Constellations

Facts  The sun passes through this constellation mid-February through mid-March.  it is best seen in the month of October at 9:00pm.  It is visible between latitudes 65 and -90 degrees.  Right Ascension: 23 hours  Declination: -15 degrees Aquarius

Mythology Aquarius is a rather faint constellation which would not be famous if it weren't part of the Zodiac. Aquarius is universally associated with water. In most cultures, it is drawn as a man pouring water from a bucket. This may arise from the fact that the Sun enters Aquarius in early winter when the rainy season begins in many parts of the world. In most myths Aquarius is also identified with Ganymede, cup-bearer to the gods.

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Facts  This constellation can be found in the winter sky.  It is best seen in the month of December at 9:00pm.  It is visible between latitudes 90 and -60 degrees.  Right Ascension: 3 hours  Declination: 20 degrees Aries

Mythology Aries, The Ram, is the first of the twelve zodiac constellations, and in Greek myth represents the animal whose fleece was sought by Jason and the Argonauts. The Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Greeks and the Persians all agreed worked together to give this constellation the name of the Ram. In Greek mythology, the story of the Ram begins in Thessaly. The King of Thessaly had two children, Phrixus and Helle, who were beaten by their stepmother. The god Hermes became angered by this and sent a ram to carry the two children to safety. Tragically, Helle lost her grip and tumbled from the ram into the narrow strip of water between Europe and Asia, now called Hellespont in her honor. Phrixus, on the other hand, arrived safely to the shores of the Black Sea where he sacrificed the ram and gave its fleece to a sleepless dragon for safe-keeping. Later, Jason and his Argonauts recovered the prized fleece and returned it to Thessaly.

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Facts  This constellation can be found in the spring sky.  It can be best seen in March at 9:00pm.  It is visible between latitudes 65 and -90 degrees.  Right Ascension: 23 hours It is visible between latitudes 90 and -60 degrees.  Right Ascension: 9 hours  Declination: 20 degrees Cancer

Mythology Cancer, the Crab, plays a minor role in the Twelve Labors of Hercules. While Hercules was busy fighting the multi- headed monster, Hydra, the goddess Hera, who did not like Hercules, sent the Crab to distract him. Cancer grabbed onto the hero's toe with its claws. Barely breaking the rhythm of his great battle with Hydra Hercules crushed the crab with his foot. Hera, grateful for the little crustacean's heroic but pitiful effort, gave it a place in the sky. Cancer is famous despite the fact it is very faint with no stars brighter than 4th magnitude.

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Facts  Capricorn is best seen in autumn during the month of September around 9:00pm.  Location:  It is visible between latitudes 60 and -90 degrees.  Right Ascension: 21 hours  Declination: -20 degrees Capricorn

Mythology Capricornus has been recognized as a goat since Babylonian and Chaldean times. Usually, it is depicted as a goat with a fish tail, which might relate to a story about the god Pan. Pan, fleeing a monster called Typhon, jumped into the Nile River. The part of him that was below water turned into a fish, while the rest of him above water, stayed as a goat.

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Facts  Gemini is best seen in winter in the month of February at 9:00pm.  It is Visible between latitudes 90 and -60 degrees  Right Ascension: 7 hours  Declination: 20 degrees Gemini

Mythology Castor and Pollux, the "twins" of Gemini, were Greek heroes. They were among the men Jason led on his voyages on the Argo. This is one of the 13 constellations of the Zodiac.

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Facts  Leo is best seen in the spring sky in the month of April at 9:00pm.  It is visible between latitudes 90 and -65 degrees.  Right Ascension: 11 hours  Declination: 15 degrees Leo

Mythology This is one of the 13 constellations of the Zodiac. Leo is the Nemean Lion, which was killed by Hercules on one of his great quests. Legend says that the lion had a hide that could not be punctured by iron, bronze or stone. Since he couldn't reason with the ferocious beast, Hercules strangled it to death and the local people were very grateful. The Chaldeans associated Leo with the sun since it is in the sky during the summer solstice (although this is no longer true, due to the precession of the Earth's axis). Since Nile floods around this time, the ancient Egyptians worshipped the celestial lion.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen in the summer sky. It can be seen best in the month of June at 9:00pm.  Location:  It is visible between latitudes 65 and -90 degrees.  Right Ascension: 15 hours  Declination: -15 degrees Libra

Mythology Libra is the balance to the golden Pluto vehicle (Hades). Hades was the brother of Zeus and Poseidón. The vehicle was wire being pulled by four black horses.

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Facts  This constellation is best seen in the winter sky. It is best seen in the month of January at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 85 and -75 degrees  Right Ascension: 5 hours  Declination: 5 degrees Orion

Mythology Perhaps second only to the Big Dipper in Ursa Major, the constellation of Orion is one of the most recognizable patterns of stars in the northern sky. Orion, the hunter, stands by the Eridanusand River and is accompanied by his faithful dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Together they hunt various animals, including Lepus, the rabbit, and Taurus, the bull. According to Greek mythology, Orion was in love with Merope, one of the Seven Sisters who form the Pleiades, but Merope would have nothing to do with him. Orion's tragic life ended when he stepped on Scorpius, the scorpion. The gods felt sorry for him, so they put him and his dogs in the sky as constellations. They also put all of the animals he hunted up there near him. Scorpius, however, was placed on the opposite side of the sky so Orion would never be hurt by it again.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the autumn sky. It can be seen best in the month of November at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 90 and -65 degrees  Right Ascension: 1 hours  Declination: 15 degrees Pisces

