror in the later part of the French Revolution and Lavoisier was guillotined.

Gemini (twins)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible both Northern and Southern Hemispheres Coordinates:
Right Ascension : 07h
Declination : +20º
Source: Greek mythology

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. While the pattern of the Gemini is old and relatively easy to recognize, there do not seem to be specific myths from many cultures connected to it.

The story most closely associated with Gemini is the legend of Castor and Polydeuces (Pollox in Latin) from Greek mythology. Castor and Polydeuces were identical twins born to Leda, Queen of Sparta, by two different fathers. Castor was said to be the son of Leda's husband, King Tyndareus and thus mortal. Polydeuces was said to be the immortal son of Zeus, from Zeus's seduction of Leda while he was disguised as a swan. The same encounter also produced Helen of Troy. Tyndareus adopted Polydeuces. The twins were inseparable and became known as the Dioscuri (sons of Zeus).

Meanwhile, in another country, the wife of the half-brother of Tyndareus also gave birth to twin boys, Idas and Lynceus, and in a somewhat parallel legend, Idas was supposed to be the son of Poseidon. They had the same close relationship with each other as their cousins. Bad blood was generated between the two sets of twins when the Dioscuri kidnapped and had sons with the women who were betrothed to their cousins.

Johannes Hevelius' Gemini from Uranographia (1690)

Years passed and both sets of twins became famous for various physical and mental skills. They all ended up on Jason's voyage to find the Golden Fleece. During the trip they became reconciled and decided to go on a cattle raid together. There are many stories explaining why they reopened their feud. One story says that Idas cheated the Dioscuri of their fair share of the stolen cattle and the Dioscuri stole them back. A fight broke out and Idas killed Castor with a spear. Polydeuces then killed Lynceus. He was badly wounded in the process, giving Idas the opportunity to finish him off, but Zeus intervened and killed Idas.

A different version says that Castor killed Lynceus and demolished the monument Idas had erected to him, causing Idas to kill Castor, and Polydeuces to kill Idas. There are other stories that say these same three were killed in battles, raids, etc. Polydeuces survives in all versions.

Zeus granted Polydeuces' wish not to outlive his brother, but since Polydeuces was an immortal, they were still separated (as a mortal who died, Castor was destined for Tartarus). Polydeuces refused immortality unless Castor could share it, so Zeus allowed them to split their time in the heavens and under the Earth. To honor their brotherly love, he put an image of twins in the sky.

Hydra (serpent, snake)

Location: Northern Hemisphere & Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 10h
Declination: -20º
Source: Greek Mythology

The story behind the name: The constellation Hydra is most closely associated with the legend of the second labor of Heracles, which may echo a Babylonian legend in which the hero Gilgamesh killed a seven-headed monster. The Hydra was a fresh-water serpent born to Echidne and Typhon. Echidne was half woman, half serpent, herself a daughter of Ceto, a sea monster associated with the Babylonian Tiamat and the Hebrew Rahab. Typhon was associated with destructive winds, smoke and ash from volcanic eruptions, and the desert Sirocco. Typhon was also linked with the Egyptian god Set. Their child was destined to be a monster.

The Hydra had a dog-like body and a minimum of eight or nine snake heads (some stories say there were hundreds or thousands). One of the heads was immortal. Hydra's breath could destroy life, and her blood was highly poisonous. The Hydra had her den beneath a plane tree at the source of the river Amymone, and lived in the Lernaen swamp. At Lerna, between the Amymone and the Pontinus rivers, was a sacred area with shrines to Athene, Demeter, Dionysus, and Aphrodite, and a marker at the spot where Hades and Persephone were supposed to have entered the Underworld. Hydra terrorized the district, disrupting the sacred rites.

Johannes Hevelius' Hydra from Uranographia (1690)

Hera, who disliked Heracles and is credited with inducing themadness that caused him to kill his children and thus undergo the twelve labors, is also said to have raised the Hydra specifically as a menace to Heracles. Athena helped Heracles in this labor by identifying Hydra's den and advising him on tactics. Heracles forced the Hydra out of her den with burning arrows and then had to hold his breath while wrestling with her. He was almost overwhelmed because each time he bashed or cut off a head, one or more appeared in its place. A crab tried to aid the Hydra by biting Heracles on the foot.

