Astronomy
Here, you will find the myths about the stars and the planets.
I have also included other factual information in a table listing other heavenly bodies such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulae.
Constellations
Men have always looked at the night sky; they imagined that the heavens were filled with the images of their gods, heroes and strange creatures. We owed these ancient astronomers for their ability to see shapes and group stars together, and the poets for entertaining us with the tales of these great beings and creatures.
Though there are other sources available from other classical writers. Homer mentioned the earliest constellations in Odyssey V, all in the same passage: the Great Bear, Bootes, Orion and the cluster of stars known as the Pleiades, but he doesn't provide any myths about them.
Gladly then did goodly Odysseus spread his sail to the breeze; and he sat and guided his raft skilfully with the steering-oar, nor did sleep fall upon his eyelids, as he watched the Pleiads, and late-setting Bootes, and the Bear, which men also call the Wain, which ever circles where it is and watches Orion, and alone has no part in the baths of Ocean.
Odyssey V,
Homer,
translated by A.T. Murray.
Hesiod linked these constellations, not to navigation, but to the seasons that governing the farming, and also mentioned the stars Sirius and Arcturus. This is found in a small, fragmented poem titled Astronomy, which was attributed to Hesiod (8th-7th century BC). It gives more details than Homer, but has other constellations, including constellations like Hyades and the Scorpion (Scorpio).
The lost work of Hipparchus (died in 127 BC) was one of the earliest to attempt to catalogue the stars. Our source for his lost work comes from another astronomer of a later period - Ptolemy (flourished in AD 127-151), the great astronomer and geographer who wrote the Almagest. Ptolemy relied on Hipparchus as his source. These two authors wrote of astronomy (and astrology), and not really on the myths of stars or constellations. Ptolemy had a catalog of over 1000 stars.
There is an even earlier, Babylonian catalogue known as MUL.APIN, which compiled even earlier star catalogues from various sources, such as the "Three Stars Each" catalogue. Among other notable differences from the Greek and Roman Zodiac, this Babylonian catalogue has 17 or 18 Zodiac constellations rather than the usual twelve we know of today.
Our earliest known copy of MUL.APIN dates to 686 BC, although it's generally believed that MUL.APIN was written at least as far back as 1000 BC. "Three Stars Each" is even older, dating to the 12th century BC.
For the mythological aspect of astronomy, I have relied mainly on Hyginus (fl. 2nd century AD), in particular his Poetica Astronomia; his other work is Fabulae. Hyginus covered mostly myths, but it is more than likely that Hyginus relied on Ptolemy as his source for information (astronomical aspects) about the constellations, and indirectly on Hipparchus. When it comes to myths, Hyginus is not a reliable source, because of his attempts at changing well-known myths through embellishment or trying to explain the myths in a rather disordered manner. Yet, Hyginus' myths are important to us.
I have also briefly included some additional information about the constellations and stars that may interest you.
Note that the astrological myths below mostly cover the constellations of the Northern Hemisphere, but I won't ignore any other constellations that have mythological significance, such as Centaurus and Argo Navi.
Constellations of the Zodiac
If you ever wonder where the constellations of the Zodiac come from, I have briefly listed the Graeco-Roman myths of 12 zodiac signs that we know of today.
The importance of these twelve constellations was that they formed a circle or an imaginary belt of the celestial sphere in which the sun, moon and the seven of the nine planets orbit our night sky (with the exception being the planet Pluto). Originally, only five out of the nine planets were known to ancient astronomers and astrologers. So only Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, plus the Sun and Moon, were used in astrology with the Zodiac.
Note that the names of all of these constellations come from Latin.
Aries (♈︎)
Name: "Ram" (Golden Fleece)
The Golden Fleece saved Phrixus and Helle, the children of Athamas, from being sacrificed. Phrixus gave the Golden Fleece to Aeëtes, king of the Colchians. The ram was later the object of the quest of Jason and the Argonauts. See the Argonauts and Athamas in the Aeolids. In Egyptian myth, this constellation was associated with the god Amon.
Aries is located on the celestial circle between the constellations of Pisces and Taurus. The brightest star in the constellation of Aries is Hamal.
In astrology, Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and the period of Aries (when the sun rises when Ares is on the eastern horizon) is between March 21 and April 19. Fire is the element of Aries, and the planet Mars governed the sign.
Taurus (♉︎)
Name: "Bull" (Zeus)
The form that Zeus took when he carried off the Phoenician maiden Europa, the sister of Cadmus.
The constellation of Taurus is located between Aries and Gemini on the celestial circle. The brightest star in the constellation is Aldebaran. Other notable features of this constellation include the Crab Nebula (M1) and the loose cluster of stars known as the Pleiades (M45), of which Alycone is its brightest star. In the myths, the Pleiades are associated with the giant hunter Orion, whose constellation is nearby.
In astrology, Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac, The sun rises in Taurus between April 20 and May 20. Earth is the element of Taurus, while the planet Venus influences this sign.
Gemini (♊︎)
Name: "Twins" (Dioscuri)
The Spartan heroes known as the Dioscuri were the twin sons of Zeus and Leda, and brothers of Helen of Troy. The brothers were named Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux). See the Dioscuri. However, the constellation was also associated with another set of twins in Rome: Romulus and Remus, the sons of the war-god Mars.
On the celestial circle, the constellation of Gemini is situated between Taurus and Cancer. The two brightest stars are called Castor (Alpha Geminorum) and Pollux (Polydeuces, also called Beta Geminorum). Castor is actually a binary star.
In astrology, Gemini is the 3rd zodiacal sign, and its period is between May 21 and June 21. The element of Gemini is air, and the planet Mercury governed the Twins.
Cancer (♋︎)
Name: "Crab"
The giant crab that Hera sent against Heracles (Hercules) during his 2nd labour, when the hero had to kill the Hydra. Hera immortalised the crab as the constellation known as Cancer, after Heracles killed the crab.
