Aquarius, the Water Carrier

The water carrier represented by the zodiacal constellation Aquarius is Ganymede, a beautiful Phrygian youth. Ganymede was the son of Tros, king of Troy (according to Lucian, he was also son of Dardanus). While tending his father's flocks on Mount Ida, Ganymede was spotted by Jupiter.

he king of gods became enamored of the boy and flew down to the mountain in the form of a large bird, whisking Ganymede away to the heavens. Ever since, the boy has served as

cupbearer to the gods. Ovid has Orpheus sing the tale: "The king of the gods was once fired with love for Phrygian Ganymede, and when that happened Jupiter found another shape preferable to his own. Wishing to turn himself into a bird, he none the less scorned to change into any save that which can carry his thunderbolts. Then without delay, beating the air on borrowed pinions, he snatched away the shepherd of Ilium, who even now mixes the winecups, and supplies Jove with nectar, to the annoyance of Juno" (Metamorphoses X 154-160). Aquarius is a summer constellation in the northern hemisphere, found near Pisces and Cetus. It is especially notable as the radiant for four meteor showers, the largest of which is the Delta Aquarid meteor shower in late July and early August.

Andromeda, the Princess

Andromeda was the princess of Ethiopia, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia was a boastful woman, and foolishly bragged that she was more beautiful than Juno, the queen of the gods, and the Nereids. In order to avenge the insult to his nymphs, Neptune sent a sea monster to ravage the Ethiopian coast. (Some accounts state that the constellation Cetus represents the sea monster, but a more common view of Cetus is that he is a peaceful whale.) The horrified king consulted Ammon, the oracle of Jupiter, who said that Neptune could be appeased only by sacrificing Cassiopeia's beautiful virgin daughter, Andromeda, to the monster. Andromeda was duly chained to a rock on the coast, fully exposed to

the monster. Fortunately for her, the hero Perseus happened to be flying by on his way back from killing the Gorgon Medusa: When Perseus saw the princess, her arms chained to the hard rock, he woman with her arms outstreched and chained at the wrists. would have taken her for a marble statue, had not the light breeze stirred her hair, and warm tears streamed from her eyes. Without realizing it, he fell in love. Amazed at the sight of such rare beauty, he stood still in wonder, and almost forgot to keep his wings moving in the air. As he came to a halt, he called out: "You should not be wearing such chains as these--the proper bonds for you are those which bind the hearts of fond lovers! Tell me your name, I pray, and the name of your country, and why you are in chains." At first she was silent; for, being a girl, she did not dare to speak to a man. She would have concealed her face modestly behind her hands, had they not been bound fast. What she could do, she did, filling her eyes with starting tears. When Perseus persisted, questioning her again and again, she became afraid lest her unwillingness to talk might seem due to guilt; so she told him the name of her country, and her own name, and she also told him how her mother, a beautiful woman, had been too confident in her beauty. Before she had finished, the waters roared and from the ocean wastes there came a menacing monster, its breast covering the waves far and wide. The girl screamed. Her sorrowing father was close at hand, and her mother too. They were both in deep distress, though the mother had more cause to be so (Metamorphoses IV 674-692). Perseus says to Andromeda's parents that he'll kill the monster if they agree to give him their daughter's hand in marriage. They of course give him their consent, and Perseus kills the monster. (His exact method of doing so varies in different versions of the myth. Ovid has Perseus stab the monster to death after a drawn-out, bloody battle, while other versions have the hero simply hold up the head of Medusa, turning the monster to stone.) Andromeda is freed, and the two joyously marry.

Vulpecula, The Little Fox.

Vulpecula is one of seven constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), a Polish astronomer mostly known for his charts of the lunar surface. His catalogue of 1564 stars, Prodromus Astronomiae was published by his

Apus, The Bird of Paradise.

Apus was known from sixteenth century voyagers. It has also being called Apus Indica or Bird of India. Some say it comes from the Greek apous, meaning without feet, as a reference to a Greek myth about the swallow, which was said to be legless in flight. Apus is one of those small

Aquila and Antinous

Aquila, The Eagle.

It is said in the old Greek myths that during the ten-year war between the followers of Zeus and the giant Titans, a magnificent eagle, known to us as Aquila, was ever by the side of Zeus waiting to carry his thunderbolts down to kill the monstrous Titans. It was for his loyalty that the eagle was given a position among the stars as the constellation Aquila. It is also said that at one time that gods were in need of a new waiter, a cup-bearer to carry fresh nectar to the gods. It was only fitting that such a privileged position be

held by the most beautiful youth on Earth. So Zeus summoned his faithful Aquila, saying: "Go down to Earth and sweep yourgreat wings over the land until your jewel-like eyes find the most beautiful youth in the land, and then deliver him to the Great Hall of the Gods." One day he saw a youth tending a flock of sheep on a mountain side, surely the most beautiful youth in the land. The eagle swiftly dropped out of the sky and ever so gently clasped the youth, Ganymede, in its claws. In spite of being tired from its long journey, the eagle sped upward through the sky and carried Ganymede to Zeus. So delighted was Zeus with Aquila's choice of a cup-bearer for the gods, he reserved a place among the stars for Aquila on his death. At least as early as 1200 B.C. this constellation was known as the Eagle. Stone carvings of that age showing the constellation have been found. The constellation also has been called the Bird of Zeus and the King of Birds. The Arabs have called Aquila the Flying Eagle, also the Crow or Raven. The Persians called Aquila the Falcon and the Flying Vulture while the Turks called it the Hunting Eagle. The Chinese have a story about a weaving Princess and her cowherd lover. Chih Nu (Vega) was the daughter of the Sun-God. She was a most clever and deft weaving and spinning artist and could make the most exquisite tapestries. One sunny summer day she happened to look out of the palace window and saw her father's herdsman driving the flock of the King along the banks of the Milky Way. As so often happens in love stories, their glances met and both knew that this was love at first sight. The King who had been worried about his daughter's future was delighted when he heard about their romance, especially as the herdsman Ch'ien Niu (Altair) was a very conscientious worker who had always looked after the royal flock with the utmost care.