Iolus, Heracles' chariot driver, finally started a fire in the grove so that he could have a constant supply of burning branches with which to scorch the roots of the severed heads and prevent new ones from growing back. Heracles was able to sever the immortal head and bury it. He dipped his arrows in the Hydra's blood and from then on, any wound they caused was fatal. Heracles did not get credit for accomplishing this labor because Iolus had provided crucial help.

Hydrus (water snake)

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 02h
Declination: -75º
Source: Modern constellation mapped by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, circa 1595

The story behind the name: Hydrus, the water snake, was noted by Dutch navigators Pieter Dirszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman who charted the southern skies between 1595 and 1597 on a voyage to the East Indies. The constellation was introduced by Johann Bayer in his 1603 publication Uranometrica. Hydrus resembles a rearing snake, with its head erect and body twisted into a sinuous shape.

Mensa (table)

Location: Southern hemisphere, south polar latitudes
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 05h
Declination: -80º
Source: Astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille

The story behind the name: Because this constellation is located in the south polar region, it was not charted by the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean and middle east. It was first described by Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille in the 1700's. His original name for the constellation was, in Latin, Mons Mensae, translated as "table mountain". It was named for an unusual geographical feature with that name - a high promontory or mountain - near de Lacaille's observatory on the Cape of Good Hope. The name was shortened to Mensa (table) by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) when it adopted the 88 modern constellations recognized today.

Monoceros (Unicorn)

Location: Galactic equator, visible in both hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 07h
Declination: -05º
Source: Modern

The story behind the name: Monoceros is a modern constellation formulated around 1624 by Jakob Bartsch, a German scientist. It is composed of a number of faint stars in an area between the well-known ancient constellations Canis Major and Minor, Orion, Gemini and Hydra. Monoceros, a Latinized version of the Greek word for "one-horned", is translated as "unicorn". One possible reference is to the unicorn of medieval and renaissance legend which is

Johannes Hevelius' Monoceros from Uranographia (1690)

usually portrayed as a white, horse-like creature with a single spiraled horn on its forehead. However the name "monoceros" can also refer to a far older mythological beast, a one-horned creature - part lion, part stag, and part horse - that was depicted in Assyrian art around the third millenium B.C.E. and which might have originated as a distorted or embellished interpretation of a rhinoceros.

Ophiuchus (serpent bearer)

Location: Equatorial, visible in both Hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 17h
Declination: 0º
Source: Greek Mythology

The story behind the name: The constellation Ophiuchus seems to be a figure of a man entwined with two snakes, one in each hand. The constellation is an ancient one, but most often associated with Asclepius, the son of Apollo and Coronis. Asclepius was regarded as the founder of medicine, having learned the healing arts from both his father Apollo and his tutor, the wise Centaur Chiron.

In one series of myths, Asclepius is killed by Zeus. He is said to have tried to save the life of Orion after the famous hunter was accidentally killed by Athena's arrow. Zeus struck him down before he could finish.

Another myth says that Asclepius became so good at healing that he could actually raise people from the dead. A variant on this myth says that Athena gave him one or two vials of Medusa's blood. One could be used to destroy, the other to raise the dead. Another version said that she only gave him the life-saving blood.

John Flamsteed's Ophiuchus from Atlas Coelestis (1753)

Hades was angered by Asclepius's actions, arguing that souls were being stolen from him.

Whether it was quantity, or a particular healing that so angered Hades - in addition to Orion, Asclepius was said to have resurrected Tyndareus, Glaucus, and Hippolytus - legend says that Zeus was persuaded to kill Asclepius. He later relented and restored Asclepius to life, and put his image in the stars holding a snake. Snakes were thought to be connected to healing and rebirth because they sloughed their skins every year. These beliefs may have been influenced by Babylonian legends.

Orion

Location: Celestial Equator (visible in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres)
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 05h
Declination: -05º
Source: Greek mythology, Arab, ancient Indian & Egyptian

The story behind the name: The pattern in the constellation Orion was recognized as a human figure by many ancient cultures. Orion's position on the Celestial Equator makes it visible all over our planet.

Ancient Indians saw the figure as a king who had been shot by an arrow (represented by the stars in Orion's belt). Ancient Egyptians thought the stars in the belt represented the resting place of the soul of the god Osiris. The Arabs saw the constellation as the figure of a giant.