The constellation of Cancer is situated between Gemini and Leo in the celestial circle.
In astrology, Cancer is the 4th zodiacal sign and its peroid starts on June 22 and ends July 22. The element of Cancer is water, and the Moon ruled the Crab.
Leo (♌︎)
Name: "Lion" (Nemean Lion)
This constellation was said to be the Nemean Lion, another beast that Heracles (Hercules) killed for his 1st labour.
The constellation of Leo lies between the constellations of Cancer and Virgo. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation of Leo (first magnitude).
In astrology, Leo is the 5th sign of the zodiac, and its period begins on July 23 and ends on August 22. Fire is the element of Leo, while the Sun ruled this sign.
Virgo (♍︎)
Name: "Virgin" (Erigone or Parthenos)
This constellation was probably Erigone, the daughter of Icarius (Boötes), and the owner of the dog Maera (the constellation of Canis Minor or the star Sirius). It was the god Dionysus who immortalised her, her father and the hound. (See Maera for the story in Mythical Creatures.)
Others said that the Virgin was Parthenos, the daughter of Apollo and Chrysothemis, who died young, though not everyone agreed with this. Other likely candidates were another Erigone, the daughter of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra, or Dike (Justice), or Tyche (Fortune).
The constellation of Virgo is located between Leo and Libra. The brightest star in Virgo is Spica (1st magnitude).
In astrology, Virgo is the 6th zodiacal sign, and its period is between August 23 and September 22. The element of Virgo is earth, and the planet Mercury governed this sign.
Libra (♎︎)
Name: "Scale"
Libra was the constellation of a balance or scale. Libra was supposed to represent Astraea, the Roman goddess of divine justice. Or this scale could be the Scale of the Fates, on which Jupiter compared the lives of two people to see who was doomed to die, such as between Achilles and Hector; it was Hector who was killed that day.
Libra is located between Virgo and Scorpio in the celestial circle. Zubenegenubi is a double star, and is the brightest in this constellation.
In astrology, Libra is the 7th sign of the zodiac that begins on September 23 and ends on October 23. Air is the element of Libra, while the planet Venus ruled this sign.
Scorpio (♏︎)
Name: "Scorpion"
According to Hesiod's Astronomy, Gaea (Earth) sent a giant scorpion to kill Orion, though the more popular myth said that Orion was killed by Artemis, either deliberately or by accident.
Scorpio or Scorpius is located between the constellations of Libra and Sagittarius in the celestial circle. The brightest star in the constellation of Scorpio is Antares, which is a red star of the 1st magnitude.
In astrology, Scorpio is the 7th zodiacal sign and its period is between October 24 and November 21. The element of Scorpio is water, while the associated planet was Mars (but now it is Pluto) that governed the sign of the Scorpion.
Sagittarius (♐︎)
Name: "Archer"
This constellation was Crotus, the son of Pan and Eupheme, who was the nurse of the Muses. Zeus immortalised him as the constellation Sagittarius at the request of the Muses.
Sagittarius is located between the constellations of Scorpio and Capricorn. Rukbat or Alpha Sagittarii (4th magnitude) is the brightest out of the eight stars that are visible. The Lagoon Nebula (M8) and the Trifid Nebula (M20) can be found in the region of Sagittarius.
In astrology, Sagittarius is the 9th sign of the zodiac, and its period begins on November 22 and ends on December 21. Sagittarius belongs to the element of fire, while the planet Jupiter ruled the sign of the Archer.
Capricorn (♑︎)
Name: "Sea-goat" (Aegipan)
It represents a goat-like being named Aegipan. I am not sure if this was just another name for Pan, or it was a magical she-goat. Aegipan escaped from the monster Typhon with other gods by transforming herself into a goat, with the tail and lower body of a fish. See also Typhon on the Creation page.
Capricorn lies between the constellations of Sagittarius and Aquarius. None of its stars are bright, but the brightest is Alpha Capricorni, which is only a 3rd magnitude star.
In astrology, Capricorn is the 10th zodiacal sign and its period is between December 22 and January 19. Earth is the element of Capricorn, and the planet Saturn rules the sign.
Aquarius (♒︎)
Name: "Water-carrier" (Ganymede)
The Water-carrier was Ganymede, the son of King Tros of Troy. Zeus abducted the Trojan youth, because he fell in love with the boy. Ganymede served the gods as a cupbearer on Olympus.
The constellation of Aquarius is situated on the celestial circle between Capricorn and Pisces. The stars in the constellation are no brighter than a 3rd magnitude star, though it does contain a couple of globular clusters and a couple of planetary nebulae.
In astrology, Aquarius is the 11th sign of the zodiac and its period is between January 20 and February 18. Air is the element of Aquarius. The planet Uranus ruled the sign, but originally it was Saturn.
Pisces (♓︎)
Name: "Fishes" (Aphrodite and Eros)
Aphrodite and Eros escaped from the monster Typhon by leaping into the sea and transforming themselves into fishes. The goddess was grateful for her escape, and immortalised their forms as fishes by placing them in the sky. See also Typhon on the Creation page.
Pisces is situated between the constellations of Aquarius and Aries. None of its stars are particularly bright, but the sun does pass through one of its stars during the vernal equinox (previously, the sun passed through Aries, during ancient times).
In astrology, Pisces is the 12th zodiacal sign and its period begins on February 20 and ends on March 20. The Fishes belong to the water element. Although the planet Neptune ruled Pisces later on, the original ruling planet was Jupiter. Usually Pisces is depicted as two fishes with a string tied to their tails.
Other Constellations
Below is another list of constellations with some brief summaries on the myths behind the stars.