Mythology Pisces is known as a "faint constellation" and is represented by two fish whose tails are tied together. This constellation lies between the constellations Aquarius and Aries. According to the Greco-Roman myth, one of the sons of Gaia and Tartaros, Typhon, decided to overthrow Zeus. Typhon is a monstrous god who is very tall with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He has hundred dragon-heads sprouting out in the place of his fingers. He was as strong as the Titans. Many of the gods of the Mount Olympus went into hiding fearing him. One day, Typhon happened to see Aphrodite (Greek counterpart of Roman goddess Venus, the goddess of beauty), and her son Eros (Greek counterpart of Roman god Cupid, the god of love) on the banks of a river. To escape from his clutches, Aphrodite and Eros turned into a fish and swam into the depths of the river. They had tied their tails together so they would not be separated. In the river, they were saved by other fish and were later hung in the sky along with the other celestial objects in the northern skies. This was done to commemorate the day when the goddess of beauty and god of love were saved from being destroyed.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the summer sky. It can be seen best in the month of August at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 55 and -90 degrees  Right Ascension: 19 hours  Declination: -25 degrees Sagittarius

Mythology This is one of the signs of the zodiac. Sagittarius represents a centaur named Chiron. A centaur is a mythical creature that is half man half horse. Centaurs were known as beasts, but the Greeks had respect for horses so they didn’t consider them all bad. Chiron was actually known for his gentleness. He was a musician, archer, and physician. He tutored Hercules, Jason, and Achilles. He was wounded by Hercules by a poison arrow by mistake. He couldn’t cure himself even though he was a physician. He was immortal so he would stay wounded without dying. He decided to offer himself up to free Promethus who was being punished and tortured by the gods. He gave up his immortality to take Promethus place. The god Jupiter recognized his good deed and offered him a place in the stars.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the summer sky. It can be seen best in the month of July at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 40 and -90 degrees  Right Ascension: 17 hours  Declination: -40 degrees Scorpio

Mythology Scorpio is one of the signs of the Zodiac. Scorpius is known for killing Orion. This is why the two constellations are place 180 degrees away from each other to avoid trouble.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the winter sky. It can be seen best in the month of January at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 90 and -65 degrees  Right Ascension: 4 hours  Declination: 15 degrees Taurus

Mythology This is one of the signs of the Zodiac. The Greeks saw Taurus as Zeus in disguise. The story is that Zeus fell in love with the King of Phoenica’s daughter, Europa. So he disguised himself as a white bull. Europa noticed the bull when she was playing near the water one day. She went near him and he scooped her up on his back on took her away to become his mistress. It also represents the white bull that was sent to Minos as a sign that he was the rightful heir to the throne. Minos was supposed to sacrifice the bull to Poseidon, but he didn’t so the sea god caused his queen, Pasiphaë, to fall in love with it. Later, in another myth, Theseus of Athens goes to Crete and slays the dreadful Minotaur, which actually was reported to be a man with a bull's head that could breathe fire. The Chinese called this constellation the “White Tiger” or the “Great Bridge. The Egyptians saw this constellation as their god Osiris.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the spring sky. It can be seen best in the month of April at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 90 and -30 degrees  Right Ascension: 11 hours  Declination: 50 degrees Ursa Major

Mythology According to some Native American legends, the bowl of the Big Dipper is a giant bear and the stars of the handle are three warriors chasing it. The constellation is low in the sky in autumn evening sky, so it was said that the hunters had injured the bear and its blood caused the trees to change color to red. The Big Dipper is one of the most recognizable patterns in the northern sky. In other cultures it was identified as a wagon or cart, a plow, a bull's thigh, and (to the Chinese) the government. The Big Dipper was also a very important part of the Underground Railroad which helped slaves escape from the South before the Civil War. There were songs spread among the slave population which included references to the "Drinking Gourd." The songs said to follow it to get to a better life. This veiled message for the slaves to flee northward was passed along in the form of songs since a large fraction of the slave population was illiterate.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the summer sky. It can be seen best in the month of June at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 90 and -10 degrees  Right Ascension: 15 hours  Declination: 70 degrees Ursa Minor

Mythology The constellation Ursa Minor contains the group of stars commonly called the Little Dipper. The handle of the Dipper is the Little Bear's tail and the Dipper's cup is the Bear's flank. Arcas was the son of Callisto, who was transformed by Juno into a bear. When Arcas was fifteen, he was out hunting in the forest when he came across a bear. The bear behaved quite strangely, looking him in the eyes. He of course could not recognize his mother in her strange shape, and was preparing to shoot her when Jupiter prevented him. Arcas was transformed into a bear like his mother, and the two were taken up into the sky. The mother bear is Ursa Major.

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Facts  This constellation can be seen best in the autumn sky. It can be seen best in the month of May at 9:00pm.  Location:  Visible between latitudes 80 and -80 degrees  Right Ascension: 13 hours  Declination: 0 degrees Virgo

Mythology In Greek mythology and many other mythologies Virgo is related to the theme of maidens, purity, and fertility. Greek mythology says that, Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, had been abducted and taken to the underworld by Hades. In revenge her mother ruined the harvests, the earth became infertile and the people were starving. Zeus was forced to issue a decree stating that Persephone should spend only a short time each year in the underworld, and when she was released Demeter permitted Nature to resume its natural course.

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