The constellation takes its name from the Greek stories about Orion, a legendary hunter. The stories about Orion are only loosely connected and exist in several variants. Some are thought to be derived from earlier stories from more ancient cultures. One myth says that Orion was banished to the sky for boasting about how many animals he would kill (to impress Eos). He and his hunting dogs, Canis Major and Minor, chase the constellations representing animals, but can never catch them.

There are two legends about Orion's birth, both relating him to water. In one, he is the son of Poseidon and Eurayle, one of the three daughters of Ceto and Phorcys. In the other, he is the son of the widowed bee-keeper Hyrieus, conceived from a sacrifice to the gods that may be related to an ancient African rain-making charm. In this story he was named Urion, "maker of water". His birth legends may be connected to the seasonal rains that come near the rising and setting of the constellation.

Johannes Hevelius' Orion from Uranographia (1690)

The Greek myths of Orion's death and subsequent placement in the sky may also be connected to legends from other ancient cultures. In one myth, Artemis fell in love with him and was tricked by her brother Apollo into killing Orion with an arrow. Artemis begged Ascelpius to save Orion, but Zeus killed Ascelpius as he was trying. Artemis set Orion's image in the stars. This story may be related to the Hittite legend of Anat, the battle-goddess who falls in love with a hunter but accidentally causes his death when he refuses to give her his bow.

There are several stories of Orion being stung to death by a scorpion. These may be related to an Egyptian myth about Horus, the child of Isis and Osiris who met a similar fate, or to the Babylonian story of the attack on Gilgamesh by the scorpion men. Another version of the scorpion story has Artemis unleashing the scorpion to punish Orion for having pursued the seven Pleiades. All of these stories seem to recognize the astronomical phenomenon that Orion and the constellation Scorpio each rise as the other sets. In one version he is chasing the scorpion to try finally to kill it. In another he is forever running away or hiding from it.

Pegasus

Location: Visible in both Hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 22h
Declination: +20º
Source: Greek mythology

The story behind the name: Pegasus, the winged horse, was the son of Poseidon and Medusa. Medusa had been one of three beautiful sisters. Athena was angered that Medusa met with Poseidon in one of her temples. She changed Medusa into a terrible monster. Zeus kept Pegasus out of the world to placate Athena. Pegasus (and the warrior Chrysaor) sprang from Medusa's body after she was killed by Perseus.

Pegasus had been living on Mount Helicon, tended by the Muses for whom he created a drinking well. Bellerophon, a young man accused of murder, fled his city and took refuge with Proteus, the king of Tiryns. Proteus suspected Bellerophon of trying to seduce his wife (not true) and sent him to his father-in-law, King Iobates, with a sealed note repeating the story. Iobates decided to set Bellerophon so difficult a task that he would would not return alive. He asked him to destroy the Chimaera, a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. Bellerophon consulted a seer who advised him to catch and tame Pegasus. Some versions of the story say that the gods helped him, but in any case, Bellerophon caught and tamed Pegasus. He overcame the Chimera by flying above her and shooting her with arrows, and then forcing a lump of lead down her throat which melted from her fiery breath and burned her insides.

Johannes Hevelius' Pegasus from Uranographia (1690)

Then Bellerophon was given several more tasks, in which he also triumphed. King Iobates discovered the truth, that Proteus's wife had been lying, and rewarded Bellerophon with another of his daughters in marriage. He also made him heir to his throne. All of this went to Bellerophon's head and he attempted to fly Pegasus to Olympus, as if he were an immortal god. His presumption angered Zeus who sent a horsefly to bite Pegasus. Pegasus reared and Bellerophon fell to Earth, landing in a thorn bush. He spent the rest of his life wandering lame, blind, and shunned. Pegasus was accepted at Olympus where he carried Zeus's thunderbolts.

Perseus

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 03h
Declination: +45º
Source: Greek Mythology

The story behind the name: Perseus was the son of the Greek god Zeus and the mortal princess Danae. Perseus' grandfather, Acrisius, the king of Argos, was warned by an oracle that he would be killed by his grandson. Acrisius locked his daughter Danae in a dungeon to prevent her bearing a child. Zeus found a way into her dungeon disguised as a shower of gold.

When the child Perseus was born, King Acrisius locked Danae and Perseus in a wooden chest and threw it into the sea. The chest floated to the island of Seriphos, where it was rescued by a fisherman who was brother to the island's king, Polydectes. Polydectes offered them protection and Perseus was raised in his house. Polydectes may have had an ulterior motive as he later tried to force marriage on Danae. The king tried to mislead Perseus by saying that he intended to marry someone else. Perseus was so relieved that he promised the king a rather extravagant wedding gift, the head of Medusa.