Ursa Major
Name: Ursa Major – "Great Bear" (Callisto)
Name: Plaustrum – "Wagon"
Callisto (Καλλιστώ) was the daughter of Lycaon, who was transformed into a bear by either Zeus (Jupiter), her lover, by Zeus' jealous wife, Hera (Juno), or by Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the hunt. To prevent her son Arcas from killing the bear, Zeus placed her among the stars as the Great Bear, known as Ursa Major. The Greeks called the constellation Arctos, which means "she-bear". It was called Ursa by the Romans. There are several variations of the myth of the Great Bear, so see Callisto.
Another source said that the constellations of the Great Bear and Lesser Bear (Ursa Minor) were Helice and Cynosura, the Cretan nurses of Zeus.
On the other hand, the Roman writer Hyginus said that it was not a constellation of a bear at all, but a constellation of a Wagon called a Plaustrum. Icarius, the father of Erigone, drove the Wagon (Plaustrum); he was immortalised as the constellation Boötes (Wagon-Driver). See Maera about Icarius and Maera.
The seven brightest stars of the Great Bear formed a different constellation, which was also known through different names such as the Wagon (Plaustrum), the Big Dipper, the Plow and Charles' Wain. The seven brightest stars in Ursa Major were grouped together to look something like a giant ladle.
Ursa Minor
Name: Ursa Minor – "Lesser Bear" or "Little Bear" (Cynosura)
Cynosura (Κυπάρσουρα) was one of the nurses of Zeus in Crete, who was transformed into a constellation called Ursa Minor or the Lesser Bear. It was also known as the Little Dipper. See also Ursa Major.
The seven brightest stars formed a constellation known as the Little Dipper within the Ursa Minor. The star at the end of the Little Bear was called Polaris, which marked the location of the north (celestial) pole. About three-quarters of Ursa Minor is surrounded by the long tail of the constellation of Draco (the Dragon).
Boötes
Name: Boötes – "Wagon-Driver" or "Bear-Driver" (Icarius)
Name: Arctophylax – "Bear-Warden" (Arcas)
According to the myth about Callisto (Καλλιστώ), her son Arcas (Ἀρκάς) was immortalised in the sky because his father was the god Zeus (Jupiter). Boötes was also known by another name – Arctophylax, which means Bear-warden. See Callisto.
The constellation Boötes was also called the Wagon-driver, which represented Icarius, the father of Erigone and the master of the faithful hound, Maera. See Maera for the myth about Icarius and Erigone.
Arcturus was the brightest star in the constellation Boötes. Arcturus is also the third brightest star of the night sky.
Orion
Name: Orion
Orion (Ὠρίωνα) was a giant, known for his skill as a hunter, who was either killed by a giant scorpion sent by Gaea (Earth), or else he was killed by an arrow from either Artemis or Apollo.
Other constellations associated with the constellation of Orion include Canis Major (the Great Dog), Canis Minor (the Little Dog), Lepus (the Hare) and Taurus (the Bull). There are also the Pleiades, a star cluster in the region of Taurus. Orion amorously pursued the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. To save the Pleiades, they were placed in the sky as seven stars (the brightest being Alycone, and Atlas and Pleione are also found near the cluster).
The constellation of Orion depicted him holding a club held high in one hand and a sword in the other. Orion has a number of bright stars: Betelgeuse, Bellatrix and Melssa for his shoulders and head, and Salph and Rigel for his legs. He even looks like he is wearing a belt (Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka). Rigel is the brightest star in Orion, but it is only the 7th brightest star in the night sky; Betelgeuse being the 10th brightest. The Orion Nebula (M42) and the Horsehead Nebula (IC434) are also found in the region of Orion. Orion is situated below the constellation of Taurus, with Lepus (the Hare) at his feet.
The constellation was important to other civilisations. In Egypt, it was called Sah and Orion has been identified with Osiris, the Egyptian god of the Netherworld and husband of Isis. The figure with a raised arm holding a mace-head in the predynastic Narmer palette was a representation of both a conquering pharaoh and Osiris as Orion.
Canis Major
Name: "Great Dog"
The constellation of the Dog was attributed to several dogs that appeared in classical myths.
The most famous of these dogs was Laelaps (Λαίλαπς). Several people had owned Laelaps. It was first given to Europa, and her son Minos would later inherit him. Minos gave the hound to his mistress Procris, who then gave it to her husband Cephalus. Amphitryon borrowed the hound to hunt the Teumessian Vixen. To prevent the hound from catching the Vixen, Zeus changed both the hound and the fox into stone. The god then put Laelaps in the sky as Canis Major, and the fox as Vulpecula.
Some other sources say that it was Maera, the hound of Icarius, or that of the faithful hunting dog of Orion, the great giant hunter.
The eye of Canis Major was a bright star known as Sirius (Σἳρις, "Dog Star"), which was said to bring droughts or pestilences when it appeared from the horizon. The Egyptian called the star Sopdet, which the Greeks later called Sothis, because it is said to cause the annual flood in the Nile River. Sopdet or Sothis was a goddess associated with the Nile's annual innundation. Sopdet/Sothis was identified with the goddess Isis, wife of Osiris, who was identified with the constellation Orion. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, as well as being a binary star.
Canis Minor
Name: "Lesser Dog;" Procyon; Maera
The constellation of the Lesser Dog was probably that belonging to Orion. Or it could be Maera (Μαἳρα), who was the hound of Icarius (Ἰκάριος). Maera howled in grief over his master's death, before leaping off of a cliff. See Maera.
The brightest star in Canis Minor was known as Procyon in Greek (as it is known today), while it was known to the Romans as Canicula. Procyon is the 8th brightest star in the night sky, and it is also a binary star.
Lepus
Name: "Hare" (Lepus)
The god Hermes placed this constellation of the hare in the sky because of its fleet-footed nature. The constellation is near Orion, which suggested that he hunted the hare.