Antinous

The god Antinous was a diverse deity with many facets. Although some would argue that this is a lack of focus was a detriment, it can also be seen as a strength as it allowed his cult to spread much further than a more focused worship could have. Antinous was the last great god to arise from the Roman Empire. A beautiful provincial youth who became the beloved of an Emperor and then a god, Antinous was a strikingly popular figure and a last manifestation of an Ancient spirit that would soon be lost to the world. His name is still known, his features still recognized, and his story even now kindles interest, reverence, and moral controversy. His name is paraded as both a banner of gay pride through history and as a symbol of the decadence of the Roman Empire. However, no matter what may be thought of his morals and deeds, it is very hard to argue that providing fuel for close to two millennia of debate and speculation is not a remarkable achievement for a small town Grecian boy.

Ara,The Altar.

Ara commemorates the altar on which sacrifices were made to the gods, in both Greek and Roman times. The Romans called it Ara Centauri, to represent the altar Centaurus used, perhaps to sacrifice Lupus, the Wolf.

The stars of Ara used to considered part of Centaurus and Lupus until Nicolas Louis de Lacaille created this constellation in the mid eighteenth century.

Argos, The Argo Navis: The Ship of the Argonauts.

In 1763 Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided the gigantic Argo Navis into three constellations: Carina (the Keel), Puppis (the Stern, or Poop deck), and Vela (the Sail). The constellation Argo Navis is said to have been created because these stars skimmed the southern horizon, or sea, as seen from Greece. The story of Jason begins with his grandfather. Athamas was the King of Boeotia and when he died his oldest son, Aeson, inherited his thrown. Pelias, the younger son, did not like this and set out to steal the kingdom form his

older brother. Aeson was a peaceful man and did not wish to bring a war to the city-state and made his brother the ruler of the Boeotia. Just after gaining the thrown, an oracle told Pelias that his death would be caused by one of his cousins and that he should beware of a prince with only one shoe. Aeson had a son named Jason and Pelias ordered his soldiers to seize and kill the boy. His father was smart and had sent to boy to the centaur Chiron where he would be taught by the smartest creature to ever live. When the soldiers arrived, Aeson told them the Jason was dead and the soldiers returned to Pelias with the good news.

When Jason was old enough, told him what had happened between his father and uncle. Jason prepared himself to put the injustice right, and returned home. Aeson was very glad to see his son again. After speaking with his father, Jason set out to find Pelias. En route to Boeotia, he had to swim across a river that was swollen with swirling flood waters. Jason lost one of his shoes crossing the river. Later, as Jason strode through the market place, Pelias noticed the princely boy and became very afraid when he discovered that the boy had only one shoe. Jason asked for a crowd and demanded that Pelias give up his crown to Aeson.

Pelias tried to postpone his decision and told Jason that he would give up his thrown if Jason could prove himself a hero. Pelias told Jason that there was a curse on the country because the Golden Fleece was being held in a distant land. If Jason could return the fleece safely to his own land he would immediately make Aeson King of Boeotia. Jason accepted this challenge and set about preparing for the search. A crew of many heroes, now immortalized in the stars, took part in this journey. Among the heroes were Hercules, Castor and Pollux (the Gemini Twins), Orpheus, the Singer-Hero (the constellation Lyra), Zetes and Calais (sons of the North Wind), Theseus, the hero who slew the Minotaur (the constellation Corona Borealis), and many others, including one woman, Atlanta, an excellent archer.

The helmsman was Glaucus, who is represented in Argo Navis by the star Canopus, the rudder on the boat. The ship was to be named Argo, the Swift One. On the advice of the Goddess Athene, a beam made from Zeus' oak tree that grew in Dodona was placed in the bow of the ship, this magical timber enabled the ship to speak. When the ship was ready to be launched it was so heavy that it could not be moved. Orpheus grabbed his lyre and sang such a wonderful song that the oak beam in the bow began to move, and so the whole ship set itself into motion and gently lowered itself into the water without the help of anybody. The power of Orpheus so great that he could charm the wild beasts of the forest and make the trees come down mountains to gather around him to listen in awe at his wonderful melodies.

Now the journey could start with Jason in command. The Argonauts first passed Mount Pelion where Chiron, Jason's teacher, lived. After a night's rest the Argonauts moved on. To help guide Jason and the Argonauts, Chiron placed his likeness in the stars, as Sagittarius. Throughout the journey, Jason would speak to Chiron through the stars. When the Argo sailed past the coast of Asia Minor, their supply of fresh water began to run low and the Argonauts decided to cast anchor, go ashore, and obtain a new supply.

Hercules and Hylas volunteered to search for water, and they found a fine water well, but as they were pulling the pails up, Hylas was suddenly drawn down into the well by the water nymphs. Hercules decided not to continue with the other Argonauts but to remain behind and try to find his lost friend. The Argo sailed without Hercules and set course to the place where Cybele lived. Cybele was a goddess who possessed a chariot that was not drawn by a horse but, rather, by a lion. The next point the Argonauts had to pass was a dangerous one. It was somewhere along the northern coast of Asia Minor where the brutish giant Amycus lived. Amycus was a born fighter and he would not let anybody pass unless they were prepared to fight with him. Usually this meant the death of the challenger.

Castor and Pollux managed to overpower this giant and tied him with his arms outspread to a tree. After dealing with Amycus, the Argonauts sailed on to the island Salmydessus, the home of King Phineus. This poor man who once could see the future, had been punished by the gods with blindness because he had abused his divine seeing powers. Every time the old man tried to eat, great birds, called Harpies, would fly in and steal his food. The Harpies had iron feathers and were quite safe from threats from mortals. When the Argonauts arrived, they found Phineus almost starved to death. The heroes offered their help, and sat as guests at Phineus' table waiting for the birds to come. When the birds arrived the heroes hacked at them with their swords but to no avail. Then Zetes and Calais, the sons of the North Wind, flew up into the air and pursued the Harpies.

The birds flew so far from the island that they became exhausted and fell into the sea where they drowned. Phineus was freed from these monsters. He was so grateful for the Argonauts' help that he gave them advice for their journey.

The Argo headed to the high seas again and set course toward the huge cliffs called the Symplegades. The Symplegades had a habit of moving violently against each other, crushing everything in between, even fish and birds. Whenever the Symplegades saw a ship that had to pass between them, they waited until the vessel was in the middle and then came rushing together, breaking up the ship and killing everybody on board.