Medusa was one of three sisters, daughters of Ceto and Phorcys, who was transformed into a hideous creature by the goddess Athene. She was angry at Medusa for having a liaison with Poseidon in one of her temples. Also known as the Gorgon, Medusa had serpents for hair, huge teeth, and a protruding tongue. One look turned people to stone. Athene helped Perseus gather magic equipment and gave him a shield to use as a mirror so that he would not look at Medusa directly. Perseus flew to the Gorgon's den with his winged sandals, and, using the shield as a mirror, cut off Medusa's head and buried it. The winged horse, Pegasus, and a warrior, Chrysaor, emerged fully grown out of Medusa's body, a product of her liaison with Poseidon. They, and her two sisters chased after Perseus, but he escaped.

Johannes Hevelius' Perseus from Uranographia (1690)

Perseus had many adventures on the way back to Seriphos. He stopped at the palace of the Titan Atlas and was refused hospitality so he used the Gorgon's head to turn Atlas in to a mountain. He saw the beautiful Andromeda chained to a cliff to appease Poseidon's sea monster. He rescued her from the monster and married her, using Medusa's head to defeat an attack by her relatives. Perseus then saved his mother from marrying Polydectes by turning the king and his court to stone with the head of Medusa.

King Acrisius, however, could not escape his fate. There are several versions of how Acrisius and Perseus came to be in the same place at the same time, but in all of them, Acrisius is accidentally killed by a discus thrown by Perseus in funeral games. Although Perseus was placed in the sky near Andromdea, the constellation is usually depicted showing him holding Medusa's head, with the bright star Algol marking her eye.

Pictor (painter)

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 06h
Declination: -55º
Source: Astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille

The story behind the name: Pictor is one of the modern constellations in the Southern Hemisphere named by Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille. He is credited for creating and naming 15 of the 88 internationally accepted constellations during his stay at the observatory at the Cape of Good Hope between 1750 and 1754. The constellation was originally called Equuleus Pictoris, the Painter's Easel. Equuleus, which means "small horse", referred to the wooden sawhorse-like stand which formed the common type of easel in Lacaille's time. The name was later shortened to Pictor. Although the constellation does not contain any bright stars or many objects of interest in visible light, it does contain the celestial object known as Pictor A, a spectacular source in radio and X-ray wavelengths.

Pisces (fish)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible from both Hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 01h
Declination: +15º
Source: Ancient, Middle East and eastern Mediterranean, also Greek and Roman mythology.

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. The stars in Pisces were associated with a fish (or two fishes) by many ancient Middle East civilizations. The reasons remain obscure.

The Greeks and Romans associated the constellation with a myth involving Aphrodite and her son Eros which takes place during the early power struggles among the mythological beings brought into existence in Greek creation myths. Mother Earth had created the Titans as the first gods, as well as many semi-human races such as the Cyclopes and a race of giants.

The Titans were associated with the planets. One of them, Cronus, was father to the first Olympian gods. His son Zeus ultimately led a great war against his father and the Titans and vanquished the Titans to Tartarus. The Titans' brothers, the giants, were enraged and attacked the Olympian gods. They lost badly.

Johannes Hevelius' Pisces from Uranographia (1690)

In revenge for the destruction of her children, Mother Earth produced Typhon, said to be the largest, fiercest monster ever born. He was said to be covered in serpents, to have wings which blotted out the Sun, to have a head which touched the stars, and he breathed fire and hurled rocks from his mouth. His attack on Olympus frightened the gods so much that they fled, disguising themselves as animals.

Aphrodite is said to have taken the form of a fish, and in one version of the story, her son Eros accompanied her. So that they did not become separated, they tied themselves together with a string. In the constellation, a bright star midway between the two fishes represents the knot. After several terrible setbacks, the Olympian gods rallied through a combination of stealth and Zeus's might, and chased Typhon to Sicily where Zeus dropped Mount Aetna on him. His remains were said to be the cause of the mountain's rumbling, smoke, and eruptions.

Sagittarius (archer)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible in both hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 19h
Declination: -25º
Source: Greek mythology, related to or derived from Sumerian and Babylonian myths, also Arab

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. In Greek mythology, Sagittarius is commonly thought to represent a centaur, a war-like creature with the torso of a man and the body of a horse. Sagittarius is most often associated with Crotus, the son of Pan (the goat-god) and Eupheme (the Muses' nurse). Crotus, who was raised by the Muses, became a skilled hunter who also absorbed a love of the arts from the Muses.