Perseus
Name: Perseus
The slayer of the Gorgon Medusa. Perseus (Περσεύς) was the son of Zeus and Danae. Perseus married Andromeda, and later became the king of Mycenae. See Perseus. The Perseus constellation is situated near Andromeda and Cassopeia, as well as near the zodiac constellations of Aries and Taurus.
Andromeda
Name: Andromedea
Andromeda (Ἀνδρομέδη) was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia of Ethiopia. The hero Perseus rescued Andromeda from a sea-monster. Andromeda became Perseus' wife. The goddess Athena placed Andromeda among the stars with Perseus and her parents. See Perseus. The constellation is situated between Perseus and Pegasus, with Pisces being the nearest zodiac constellation to Andromeda.
The most notable feature of this constellation is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), which is the nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way.
Cepheus
Name: Cepheus
King of Ethiopia, Cepheus (Κηφεύς) was the husband of Cassiopeia and father of Andromeda. Poseidon placed him among the stars with his wife after their death. See Perseus.
Casseopeia
Name: Cassiopeia
Cassiopeia (Κασσιέπεια) was the wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda. She was placed among the stars with her husband and daughter. See Perseus.
Cetus
Name: Sea-monster or Whale
Poseidon sent a sea-monster known as Cetus to punish Cassiopeia, wife of King Cepheus. His kingdom would be saved if they sacrificed their daughter Andromeda to the monster. Perseus killed the monster, either by turning Cetus into stone or killing the monster with a sickle (see Perseus). Poseidon transformed the monster a the constellation. Cetus means "whale" in Latin.
Pegasus
Name: Winged-horse
Pegasus (Πήγασος) was the winged-horse of the hero Bellerophon. Pegasus was an offspring of Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa.
Equuleus
Name: Little Horse
The constellation Equuleus was known as the Little Horse. The other horse constellation was Pegasus, which is west of the smaller constellation.
Equuleus was identified with Melanippe (Μελανίππη), the daughter of Cheiron and Chariclo. According to Hyginus, either she was the lover of Aeolus, or he raped her. Melanippe tried to hide her pregnancy from her father. When it was time to give birth, she fled from home and hid in the woods. Her father went searching for her. When she heard him approaching, she feared that he would kill her. Melanippe prayed to the gods, who transformed her into a mare, and later she was transported to the stars.
Ovid called Cheiron's daughter Ocyrrhoe, instead. Ocyrrhoe was transformed into a horse, because she was a prophetess. So gifted was Ocyrrhoe in prophecy that the gods feared she would reveal every secret to mankind. This was the reason for her transformation.
Hercules
Name: Previously called the Engonasin – "Kneeler" (Hercules or Heracles, Theseus, Thamyris, Orpheus, Ixion, Ceteus, Prometheus)
The ancient name of this constellation was Engonasin, which means "Kneeler", although we now call the constellation Hercules (Heracles). Hyginus gave as many as eight stellar representations of the Kneeler.
It's supposed to represent Heracles killing Ladon (Draco), the giant serpent of the Garden of Hesperides, in his 11th labour. Hyginus also said that it could be Heracles driving the Ligurian army back, during his 10th labour, where he was kneeling and hurling fist-sized stones at his enemies.
Hyginus also said that the Kneeler could be the hero Theseus. The young Theseus had to retrieve some objects from under a large stone, left there by his father Aegeus.
Other possible candidates of the Kneeler included the gifted bard Thamyris, who was blinded by the Muses for challenging the goddesses in a contest. Thamyris was kneeling as suppliant, with the constellation of the Lyre (Lyra) near him. Or, it was Orpheus killed by the Thracian women. There are several other possible figures who could be the Kneeler: Ixion, Prometheus, or Ceteus, the son of Lycaon.
None of the stars are particularly bright in Hercules constellation. The brightest is the red supergiant known as Ras Algethi, which is Arabic for the "Head of the Kneeler". Above Hercules is the constellation Draco, and to the left of the constellation is the Lyre. Below him is Ophiuchus (Serpent-holder), which Heracles was said to have used to kill a snake in Lycia, for Queen Omphale.
Sagitta
Name: "Arrow"
This was either the arrow that Heracles used to kill the Caucasian Eagle which fed on Prometheus' liver, or the one that Apollo used to kill one of the Cyclopes.
Draco
Name: Dragon or Serpent (Ladon?)
Some said that the constellation Draco was Ladon, the dragon that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of Hesperides. These same sources said that Heracles killed Ladon.
Others said that Draco was the dragon that guarded the sacred spring of Ares (Mars), but Cadmus slew the dragon when he founded his new kingdom – Thebes.
The classical writers often called this constellation, the Serpent, instead of Draco. However, this should not be confused with two flanking ends of the serpent (head and tail), known as Serpens, with the constellation of Ophiuchus (Serpent-holder) in between.
Eltanin and Rastaban are the two brightest stars, at the head of Draco. The long tail of Draco covers almost three-quarters of Ursa Minor (Little Bear).
Lyra
Name: "Lyre"
The constellation of the Lyre was probably the musical instrument of Orpheus, the greatest mortal musician. The brightest star in Lyra is Vega. In the constellation of Lyra, there is the spectacular Ring Nebula (M57).
Ophiuchus
Name: Serpent-holder
Ophiuchus was a name of the "Serpent-holder", located between the Serpens Caput (Head of the Serpent) and the Serpens Cauda (Tail of the Serpent). Ophiuchus was said to be the staff of Asclepius, known as the Serpent-holder. There are also other explanations of this constellation, such as Triopas driving all the serpents out of the island of Rhodes, or Heracles killing serpents when he was living in Lydia with Queen Omphale.
Serpens
Name: Serpent
This actually consisted of two constellations. The Serpen Caput or "Serpent's Head" and Serpens Cauda or "Tail of Serpent", are separated by the constellation of Ophiuchus (Serpent-holder).