Afterwards they would recede and leave a wide and seemingly safe passage for the next victim. Phineus had given good advice to the Argonauts. As the Argo approached the rocks they happened to be far apart, but seeing the ship coming nearer they started to move closer to each other. When they came near to the entrance the Argonauts released a white dove. They had been told that if any living thing passed alive through the Symplegades, the rocks would never move again.

The white dove, aided by Athene, shot between the two rocks with such speed that they crashed against each other without killing the bird -- only depriving it of a few feathers. As the cliffs slid backwards, the Argo ran full sail between the murderous rocks. The rocks instantly started to move inwards again, but Orpheus began to play his lyre and slowed their movement with his soothing music while the Argo sailed safely through the Symplegades.

The rocks discovered too late that they had been under the spell of Orpheus and crashed against each other for the last time. They have stood still ever since and are now known as the Dardanells and the Bosporus, the narrows guarding the ends of the passage between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. The heroic dove came back to the ship. Athene later put her in the stars as the constellation Columba, visible only in the skies of the Southern Hemisphere.

The last adventure of the Argonauts before reaching Colchis was to slay the wild boar in Calydon. Diana, the Goddess of the Hunt, had sent this boar to the Calydonians because it failed to bring the necessary sacrifices to her. This was where Atlanta, the only woman on board the Argo, came forward as she killed the boar with one of her arrows.

Finally, the Argonauts reached Colchis. King Aeetes was very upset when he heard the reason for their visit. He was certainly not going to willingly give up the Golden Fleece. He hid his fear and told the

Argonauts, "You can have the fleece, but first you must yoke the fire-breathing bulls and plow a field for me to sow some dragons' teeth." Aphrodite made Medea, the daughter of King Aeetes, fall in love with Jason and promise to help him. Medea gave Jason a mighty potion of herbs that would render him fire and freeze proof if he rubbed it on his hands, face and body. Early in the morning, King Aeetes went to the field with his daughter and members of the royal assemble. Everybody tried to get a good view as they made themselves comfortable for a day of good sport. Jason rubbed himself with the potion, entered the stable where the fire-bulls lived, untied the chains, and grabbed the bulls with one hand on each horn.

The animals roared as they came out, and fire sprayed form their mouths and nostrils in all directions. Struggling and pulling, Jason forced the bulls under the yoke of the heavy iron plow. Jason was forcing the bulls' heads down to the ground so that the fire could not shoot upwards and then grasped the handle of the plow and let the heads go. Immediately the bulls lifted their heads and tried to lunge forward. Jason strained at the harness and they came to a dead stop. Thereafter, the oxen were obliged to plow quietly, and by midday Jason had finished plowing the field. With the plowing done, the bulls were unyoked.

Terrified by Jason's strong hand, the bulls fled into the mountains and never returned again. Jason then went to King Aeetes and asked for the dragons' teeth. The king gave him a helmet full of little teeth and Jason started to sow these in the furrows, closing the soil over them as he did so. No sooner had he finished this task than armed skeletons began to grow out of each furrow. Those whose feet were still in the ground pulled out their spears and swords, while those already fully grown rushed madly at Jason. Jason did what Medea had told him to do, he threw a great stone in their midst and all the giants rushed to it, trying to possess it. A battle ensued among the giants that ended in their killing each other. Meanwhile Jason went around the field cutting off the heads of those that had just started to grow.

Jason and Medea were glad that the ordeal was over but Aeetes was furious. The next morning Jason demanded the fleece because he wanted to go home, but Aeetes said, "Do stay for a while. It is not everyday that we have such heroes in our midst." Jason agreed to stay, but in the night Medea woke him up and warned him to leave immediately with his men because her father had rallied his army and intended to kill them all. So Jason and Medea fled from the palace while the crew made the Argo ready for its homeward journey. Medea and Jason went to the tree where the fleece was nailed and guarded by a never-sleeping dragon who would devour anyone who dared to touch it. As it was an immortal dragon, there was no sense in trying to kill it.

The dragon had a great liking for sweets, and Medea had made it some honey cakes dipped in a certain juice that would put the dragon into a deep sleep. These she gave to Jason and he threw them to the dragon who soon ate them all and fell asleep. Jason pulled the fleece form the nails and sped back to the ship. Medea joined the Argonauts as they sailed for home. The Argonauts did not reach home right away. They had to sail past the Sirens, creatures that were half human-female and half fish, who lived on rocks and sang beautiful songs in an attempt to lure sailors toward them.

Sailors who became entranced by the music of the Sirens were doomed because their ships would wreck on the rocks. Orpheus, with his lyre, could overpower the singing of the Sirens. But still, one of the crew fell under their influence he slipped overboard. Had it not been for Orpheus' lyre drowning the Sirens' singing and calming the waves, that sailor would have drowned. His fellow crewmen were able to haul him aboard again. The Argonauts encountered more danger with Scylla and Charybdis, two monsters who lived in the Strait of Messina. Scylla had six long necks and six heads and it was her sport to attack each passing ship from which she would pluck six sailors. Charybdis had a different kind of attack. Three times a day she would drink the sea water in the strait, devouring all the fish for a meal, and spit out the water again.

This caused heavy currents and she often collected an unfortunate ship or two. With the help of Thetis, the Goddess of the Sea, and the sea nymphs, the Nereids, the Argonauts were led to safety through this dangerous area. Medea and Jason married when they arrived in the land of Phaeacians. From there, the route went past the Peloponnesus. A storm caught the ship and drove it to the coast of Lybia. Here, a golden steer rose form the sea with three goddesses seated on his back. These goddesses told the Argonauts that all would end well for them if the advice they were about to be given were followed. For twelve days, the goddesses said, the heroes should carry their ship through Lybia to escape the fury of the sea storm. This they did. During this grueling trip, one of the men was bitten and killed by a scorpion.

Finally the Argonauts reached the sea, lowered the boat into the water again, and arrived home safely. The Argonauts discovered that King Pelias had put Jason's entire family to death, in the hope of forestalling the oracle's prediction that he would be killed by one of his cousins. Jason, Pelias thought, was as good as dead; he believed that Jason would never return from his mission to Colchis. Jason was desperate and Medea decided to seek revenge. She told the daughters of Pelias that she could rejuvenate their old father. To prove this claim, she cut up a goat in front of the sisters and then boiled it in a secret juice that brought the goat back to life as a young kid. This convinced the sisters of her powers and they killed their father. Then at the crucial moment, Medea left them in the lurch and did not perform the critical part of the rejuvenation rite. This was Medea's answer to the killing of Jason's family, and she did this in good faith because she believed in her husband.