Johannes Hevelius' Sagittarius from Uranographia (1690)

The Muses begged Zeus to honor him with a constellation.

The constellation was also known to earlier civilizations in the Middle East. Several civilizations in the Mesopotamian area associated the constellation with their god of war, variants of the archer-god Nergal. The Arabs named a number of prominent stars in the constellation after parts of a human body and parts of a bow and arrow, indicating that they too associated this constellation with an archer.

Sculptor

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 24h
Declination: -30º
Source: Astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille

The story behind the name: Sculptor is one of the modern constellations in the Southern Hemisphere named by Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille. He is credited for creating and naming 15 of the 88 internationally accepted constellations during his stay at the observatory at the Cape of Good Hope between 1750 and 1754.

Sculptor which takes up a large but obscure region of the sky, was originally named L' Atelier du Sculpteur (the Sculptor's Workshop), but like many other of Lacaille's constellations, the name was shortened and became the Sculptor. Lacaille also named the constellation Caelum, the Burin, an instrument used for engraving metal, which may be part of the Sculptor's equipment.

Scutum (shield)

Location: Southern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 19h
Declination: -10º
Source: Astronomer Johannes Hevelius

The story behind the name: This constellation was originally named Scutum Sobiescianum, Latin for Shield of Sobieski. Jan III Sobieski was King of Poland from 1674 to 1696. At that time Poland was much larger than its current borders, including parts of what are now Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. The Ottoman Empire, based in Constantinople, was pushing at Europe's eastern borders. It already had a foothold in the Balkans and had captured parts of Ukraine. In 1683 the Ottomans advanced further into Europe and, with allies such as Tartars, besieged Vienna, capitol of Leopold I, head of the Holy Roman Empire. Sobieski gathered an army, left his own lands, and came to lift the siege of Vienna. He was successful, and is credited with turning the tide of the Ottoman invasion.

Johannes Hevelius' Scutum from Uranographia (1690)

The defeat of the Ottoman Empire at Vienna was considered a major victory by Europeans, not only in its political but also its cultural and religious ramifications. Hevelius named the constellation in honor of Sobieski.

Taurus (the bull)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible in both Hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 04h
Declination: +15º
Source: Bull legends from various ancient civilizations, also Greek mythology, Egyptian, Arab, other

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. Taurus is among the very oldest. At the time that the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East civilizations were at their heights, the Sun would have entered Taurus in the spring. For many of these herding and agricultural civilizations, the spring season - planting and births of animals - signaled the start of a new year.

The bull figured as a symbol of strength and fertility in many of these ancient cultures, and is prominent in the mythology of almost all early civilizations. Not only is Taurus associated with myths from Egypt (Apis), Greece (the Minotaur, and several involving Zeus in disguise), and the Druids, but many of the celestial objects in Taurus that are visible to the naked eye were also given significance. Among them are the star clusters Hyades and Pleiades.

Johannes Hevelius' Taurus from Uranographia (1690)

The rising of the Hyades was associated with rain from ancient Greece to ancient China. The Pleiades were said to be visible in good weather, a sign that the ancient seamen could undertake a sea voyage. The Pleiades are also associated with a myth about Orion, and a Polynesian myth. Some Arab names for the stars in Taurus refer to the bull's horns and the bull's eye.

Tucana

Location: Southern Hemisphere (polar region)
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 24h
Declination: -65º
Source: 17th century Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, with astronomer Johann Bayer

The story behind the name: Tucana is named for the Toucan, a brightly colored South American bird with a very large, thick bill. The shape of the constellation looks like the bird's bill. Tucana is another collaboration between the Dutch navigators Keyser and de Houtman who charted the southern skies on a voyage to the East Indies, and Johann Bayer, an astronomer who cataloged and published their newly discovered star patterns in his 1603 sky atlas.

Johannes Hevelius' Tucana from Uranographia (1690)

They named several other southern constellations for birds. Other astronomers, such as Johannes Kepler, who formulated the three laws of planetary motion, and Giovanni B. Riccioli, who was the first to observe a double star, called it Anser Americanus, the American Goose. Tucana is its official name.