The Serpens Cauda has an incredible Eagle Nebula (M16), particularly near the centre, where several clouds of gases look like gaseous pillars.
Hydra
Name: Hydra
Hydra (Ὕδρα) was the nine-headed monster that Heracles had to kill in one of his labours. Hydra was the offspring of the monsters Typhon and Echidna. There is only one bright star in Hydra, but this happens to be a binary star called Alphard.
Aquila
Name: "Eagle" (Zeus)
The form that Zeus assumed to abduct the Trojan youth Ganymede, a son of Tros. Zeus immortalised the eagle as the constellation Aquila. See Two Ruling Houses in the House of Troy. This fits quite nicely since Aquila is near the zodiacal constellation of Aquarius, which was meant to represent Ganymede.
While there is another tale about Hermes wanting to seduce Aphrodite, but he was unable to achieve his desire. Taking pity on his son, Zeus sent an eagle to steal Aphrodite's slipper. The eagle dropped the slipper into Hermes' lap. Hermes agreed to return the slipper only if they became lovers. Hermes honoured the eagle by putting the eagle in the sky.
See Eagle in Mythical Creatures.
The Eagle was also identified with Meropes of the island of Cos. His wife was killed by Artemis, when she had ceased to worship her. Hera took pity on Meropes, transformed him into an eagle and put him in the sky as a constellation.
The brightest star in Aquila is Altair, and the other bright star is Tarazed, which is of magnitude 2.7.
Cygnus
Name: "Swan" (Zeus)
The constellation of the Swan (Cygnus) was the shape that Zeus assumed when he seduced Leda, the mother of the Dioscuri and Helen. Cygnus looked more like a large cross, which was why it was sometimes called the Northern Cross. The brightest star in the Swan is Deneb. There are at least a half-dozen nebulae in the Cygnus constellation, known as the Cygnus Loop. Of these nebulae, the most notable are the Lacework Nebula and the Veil Nebula (NGC6992).
Corvus
"Crow"
Corvus was the constellation of the crow. It was probably the bird of Apollo. The crow was originally a white bird. Apollo seduced a Thessalian princess, Coronis, who was pregnant with Asclepius. When the crow informed Apollo that Coronis had taken a mortal lover, Apollo turned the feathers of the crow to black, because of the crow's tattling. Apollo killed the lovers, but the god saved the unborn child (Asclepius). See Coronis and Asclepius.
There is another myth about Apollo's crow which involved the constellation of the Crater or "Bowl". Apollo sent the crow to fetch water with a drinking bowl. However, the crow became distracted when it discovered ripe figs. Forgetting the god's command, the crow ate the figs from the tree for several days. When it returned to the god with the bowl of water, Apollo punished the crow so that whenever figs were ripe, the crow couldn't drink any water. Apollo placed the crow and the bowl (as Crater) into the sky as constellations.
Crater
Name: Bowl
One of the myths about Crater or the "Bowl" constellation was in connection with Apollo and his bird, Corvus or Crow, which became another constellation. See the above constellation about Corvus and Crater.
Another tale involved a nobleman named Mastusius from Thrace. His king, Demophon, learned from the oracle that he could stop a plague by annually sacrificing a virgin. This sacrifice was performed each year by drawing lots. Mastusius refused to have his daughter in the draw unless the king placed his own daughters in the draw as well. Angry with this declaration, Demophon had Mastusius' daughter sacrificed, without the drawing. Mastusius plotted revenge. One day, Mastusius invited the king to dinner, but the king had a previous engagement and sent his daughters to his host. Mastusius murdered his king's daughters. Mastusius then later served the king a bowl of wine mixed with the blood of Demophon's daughters. When Demophon discovered his daughters' murder, he had Mastusius and the drinking bowl thrown off of a cliff. The bowl was transported into the sky as the constellation Crater.
Auriga
Name: "Charioteer"
The Charioteer constellation was possibly King Erichthonius of Athens, Orsilochus the Argonaut, or the constellation was Myrtilus, the treacherous charioteer of King Oenomaus of Pisa. Erichthonius was said to have invented the four-horse chariot. Capella is the brightest star in Auriga, and the 6th brightest in the night sky.
Hyades
Name: Sisters of Hyades
The Hyades were nymphs, possibly the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, or of the Oceanid Aethra. They died of grief when their brother Hyas was killed while hunting a lion or bear. Zeus placed them in the sky as a cluster of stars called the Hyades, which is located on the head of the constellation of Taurus.
Delphinus
Name: "Dolphin" (Delphinus)
When Poseidon wanted to make the sea goddess Amphitrite his wife and consort, the goddess fled and hid herself from Poseidon. Delphinus (the dolphin) persuaded Amphitrite to accept Poseidon as her husband. Poseidon rewarded Delphinus by placing the constellation of the Dolphin in the night sky.
Another tale said that a dolphin was the one that saved the legendary poet Arion.
Corona Borealis
Name: "Crown"
The constellation of Corona Borealis or the "Crown" was a wedding gift from Aphrodite to Ariadne when she married the wine god Dionysus on the island of Naxos. It was Dionysus who placed the crown in the night sky.
Scutum
Name: Shield
A Roman name for a shield. Scutum was located between Aquilia (the Eagle) and Serpens Cauda (the Serpent's Tail). I don't think there is any myth for this constellation.
Centaurus
Name: Centaur (Cheiron?)
The constellation of the Centaur was possibly that of Cheiron (Χείρων), who was mortally wounded by the deadly poison of Heracles' arrow. Cheiron gave up his immortality to be relieved of his agony. If you were in Athens, you couldn't see the legs of Centaurus.
The constellation is located south-east of the zodiacal Libra. Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the constellation, as well as the fourth brightest in our night sky. However, Alpha Centauri is a triple star; these stars are listed as Alpha Centauri A, B and C. Alpha Centauri A and B act like a binary star; they circle around each other. The fainter Alpha Centauri C, which is also known as Proxima, circles around the two brighter stars. Alpha Centauri is also the nearest neighbouring star to our solar system.