Jason was upset by her witches' methods, turned away from Medea and finally married Creusa, the daughter of the King of Corinth. Medea could not understand her husband's decision and tried to killed the bride by sending the her a poisoned robe. When this failed, she returned to Colchis in a chariot drawn by snakes. Athene commemorated the event by placing their ship, Argo Navis, in the sky as a giant constellation below and east of Canis Major. Others think that the constellation represents the ship of the Greek warrior Menelaus, husband of Helen.

Menelaus sailed this ship home from the Trojan Wars. Canopus (a Carinae) is the second brightest star in the night sky. The name of the star come from the pilot of the fleet of ships of King Menelaus. The star forms the rudder of the great ship, steering it across the sky as Canopus did with the actual ship. On the way home from Troy, they stopped on the northern coast of Egypt, where Canopus died. In honor of his ships captain, Menelaus founded a city on the spot of his death and named it Canopus. The city of Canopus was not far from where Alexandria was eventually built.

A temple to the Egyptian goddess Serapis was constructed there. On the steps of this temple is where Ptolomy, a second century astronomer, made his observations. By fitting coincidence, because of its perpendicular direction from the plane of our solar system, Canopus is one of the principle sighting stars used by modern spacecraft for celestial navigation. The star Canopus was known in Egypt as the Star of Osiris, and worshipped in many ancient cultures. This was the star used by Posidonius in Alexandria who, in 260 BC, was the first to plot out the degrees on the Earth's surface.

Aries, The Ram.

The ancients needed a marker of some sort to indicate the beginning of spring. The only stars occupying that particular place on the Zodiac at that time were those dim ones we now recognize as Aries. Around 1800 B.C. the position occupied by Aries on the Zodiac band was an important one, and will be again in the distant future. It

marked the beginning of spring and was known as the First Point of Aries. The brightest star in Aries is Hamal, from the Arabic Al Ras al Hamal, meaning "the Head of the Sheep." The ancient Greeks from about 1580 B.C. to 360 B.C. oriented the construction of many of their sacred temples in relationship to Hamal. In May of A.D. 1012, a nova reportedly was seen in Aries. Athamas, King of Orchomenus, has taken a new wife, Ino. Ino was a jealous woman and was extremely envious of Phrixus and his sister Helle, Athamas' two children by his first wife. After much persuasion by Ino, Athamas agreed to sacrifice his son, Phrixus, who would have inherited his father's kingdom. Now the god Hermes was aware of the death plot against the boy and at the last minute sent down form heaven a beautiful and powerful ram with golden fleece. Phrixus and Helle both climbed onto the ram's back and were carried off through the air. Poor Helle was unable to hang on and fell to her death over the strait named after her, the Hellespont, which links the

Auriga, The Wagoneer or Charioteer.

Auriga is one of the oldest constellations going back to the Babylonian times. It has always been associated with a charioteer. The Babylonians, Greeks, Arabs, and Chinese have associated Auriga with a chariot. According to one Greek

myth, Hera had a child who was born lame. Disgusted, she threw him out of Heaven to Earth, where he became the famous lame smith, Hephaestus, who fashioned beautiful ornaments and armor for the gods. He is also the smith who came to Orion's rescue after Orion had been blinded. It is said that because he was lame he invented the chariot so that he might get around better. Son of Helios (the sun god) and Hera (Zeus' wife).

BoÃtes, The Bear Watcher or the Herdsman.

The name "BoÃtes" is at least 3000 years old, but in those ancient times the name most likely applies to the star Arcturus rather than to the entire group of stars we see today. The Egyptians believed that those north circumpolar stars that never set over the horizon, were evil. And one of the most evil of these northern constellations was the Great Bear. BoÃtes, they believed, was placed in the sky to guard the Great Bear and see

that she did no harm. The Egyptians pictured BoÃtes as a constellation they called the Hippopotamus. The Greeks at one time also knew BoÃtes as the Bear Watcher, or Bear Guard because he seems to chase Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Great and Small Bears, across the sky. BoÃtes is also called the Herdsman because is seems to hold the leashes of the Hunting Dogs, the constellation Canes Venatici. Greek mythology has many stories about the origin of BoÃtes. According to one legend, BoÃtes is Arcas, the hunter-son of Callisto, the Great Bear. In another myth, BoÃtes was the son of Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. BoÃtes is credited with inventing the plow and was placed in the heavens his invention. Both the Hindus and ancient Chinese regarded Arcturus as a pearl-star. In Chinese myth, a huge dragon was eternally chasing and trying to capture this star.

Camelopardis, The Giraffe.

The name means "camel-leopard."
Camelopardalis is a modern constellation created to fill a vast region of faint stars surrounded by the brighter and more famous constellations of Ursa Major, Auriga, Perseus, Cassiopeia, and others. The constellation was probably invented by Petrus Plancius (1552-1622), a Dutchman who made his name in cartography while working for the Dutch East India Company. His world maps of 1592 and 1594 became very popular, while his contribution to the heavenly maps was awarded in 1624 when Camelopardalis was included in Jakob Bartsch's book on the constellations. (Some historians believe Bartsch had invented the constellation.) The "camel-leopard" was so named because the Greeks thought the animal -- a giraffe -- had the head of a camel and the spots of a leopard.

Cancer, the Crab

Cancer is a zodiacal constellation. Like many other constellations, its mythological importance is uncertain; however, the most widely accepted story is that Cancer was the crab sent to harass Hercules while he was on his second labor.

As he battled the Lernaean Hydra, the ever-jealous Juno sent Cancer to nip at the hero's heels. The crab was eventually crushed beneath Hercules's feet, but Juno placed it in the heavens as a reward for its faithful service.
Cancer may be found between the constellations of Leo and Gemini.

Canes Venatici The Hunting Dogs.