Ursa Major (big bear)

Location: Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 11h
Declination: +50º
Source: Greek, Roman, and Native American mythology

The story behind the name: The constellation name, Ursa Major, means Big Bear. The "bear" association has its origins in two major civilizations which saw two very different bears in the sky.

The Greeks who named this constellation (later translated into the Latin name we use today) thought that the stars outlined the shape of a bear walking about on its clawed feet. It and its smaller companion, Ursa Minor were said to be the prey of Boötes and his hunting dogs. The long cat-like tail on the bears was part of the ancient pattern and is somewhat of a mystery. A story in Ovid tried to offer an explanation. In that myth, Zeus fell in love with Callisto. Hera changed her into a bear out of jealousy. Her son Arcus (the namesake of Arcturus, the alternate name for the constellation Boötes) came upon her in the forest and she ran to greet him. Not knowing the bear was his mother, he was about to kill her. To save her, Zeus turned Arcus into a smaller bear, grabbed them both by their tails and flung them into the sky, causing their tails to be stretched.

A number of Native American tribes also referred to this constellation as a bear, but with a clever addition. In their description of these stars, the bear is the same, but without the "tail". Instead, those three stars are three hopeful hunters, and the middle one is carrying a cooking pot for cooking up the bear.

Johannes Hevelius' Ursa Major from Uranographia (1690)

The most common pattern seen in this constellation is composed of a smaller group of the brightest stars (called an asterism) that outline the Big Dipper. This name comes from many different cultures which have seen in these stars a long handled spoon, often used for dipping water for drinking. Others call this pattern a plow, seeing instead of a dipper, an old-style, ox-pulled farm plow. The plow pattern, pulled by oxen, is the shape referenced in the myth of the Triones, the oxen and plow driven by Bootes the herder. The Egyptians and the Chinese saw different associations. Even in relatively more modern times, early European civilizations continued to invent new meanings for this pattern.

Vela (the sail)

Location: Mostly Southern Hemisphere, low on the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 09h
Declination: -50º
Source: Modern constellation by astronomer Abbe Nicholas de Lacaille

The story behind the name: Vela, the Sails, was originally part of Argo Navis, the ship of Jason and his Argonauts. When the International Astronomical Union officially defined the 88 constellations and their boundaries, the constellation (the ship) was divided into three smaller constellations: Vela, Puppis (the deck), and Carina (the keel). To read more about Argo Navis and Jason and his Argonauts, see Carina.

Virgo (the maiden)

Location: Zodiac constellation, visible in both Hemispheres
Coordinates:
Right Ascension: 13h
Declination: 0º
Source: Associated with almost every major female deity in world-wide early civilizations

The story behind the name: The constellations that are included in the Zodiac - the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our Sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year - are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the Sun. Virgo rose in mid-August when the Zodiac was created by the Greeks and Babylonians so the sign became a marker for the ending of summer and the ripening of the harvest.

Most of the fertility and harvest goddesses of the Mediterranean and Middle East are in some way associated with Virgo but there is no one definitive myth that defines this pattern. The pattern is pictured as a female, often holding a spike of grain in one hand. Virgo is the second largest constellation in the sky after Hydra, and the Sun spends a long time within its boundaries. The Sun is still within Virgo at the autumnal equinox, another point significant to ancient harvest and fertility rituals. These associations can be seen in the names of some of Virgo's main stars: Spica (spike of grain) and Vindemiatrix (wine gatherer).

Johannes Hevelius' Virgo from Uranographia (1690)

Sometimes Virgo is holding a staff, a caduceus (the snake-entwined staff that symbolizes healing, rebirth, or oracle prophecy), or a scale in her other hand. These other symbols are associated with additional goddesses who symbolize justice or wisdom or prophecy. Many of the goddesses linked to Virgo are associated with stories in which a king or male god dies (symbolizing the coming of winter) and is reborn again in the spring, or in which the goddess enters the underworld to find him and cause his rebirth.

In other variants, the goddess herself, representing the bountiful Earth, divides her time between the upper world and the underworld, returning above ground in the spring. Among the goddesses associated with Virgo are the Babylonian Istar, the Egyptian Isis, Sumerian Ishtar, Greek Demeter, Demeter's daughter Persephone, Roman Ceres, Dionysius's daughter Erigone, Greek Dike, Athena, or Artemis - and many others. Virgo is also important in an ancient Chinese belief which is based on the passage of the moon, not the Sun.