Lupus
Name: Wolf
The constellation of Lupus, or the Wolf, is located near the constellation of Centaurus. At the moment I don't know of any myth about this constellation, unless this wolf was meant to represent Lycaon, the king of Arcadia.
Argo Navis
Name: "Ship"
Argo Navis was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. The ship was named after the builder Argus. See the Argonauts. In the late 19th century, Argo Navis was divided into four separate constellations – Carina (the Keel), Puppis (the Stern), Vela (the Sails) and Pyxis (the Compass). These constellations are located south of the constellations of Hydra and Canis Minor, with Carina mostly in the Southern Hemisphere (it can't be seen from Athens). In the constellation of Carina, Canopus is its brightest star, as well as being the second brightest in our night sky.
Eridanus
Name: River
Eridanus (Ἠριδανός) was the constellation of a river or of a river god, the son of Oceanus and Tethys. According to the myth, it was the river that Phaëthon fell in, when he lost control of his father's chariot and Zeus had to use his thunderbolt to kill the youth. Phaëthon's sisters wept beside this river, and they were transformed into poplar trees there. See Helius about Phaëthon. There is some uncertainty where the river Eridanus was located, or that it existed at all.
Hyginus identified Eridanus with the Egyptian river, the Nile.
The constellation is found in the Southern Hemisphere. The brightest star of Eridanus is called Achernar (Alpha Eridani), and it is the 9th brightest star in the sky.
Brightest Stars
Here, I have listed 10 of the brightest stars in our night's sky. Each star belongs to one of the constellations that I have mentioned above.
The column labelled "Magnitude" refers to the measurement of the brightness of the star. And the "Hemisphere" column refers to the celestial hemispheres, which are divided by the celestial or zodiacal equator or circle.
Star |
Type |
Magnitude |
Constellation (location) |
Hemisphere |
Sirus (Dog Star) |
Binary Star |
-1.5 |
Canis Major (Great Dog) |
Southern |
Canopus |
-0.5 |
Carina (Keel) |
Southern |
|
Arcturus |
Orange giant |
0.0 |
Boötes (Wagon-driver) |
Northern |
Alpha Centauri |
Triple Star |
0.0 |
Centaurus (Centaur) |
Southern |
Vega |
White star |
0.0 |
Lyra (Lyre) |
Northern |
Capella |
Capella (She-goat) |
0.1 |
Auriga (Charioteer) |
Northern |
Rigel |
Blue-white supergiant |
0.1 |
Orion |
Southern |
Procyon |
Binary (White supergiant and white dwarf) |
0.4 |
Canis Minor (Little Dog) |
Southern |
Achernar |
0.5 |
Eridanus (River) |
Southern |
|
Betelgeuse |
Red Supergiant |
0.5 |
Orion |
Southern |
Other Heavenly Bodies
The information in the list below concerns heavenly bodies other than the constellations and stars mentioned above, which are found in our night's sky. These bodies include galaxies, star clusters and nebulae. Only a few of these bodies have mythical backgrounds like the Pleiades, Andromeda, or the Milky Way. The rest are just factual bodies.
Astronomers normally catalogue these heavenly bodies by a prefix attached to a number. There are several systems of cataloguing these stellar systems.
The Messier Catalog uses the letter "M" before a number. Charles Messier catalogued 109 clusters, nebulae and galaxies in 1786. These Messier Catalog numbers are still used today. However, another catalogue system has also been adopted, known as the New General Catalogue (NGC). NGC was developed by Johan Ludvig Emil Dreyer in 1888. NGC lists over 8000 objects. Another system was developed called the Index Catalogue (IC), in 1908. I have included both Messier Catalog (M) and NGC numbers in my table, under the column labelled "Catalog Number".
It should be noted that there are several types of clusters and galaxies, depending on their formation or shape. The galaxies can be of type: "Spiral", "Barred Spiral", "Elliptical" or "Irregular". Star clusters can be identified as "Globular" or "Open" clusters.
A nebula is where a cloud of gas or dust might hide stars from our view. These clouds would either absorb or reflect light, giving us spectacular colours or images. Some of these nebulae are caused by supernovas. There are many types of nebula: Light Nebulae, Dark Nebulae, Diffuse Nebulae, Emission Nebulae, Reflection Nebulae, Planetary Nebulae and Supernova Remnants.
Since I am no astronomer, I think that these types of celestial objects should be explained by the experts. I would suggest that you try the web-site called the Web Nebulae by Bill Arnett, at http://www.seds.org/billa/twn/. It has some great information and photo images.
Name | Catalog No. | Catalog | Type | Location |
Milky Way | Galaxy | Barred spiral | N/A | |
M31, NGC 224 | Galaxy | Spiral | ||
Orion Nebula | Nebula | Emission | ||
Horsehead | Nebula | Dark | Orion | |
Crab Nebula | M1, NGC 1952 | Nebula | Diffused | |
Cluster | Open | Taurus | ||
Hyades |
| Cluster | Open | Taurus |
Beehive Cluster | M44, NGC 2632 | Cluster | Open | |
Lagoon Nebula | M8, NGC 6523 | Nebula | Diffused | |
Omega Nebula | M17, NGC 6618 | Nebula | Emission | Sagittarius |
Trifid Nebula | M20, NGC 6514 | Nebula | Diffused | Sagittarius |
Whirlpool Galaxy | M51, NGC 5194 | Galaxy | Spiral | |
Owl Nebula | M97, NGC 3587 | Nebula | Planetary | Ursa Major |
Veil Nebula | NGC 6960 | Nebula | Diffused | Cygnus |
Ring Nebula | M57, NGC 6720 | Nebula | Planetary | Lyra |
Omega Centauri | NGC 5139 | Cluster | Globular | Centaurus |
Dumbbell Nebula | M27, NGC 6853 | Nebula | Planetary | Vulpecula |
Eagle Nebula | M16, NGC 6611, IC 4703 | Nebula | Emission | Serpens Cauda |
Black Eye Galaxy | M64, NGC 4826 | Galaxy | Spiral | Coma Berernices |
Note that the images of the all of these cosmic bodies belong to a number of observatories such as NASA, the NASA Hubble Telescope, the Anglo-Australian Observatory, the Royal Observatory (Edinburgh), and others that I don't know where they come from. These images are the copyright of their photographers and their observatories.