Canes Venatici is one of those obscure constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1690. It represents the two dogs Asterion and Chara, both held on a leash by BoÃtes as they chase the Great Bear around the North Pole.
Alpha Canum Venaticorum is popularly called Cor Caroli (Heart of Charles). Most sources give Edmund Halley the credit, naming it after King

Canis Major

Canis Major, the largest of Orion's two hunting dogs, might be chasing Lepus, the Rabbit, who is just in front of him. Or perhaps he is ready to help Orion battle the great bull. The Romans associated other nearby stars with Sirius and pictured it as a dog. The Arabic title for the constellation was Al Kalb al Jabbar, or "the Dog of the Giant." The ancient Egyptians believed that the flooding of the River Nile was caused by the "power" of the star Sirius. The Egyptian records show that the rising of Sirius at dawn was used by the astronomer-priests at least as early as 3000 B.C. The day on which Sirius was first seen to rise at dawn became New Year's Day for the

Egyptians, and they called Sirius "Mistress of the Year." In honor of Sirius, the Egyptians oriented temples so that they faced that point on the horizon where Sirius was first seen to rise at dawn. One such temple was built as early as 2700 B.C. The stories concerning Orion's dogs are not of mythic proportion, but the Greeks did have several interesting beliefs concerning Sirius. The Athenian New Year began with the appearance of Sirius. He was seen as two-headed, like the Roman God Janus: looking back at the past year and forward to the new one. Sirius was sometimes confused with another two-headed beast called Orthrus. This was Geryon's watchdog; his job was to guard the tyrant's cattle. Hercules captured the cattle (as his Tenth Labor), killing Orthrus in the process. In antiquity, as Homer and Hesiod were writing their stories, the Dog Star was already associated with the Sun, since the Sun enters that part of the sky in the hot summer months. The ancients thought that the heat of Sirius was added to that of the Sun. To this day we call the hottest portion of summer the "dog days." The name Sirius may come from the Greek meaning "scorching." Now days the star is mostly thought of as a winter star, accompanying Orion, rather than as the summer home of the sun. According to the Polynesians, Sirius was not always the brightest star. They believed that the Pleiades were much brighter than Sirius. The Pleiades had a reputation of bragging about their beauty. One day Sirius convinced the god Tane to hurl the star Aldebaran at this brightest star, shattering it into the group of six stars we see now.

Canis Minor

The Small Dog, was invented by the Roman.
The Arabic title for the constellation was Al Kalb al Asghar, or "the Lesser Dog."

Most of the mythology associated with Canis Minor is also connected with Canis Major.

Capricornus, the Sea Goat

This zodiacal constellation, like Pisces, depicts the result of the sudden appearance of the earthborn giant Typhoeus. Bacchus was feasting on the banks of the Nile at the time, and jumped into the river. The part of him that was below water was transformed into a fish, while his upper body became that of a goat. From this point of view, he saw that Typhoeus was attempting to tear Jupiter into pieces; he blew a shrill note on his pipes, and Typhoeus fled. Jupiter then placed

the new shape of Bacchus in the heavens out of thanks for the rescue. Capricornus has therefore from antiquity been represented by a figure with the head and body of a goat and the tail of a fish. It may be seen between Aquarius and Sagittarius low on the southern horizon.

Cassiopeia, the Queen

Was the beautiful wife of Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and the mother of Andromeda. She made the mistake of bragging she was more lovely than the Nereids, or even than Juno herself. The goddesses were, needless to say, rather insulted, and went to Neptune, to complain. Neptune promptly sent a sea monster (possibly Cetus?) to ravage the coast. They were ordered to sacrifice their daughter to appease Neptune's wrath, and would have done so had Perseus not arrived to kill the monster in the nick of time. As a reward, the hero was wedded to the lovely Andromeda. By most accounts, was quite happy with the match. In some versions of the myth, however, the queen objects to the marriage and is turned to stone when Perseus shows her the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Although she was placed in the heavens by

Cepheus, the King of Ethiopia

Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, was married to the beautiful Cassiopeia, and together they had a daughter, Andromeda. Although his name is most well-known in connection with his daughter, Cepheus was placed in the sky of his own right: He voyaged as an Argonaut with Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece.

All three members of the family may be found in the northern sky; Cepheus and Cassiopeia are quite close to the northern celestial pole. Cepheus is generally represented as a robed king with a crown of stars, standing with his left foot planted over the pole and his scepter extended towards his queen.

Centarus (Quiron)

As the story goes, Hercules had traveled far one day and was very thirsty so he asked a centaur friend, Pholus, to open a jar of the excellent wine kept in his house but belonging jointly to all the

centaurs. Pholus did, and when the aroma of this fine wine flowed out over the countryside the other centaurs furiously galloped up to the house and demanded to know how he had dared open the wine without first consulting them. The centaurs began to attack him and Hercules. Pholus fled and left the battle to Hercules. Hercules soon settled matters by killing many of them and driving the rest from the countryside, telling them never to return. Chiron was nearby observing the event, although he has not taken part.

Although Hercules knew Chiron, and deeply respected him, he could not recognize his friend from a great distance and accidentally shot him with one of his poisoned arrows. Seeing these events and knowing of his son Hercules'

Cetus, the Whale

Cetus deserves mention because some say the constellation represents the sea monster sent to Ethiopia as punishment for the boasting of Queen Cassiopeia. The monster nearly kills Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus, but is itself killed by the hero Perseus. More frequently, though, Cetus is represented as a whale, which implies no connection to the Andromeda myth. Cetus is appropriately a large one, and is

relegated to the southern sky--far from Andromeda, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, and Perseus.

Chamaleon (Camaleon)

The Chameleon. Apparently the chameleon has changed itself into a rhombus.

Chamaeleon is one of a dozen constellations introduced by Johann Bayer in 1603 for his star atlas Uranometria.

Columba

Phineus had given good advice to the Argonauts. As the Argo approached the rocks they happened to be far apart, but seeing the ship coming nearer they started to move closer to each other. When they came near to the entrance the Argonauts released a white dove. They had been told that if any living thing passed alive through the Symplegades, the rocks would never move again. The white dove, aided by Athene, shot between the two rocks with such speed that they crashed

Comma Berenice

He did return, and faithful to her word she cut off her hair and placed it in the temple as an offering to the gods who watched over her husband. Berenice's husband longed to see his wife's beautiful hair again and visited the temple. He was met by the temple guardians who told him that only moments ago the hair had disappeared, an act of the gods. So pleased were the gods with Berenice's sacrifice that they place her hair in the

Corona Australis, The Southern Crown

This tiny constellation has been recognized over the centuries by many cultures and has been known by an equal number of different names.

It has been called the Southern Wreath by the Greeks. It represents the crown worn by the centaur Sagittarius and sometimes known as Corona Sagittarii.

The Romans knew it as the Golden Crown of Sagittarius, as the Little Crown, the Southern Coil, and the Crown of Eternal Life.
The Arabs have called it the Tortoise, the Woman's Tent, the Ostrich's Nest, and the Dish. The Chinese also called it the Tortoise, or Pee.

Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown

This constellation is generally associated with Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. His wife had borne a hideous monster, half-man and half-bull, and Minos had it shut up in a labyrinth designed by the famous architect Daedalus. The maze was so complex and confusing that Daedalus "was himself scarcely able to find his way back to the entrance" (Metamorphoses VIII 166-167). Periodically, the Minotaur needed to be fed, and a number of Athenians would be put into the labyrinth for it to eat. This happened twice; on the third feeding, the hero Theseus was one of those chosen as a sacrifice. Ariadne fell in love with him, and offered to help if he would take her

away with him when he escaped. He agreed, and she gave him a thread to unwind behind him to mark his passage. He killed the Minotaur, followed the thread out of the labyrinth, and sailed from Crete with Ariadne: Inmediately he set sail for Dia, carrying with him the daughter of Minos; but on the shore of that island he cruelly abandoned his companion. Ariadne, left all alone, was sadly lamenting her fate, when Bacchus put his arms around her, and brought her his aid. He took the crown from her forehead, and set it as a constellation in the sky, to bring her eternal glory. Up through the thin air it soared and, as it flew, its jewels were changed into shining fires. They settled in position, still keeping the appearance of a crown, midway between the kneeling Hercules and Ophiucus, who grasps the snake. (Metamorphoses VIII 174-182).

Corvus, the Raven, and Crater, the Cup

"What matter if I wait only a few days until the fruit ripens?" the raven asked itself. And it waited. When the fruit ripened the raven then stayed several more days eating the fruit until it was all gone. He then filled the cup with fresh spring water but realized that his master would be angry for the long delay. Then he noticed a water-serpent nearby and grasped it in his claws. So with cup in mouth and serpent dangling from his claws, the raven flew up to Heaven. He explained to Apollo that the serpent had attacked him and that is what caused the delay. Apollo was not taken in by the lie. And he was so angry with the bird that he flung him, cup and serpent out of Heaven. Today we see them together in the sky as Crater, the Cup, and Corvus, the Raven, perched on the serpent's back. This myth gave rise to two alternate manes for Corvus as a constellation:Avis Ficarius, or "the Fig Bird," and Emansor, or "One Who Lingers Too Long." For the Greeks, this story explains why, of all birds, the raven does not carry water to its young.

Corvus, The Raven.: On day the Sun-god, Apollo, sent his pet raven down to Earth to bring the thirsty god a cup of fresh water. Apollo's sacred raven was not a very dependable bird. On arriving at the spring the raven saw that a fig tree was just beginning to bear fruit

Crux

Thousands of years ago these four stars were an object of reverence in the countries of the Near East. Two thousand years ago, in Biblical days, they were just visible at the horizon. Some might find a religious connection, linking their disappearance with the Crucifixion of Christ.

Over the centuries, the Earth's precession has brought the cross far to the south, close to the south celestial pole. It was the European explorers of the early sixteenth century who "rediscovered" the Southern Cross and made it an official constellation.

Cygnus, the Swan

As with so many of the constellations, there are a number of possible explanations for the presence of the swan in the heavens. Some myths, for instance, state the swan was once the pet of the Queen Cassiopeia. Other versions state that the swan was Cionus, son of Neptune, who was wrestled to the ground and smothered by Achilles. To save his son, Neptune immortalized Cionus as a swan. Another story says the swan is Orpheus, who was murdered by the Thracian women while under the influence of Bacchus. Upon his death, the celebrated musician was placed in the heavens to spend eternity by his harp, Lyra. Yet another variant says that the

swan represents the form taken by Jupiter when he deceived Leda and fathered Pollux. According to Ovid, the swan was once Cygnus, son of Sthenele and a close friend of Phaethon. Phaethon died in the river Eridanus after attempting to drive the chariot of the sun, and Cygnus was overcome with grief that Jupiter could have struck down his friend: As he mourned, his voice became thin and shrill, and white feathers hid his hair. His neck grew long, stretching out from his breast, his fingers reddened and a membrane joined them together. Wings clothed his sides, and a blunt beak fastened on his mouth. Cygnus became a new kind of bird: but he put no trust in the skies, or in Jupiter, for he remembered how that god had unjustly hurled his flaming bolt. Instead, Cygnus made for marshes and broad lakes, and in his hatred of flames chose to inhabit the rivers, which are the very antithesis of fire (Metamorphoses II 374-382). Cygnus is easily found in the summer sky. Also called the Northern Cross because of its characteristic shape, its brightest star is Deneb, which is part of the Summer Triangle with Vega and Altair. Cygnus is next to Cepheus and Lyra.

Delphinus, The Dolphin

During his visit to Sicily he was awarded many prizes and given gold and much money. Now the crew of the vessel waiting to take Arion back to Corinth knew of his newly acquired wealth. They plotted to steal it from him and then cast him into the sea sometime during the return voyage. In a dream, Arion was informed by Apollo of the plot against his life. When the time came and the

murderous crew made their move, Arion made one last request--that he be permitted to sing a farewell song. The crew could see no danger in that and agreed. So he dressed in his finest court garments and stood on the bow of the ship and began to sing. So sweet was his song that sea creatures of many kinds surrounded the ship to listen. Among them was a school of dolphins. Arion saw that the dolphins seemed very pleased with his song and just before he reached the end of it he plunged overboard amid the dolphins. One of the animals caught him before he struck the water and raced off with him towards Corinth. It was with great difficulty that Arion hung on, so swift was the dolphin's course through the sea. The startled crew looked on helplessly and believed that surly Arion would fall off the dolphin and drown. But the dolphin safely carried Arion to Corinth. Arion told the king of the crew's plot and when the vessel docked, Periander was waiting for them. The crew said that Arion had decided to remain in Sicily, so great was the wealth he had acquired there. When Arion stepped into view and the crew saw him, they were so terrified they confessed their plot. King Periander crucified them to the last man. So pleased was Apollo with the good dolphin's role in rescuing Arion that the god gave the dolphin a place among the stars. The Arabs called the constellation Al Ka'ud, "the Riding Camel." The early Christians saw Delphinus as the Cross of Jesus.