M31
M42
M43
IC434
M45
M51
M16
The Solar System
A list of associations of planets with the names of the gods. The planets we know today were named after Roman deities instead of their Greek equivalents.
According to the ancient philosophy and astronomy of the time, the planets Uranus (discovered in 1781), Neptune (1846) and Pluto (1930) don't exist, because these planets were not visible to the naked eye. Seven planetary systems were believed to have existed outside of Earth, which included the Sun and Moon. So the five planets known to ancient astronomers and astrologers are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
The ancient Greeks viewed these planets (πλανίτης) as wandering stars, or simply as wanderers. They included the Sun and Moon as planets.
According to the Orphic religion, they believed that each of the planets was governed by a Titan and a Titaness.
Sun (Helios; ☉)
Roman deity: Sol; Hyperion
Greek deity: Helios
Babylonian deity: Shamash
According to the myth, Hyperion was the original god of the sun, but his role was taken over by his son Helius or the Roman Sol. In Norse mythology, Sol was the name of the goddess of the sun.
According to Orphic beliefs about the planetary system, the Titan Hyperion and Titaness Theia ruled the Sun.
In astronomy, the sun is our main source of light and heat in the solar system. The Sun has a diameter of 1,392,000 kilometres. The mean distance between the Sun and the Earth is 149 million kilometres. According to scientists, the Sun is quite common as a star in terms of size, mass and luminosity.
Mercury (Stilbon; ☿)
Roman deity: Mercury
Greek deity: Hermes
Babylonian deity: Nabu
Egyptian deity: Sebku (Seth)
The planet Mercury was named after the Roman messenger god, who was known to the Greeks as Hermes. Mercury was the son of Jupiter (Zeus) and the Pleiade Maia. (See Roman Deities, Mercury.)
The planet Mercury was called Stilbon.
According to the Orphic religion and myth, the Titan Coeus and Titaness Metis governed Mercury.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, and is the smallest in size in the solar system. Mercury takes 88 days to orbit the Sun. Mercury has no satellite.
Venus (Phosphoros; ♀)
Roman deity: Venus
Greek deity: Aphrodite; Morning star - Eosphorus or Phosphoros; Evening star - Hesperus
Babylonian deity: Ishtar
Egyptian deity: Pi-neter-Tuau (Osiris)
The planet Venus was named after the Roman goddess of love, who was known to the Greeks as Aphrodite. Venus was either the daughter of Jupiter (Zeus) and Dione, or she sprung up from the sea, from the severed genital of Uranus. (See Roman Deities, Venus.)
According to Orphic myth, Venus was given to the Titan Oceanus and Titaness Tethys to rule.
However, the planet wasn't called Venus at the time. Since Venus can only be seen around dawn or dusk, it was known as the Morning Star or the Evening Star, and it was assumed that they were different planets, until the Hellenistic period. In Greek, the Morning Star was called Eosphorus (Ἐωσφόρος), or "Dawn Bringer". Eosphorus in Greek myth was the son of Eos, goddess of Dawn, and the Titan Astraeus, god of stars. The Latin name for Eosphorus was Lucifer, "Light-bringer", or Phosphorus (Φωσφόρος). At dusk, the Evening Star was known as Hesperus (Ἥσπερος), a son of Atlas. Once the Greeks understood that they were the same planet, they then later called the planet Aphrodite.
Venus is the second planet near the Sun, between Mercury and Earth. It is similar in size to Earth, being only slightly smaller. Venus takes about 255 days to circle the Sun. Unlike Earth, Venus has no satellite.
Earth
Roman deity: Terra
Greek deity: Gaea
German deity: Erd
In Classical mythology, the Earth was called Terra Mater or Tellus by the Romans and Gaea by the Greeks. Both names mean Earth. Gaea was the daughter of Chaos and she married her own son Uranus. Terra or Gaea was the mother of the Titans, including Saturn (Cronus). However, the name we use today was named after the ancient German goddess named Nertheus or Erd; they were probably two different goddesses.
Earth is the third planet nearest to the Sun in our solar system. It takes 365 days to orbit the Sun. It is the only planet with an atmosphere that supports an abundance of life. Earth has a satellite called the Moon.
Moon (Selene; ☾)
Roman deity: Luna; Diana; Hecate; Mani
Greek deity: Selene; Artemis
Babylonian deity: Sin
In classical mythology, there were several goddesses who were the goddess of the moon. Only the names of Luna (Roman) and Selene (Greek) mean the "moon". The other goddesses of the moon were Diana or Artemis, and Hecate. The name Moon was probably derived from the Norse or Germanic myth of Mani, the god of the moon.
According to Orphic cosmology, the Titan Atlas and Titaness Phoebe ruled the Moon.
The Moon is the only satellite of the Earth, and our closest object. The moon takes over 29 days to complete one revolution around the Earth's orbit.
Mars (Pyroeis; ♂)
Roman deity: Mars
Greek deity: Ares
Babylonian deity: Nergal
Egyptian deity: Heru-Khuti (Re)
The planet Mars was named after the Roman god of war, but the god was known to the Greeks as Ares. Mars was the son of Jupiter (Zeus) and Juno (Hera). (See Roman Deities, Mars.)
The ancient Greeks called the planet Pyroeis, which means "fiery".
In the Orphic myth, the Titan Crius and Titaness Dione were assigned the planet Mars to govern.
Mars is the 4th planet nearest to the Sun, between Earth and Jupiter. The planet has a reddish colour, because the atmosphere mainly consists of carbon dioxide. Because of the carbon dioxide and some water vapours, the planet could possibly support life. Though Mars is the third smallest planet in the solar system, it boasts the largest volcanic mountain – Olympus Mons. Mars takes about 687 days to orbit the Sun. Mars has two satellites called Phobos and Deimos. In the Roman myths, they were the names of his sons by Venus (or Aphrodite).
Between Mars and Jupiter is the asteroid belt.
Jupiter (Phaëthon or Phaënon; ♃)
Roman deity: Jupiter
Greek deity: Zeus
Babylonian deity: Marduk
Egyptian deity: Heru-Ap-Sheta-Taui
The planet Jupiter was named after the Roman sky god of thunder, but in the Greek myth, he was known as Zeus. Jupiter was the son of Saturn (Cronus) and Ops (Rhea), and he was the supreme ruler of the universe after deposing his father. Jupiter married his sister Juno (Hera), but he was the father of many gods and heroes. (See Roman Deities, Jupiter.)
The planet Jupiter was originally named Phaëthon (Φαέθων), a son of Helius and Clymene. It was sometimes named Phaënon, the same name given to the planet Saturn.
According to the Orphic planetary system, the Titan Eurymedon and Themis ruled the planet Jupiter.
Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, and it is the fifth planet from the Sun. There is great interest in this planet because of the swirling gaseous clouds, particularly the Great Red Spot. The constant movement of the gas suggests that the planet is under perpetual storms. The planet has a diffuse ring that was discovered by the Voyager spacecraft, but not visible through a telescope. The planet has about 63 satellites, the largest being Ganymede. The other three large satellites are Io, Europa and Callisto.
Saturn (Phaënon; ♄)
Roman deity: Saturn
Greek deity: Cronus
Babylonian deity: Ninurta
Egyptian deity: Heru-Ka-Pet (Horus)
The planet Saturn was named after the leader of the Titans, and he was known to the Greeks as Cronus. Saturn was the son of Uranus and Terra Mater or Gaea (Earth). Saturn was the supreme ruler of the universe after deposing his father (Uranus). Saturn was the god of agriculture. Saturn married his sister Ops (Rhea) and became the father of the Olympian gods, including Jupiter (Zeus), who deposed him in turn as ruler of the world. (See Roman Deities, Saturn.)
The planet was actually called Phaënon by the ancient Greeks. In Greek myth, Phaënon was a beautiful youth that Prometheus created from clay. Prometheus knew that Zeus liked beautiful boys, so the Titan tried to keep the boy hidden. Eros informed Zeus of Prometheus' actions, and Zeus sent Hermes to fetch the boy, with the promise of immortality. Phaënon (Φαένον) became the planet Saturn, though some sources said that Phaënon was the planet Jupiter.
According to the Orphic planetary system, the planet Saturn was governed by the Titans Cronus and Rhea.
Saturn is the 6th planet in the solar system, as well as the second largest planet. Saturn was famous for its giant rings. There are 62 satellites, the largest being Titan. The second largest satellite is Phoebe, which orbit the planet in the opposite direction of the other satellites.
Uranus (♅)
Roman deity: Uranus
Greek deity: Uranus
Uranus was named after the earliest god of heaven (sky), who was the offspring of Terra Mater or Gaea (Earth). Uranus married his mother and became the chief god of the world until his son Saturn (Cronus) deposed him as supreme leader of the gods and men.
Uranus is the third largest planet and the seventh planet from the Sun, but it was not known in ancient (and medieval) times. The English astronomer William Hersch discovered the planet in 1781. Uranus has rings, as well as 27 satellites, of which there are five major satellites. Most astronomers opine that Uranus is the least interesting planet in the solar system.
Neptune (♆)
Roman deity: Neptune
Greek deity: Poseidon
The blue planet was named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune, who was known to the Greeks as Poseidon. Neptune was the son of Saturn (Cronus) and Ops (Rhea), and he was the brother of Jupiter (Zeus) and Pluto (Hades), who were also named after the planets. (See Roman Deities, Neptune.)
Neptune is the eighth planet and the fourth largest planet in our solar system, and like Uranus and Pluto, it was unknown in ancient and medieval times, because it was not visible to the naked eye. The planet was discovered in 1846. The colour blue of the planet was the colour of the sea, suggesting that the planet has a high content of methane in its atmosphere. It has also been revealed recently by the Voyager 2 flyby that the planet has a number of rings. Neptune has 13 satellites orbiting the planet; the largest is Triton, which was named after sea-god's son, who was also a sea god.
Pluto (♇)
Roman deity: Pluto
Greek deity: Hades
The planet that was named after Pluto, the Greek and Roman Lord of the Underworld and the god of the dead. Pluto was named Hades in Greek myth. Pluto actually means wealth, because precious stones and gold can be found under the earth's surface. Pluto was the son of Saturn (Cronus) and Ops (Rhea). His brothers, Jupiter (Zeus) and Neptune (Poseidon), were also named after the planets. (See Roman Deities, Pluto.)
Pluto is the ninth planet and it is the last frontier of our solar system. It was discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, hence it was not known in ancient and medieval times. Pluto is the second smallest planet; smaller than many of our solar system's satellites. Pluto has 3 satellites, Charon being the largest; it was named after the ferryman of the Underworld. Because of its distance from Earth, not much is known about the planet. Unlike the other planets, Pluto doesn't follow the path of the celestial circle. Currently, scientists have demoted Pluto to the rank of dwarf planet, because Pluto is located in the Kuiper Belt.
By Jimmy Joe