Draco, the Dragon

It is unclear precisely which mythological dragon Draco represents. There are, however, three main contenders. One version--the least likely--of the Draco story is that the dragon fought Minerva during the wars between the giants and the gods. Minerva threw Draco's twisted body into the heavens before it had time to unwind itself. Another variant is that Draco represents the dragon who guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides. One of the labors of Hercules was to steal these apples (some sources state it was his eleventh labor, others it was his twelfth). This was, according to Bulfinch, the most difficult labor of all..., for Hercules did

not know where to find them. These were the apples which Juno had received at her wedding from the goddess of the Earth, and which she had entrusted to the keeping of the daughters of Hesperus, assisted by a watchful dragon. After various adventures, Hercules arrived at Mount Atlas in Africa. Atlas was one of the Titans who had warred against the gods, and after they were subdued, Atlas was condemned to bear on his shoulders the weight of the heavens. He was the father of the Hesperides, and Hercules thought might, if any one could, find the apples and bring them to him (Bulfinch's Mythology, 136). Hercules suggested this plan to Atlas, who pointed out two problems: first, he could not simply drop his burden; second, there was the awful guardian dragon. Hercules responded by throwing his spear into the garden of the Hesperides and killing the hundred-headed beast, and then taking the burden on his own shoulders. Atlas retrieved the apples and, reluctantly taking the burden onto his shoulders once again, gave them to Hercules. Juno placed the dragon in the heavens as a reward for his faithful service. By far the most commonly accepted version of Draco's arrival in the heavens, however, is that Draco was the dragon killed by Cadmus. Cadmus was the brother of Europa, who was carried off to Crete by Jupiter in the form of a bull (Taurus). Cadmus was ordered by his father to go in search of his sister, and told he could not return unless he brought Europa back with him. "Cadmus wandered over the whole world: for who can lay hands on what Jove has stolen away? Driven to avoid his native country and his father's wrath, he made a pilgrimage to Apollo's oracle, and begged him to say what land he should dwell in" (Metamorphoses III 9-11). Cadmus followed Apollo's advice and found a suitable site for his new city. He sent his attendants to find fresh water to offer as a libation to Jupiter, and they wandered into a cave with springs. As they were getting water, however, they were all killed by "the serpent of Mars, a creature with a wonderful golden crest; fire flashed from its eyes, its body was all puffed up from poison, and from its mouth, set with a triple row of teeth, flickered a three-forked tongue" (Metamorphoses III 31-34). After his companions did not return, Cadmus himself went into the cave and discovered the dragon. He killed it with his spear, and then (upon the order of Minerva) sowed the dragon's teeth in the ground. From the teeth sprung warriors, who battled each other until only five were left. These five, along with Cadmus himself, were the first people of the city of Thebes. It is interesting, however, to note that Ovid himself does not equate the dragon of Mars with Draco. In fact, in book III of Metamorphoses, he describes the dragon killed by Cadmus in terms of the constellation: "It was as huge as the Serpent that twines between the two Bears in the sky, if its full length were seen uncoiled" (45-47). The Serpent described by Ovid is certainly the same one as we see today, twisting past Cepheus and between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the north, with its head beneath the foot of Hercules. Its location therefore seems to fit best with the myth that Draco was the dragon in the garden of the Hesperides.

Equuleus, the Little Horse

The outstanding Greek astronomer Hipparchus (146-127 BC) composed the first star catalogue, of about 850 stars. He also discovered the precession of the equinoxes and invented trigonometry. It is not known if he actually created any constellations. The "little horse" that the name refers to is lost in antiquity. Some sources believe it to be a half-brother of Pegasus,

Eridanus, the River

Eridanus is a river in northern Italy, now known as the River Po. Called by Virgil the "king of rivers," Eridanus was made famous in connection with the death of Phaethon. Phaethon was the son of Phoebus Apollo and the nymph Clymene. For his birthday one year, Phaethon asked his father for some proof that he was indeed the son of the sun-god. Apollo said he would give the boy any gift he desired as a token of his fatherly love, and Phaethon promptly asked for the chance to drive the chariot of the sun. His father balked, knowing that no mortal youth could possibly have the strength necessary to control the horses. However, Phaethon insisted, and Apollo had granted his word. Phaethon drove off on the route of the sun, but sure enough, he could not control

the powerful horses. He drove too close to the heavens, and then plunged too close to the earth, scorching both realms. Gaia endured the sun's heat until she could bear it no more, and then she called upon Jupiter for help: The omnipotent father called upon the gods and even upon the sun himself, who had bestowed his car upon Phaethon, to be his witnesses that, if he did not bring help, the whole world would come to a grievous end. Then he mounted up to the highest point of heaven, that height from which he is wont to spread clouds over the broad lands of earth, whence he sends forth his thunderings and hurls his flashing bolts: he had no clouds then to draw over the world, no rain to shower down from the skies. He sent forth a thunderclap and, poising his bolt close by his right ear, launched it against the charioteer... Phaethon, with flames searing his glowing locks, was flung headlong, and went hurtling down through the air, leaving a long trail behind: just as a star, though it does not really fall, could yet be thought to fall from a clear sky. Far from his native land, in a distant part of the world, the river Eridanus received him, and bathed his charred features" (Metamorphoses II 304-327). As a constellation, Eridanus is the longest in the sky, meandering from Orion to Cetus.

Gemini, the Twins

Gemini is a zodiacal constellation representing the twin brothers Castor and Pollux. Both were mothered by Leda, and were therefore brothers of Helen, but they had different fathers: In one night, Leda was made pregnant both by Jupiter in the form of a swan and by her husband, the king Tyndarus of Sparta. Pollux, as the son of a god, was immortal and was renowned for his strength, while his mortal brother Castor was famous for his skill with horses. Both brothers voyaged in search of the Golden Fleece as Argonauts, and then fought in the Trojan War to bring their sister

home to her husband Menelaus. They are traditionally depicted as armed with spears and riding a matched pair of snow-white horses. The most common explanation for their presence in the heavens is that Pollux was overcome with sorrow when his mortal brother died, and begged Jupiter to allow him to share his immortality. Jupiter, acknowledging the heroism of both brothers, consented and reunited the pair in the heavens. Castor and Pollux were unique among those placed in the sky in that they are not represented merely as a constellation but as actual stars which mark their heads in the constellation. Castor is bright white binary star, while Pollux is orange. They may be found between Cancer and Taurus.

Grus, the Crane.

Grus lies just below Piscis Austrinus, and at one time was part of that constellation. Grus was so named by Johann Bayer, as listed in his 1603 star atlas.

Hercules

Hercules was perhaps the greatest hero in all mythology. He was the son of Jupiter and Alcmena, and was hounded all his life by Juno. (This is deliciously ironic, because in the original Greek myths, Juno is named Hera and Hercules is Heracles, which means "glory of Hera.") Juno was unhappy with Jupiter's infidelity, and saw Hercules as a living, breathing symbol of her shame. She delayed his birth, and when Hercules was a mere baby (but a big one!) sent two snakes into the crib he shared with his mortal

half-twin Iphicles. Hercules killed them both with his bare hands, marking the beginning of his career as a monster-killer. After a preciocious childhood and adolesence, Hercules married Megara (daughter of Creon, king of Thebes). Juno succeeded in driving him mad, though, and he killed his wife and his children. As atonement, he serves the king Eurystheus, performing the twelve labors for which he is most famed:He wrestled and killed the Nemean Lion (Leo) in its den, then used one of the beast's teeth to remove the otherwise impenetrable hide. He wore the hide as protection from then on. He killed the Lernaean Hydra, a poisonous monster which could regenerate its heads, growing two each time one was lopped off. Hercules managed this by burning the stump of each before anything could grow back and burying the one immortal head beneath a rock. While battling the Hydra, his feet were nipped by a crab sent by Juno. He captured the Cerynean Hind, a stag with golden horns which was famous for its speed, after a year-long pursuit.

He captured the Erymanthian Boar and killed the centaurs Pholus and Chiron who opposed him. He successfully cleaned the Augean Stables, which had held 3000 oxen for thirty years without ever having been cleaned, in one night by

Hydra, the Water-Snake

This constellation represents the Lernaean Hydra, slain by Hercules as his second labor. The Hydra was a multi-headed monster--according to Diodorus (first century B.C.), it had a hundred heads; Simonides (sixth century B.C.) said it had fifty. The most common opinion, however, seems

to be that it had nine. What made the Hydra so difficult was the fact that, whenever one of its heads was chopped off, two would grow in its place. Hercules managed to get around this rather major obstacle by having his nephew, Iolaus, cauterize each stump with a hot iron as soon as Hercules could chop off a head. The hero then buried the monster's immortal head beneath a rock. The task was made somewhat more difficult by Juno, who sent a crab to nip at the feet of Hercules while he battled the Hydra. The Hydra is long and wandering, stretching almost from Canis Minor to Libra. It lies south of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, and is best seen in the northern hemisphere during the months of February through May.

Hydrus, the Water Snake or Lesser Snake.

Hydrus was one of Johann Bayer's constellations, found in his 1603 publication Uranometria. It was meant to be the southern hemisphere's answer to Hydra.

Hydrus is a rather stiff snake, perhaps mostly resembling a cobra, with its head upright and body curled. Bayer created this constellation out of some left over stars near the south celestial pole.

Indus, the Indian.

Johann Bayer wanted to honor the American Indian in his collection of new constellations for his 1603 book Uranometria. This was the time when many Europeans were exploring North America.

Lacerta, the Lizard.

Lacerta is one of seven constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), a Polish astronomer mostly known for his charts of the lunar surface. His catalogue of 1564 stars, Prodromus Astronomiae was published by his wife three years after his death. It was in this catalogue that he included the seven new constellations: Canes Venatici, Lacerta, Leo Minor, Lynx, Scutum, Sextans, and Vulpecula.

Leo, the Lion

Leo is generally accepted to represent the Nemean Lion, killed by Hercules during his first labor. According to myth, the Nemean lion had an impenetrable skin. Hercules got around this potentially serious obstacle by wrestling the lion and strangling it to death. He then removed one of its claws, and used it to skin the animal. From then on, Hercules wore the skin of the Nemean Lion as protection.

Leo Minor, the Little Lion.

It s one of 7 constellations introduced by Hevelius (1611-1687). His catalogue of 1564 stars, Prodromus Astronomiae was published by his wife three years after his death. It was in this catalogue that he included the seven new constellations: Canes Venatici, Lacerta, Leo Minor, Lynx, Scutum, Sextans, and Vulpecula.

Lepus, the Hare.

Lepus is an ancient constellation found under the feet of Orion, the Hunter. The creature is associated with the Moon in mythology. Some say that the dark regions on the surface of the Moon are a rabbit, originally Lepus. The rabbit was the favorite prey of Orion and his hunting dogs. No one seems to know just which culture first saw the constellation as an animal; the Arabs saw it as the "throne of the central one" (Orion).

Libra, the Scales

Libra is a zodiacal constellation. It represents the balance or scales, and is one of the oldest constellations. Although now associated with Virgo, a goddess of justice who had scales as the emblem of her office, it was once associated with the fall equinox. On that day, the days and nights are of equal length (i.e. the moon and the sun are in balance). Libra is represented in the heavens next to the hand of Virgo.

Lupus, the Wolf.

This constellation seems to have been an unidentified animal for both the Greeks and Romans, simply known as Therion. Both cultures thought Centaurus was offering this animal as a sacrifice. By the time Johann Bayer in the early seventeenth century, was considered a wolf.

Lynx (Lince)

Lynx is one of seven constellations introduced by Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), a Polish astronomer mostly known for his charts of the lunar surface. His catalogue of 1564 stars, Prodromus Astronomiae was published by his wife three years after his death. It was in this catalogue that he included the seven new constellations: Canes Venatici, Lacerta, Leo

Lyra, The Vulture or the Lyre.

The constellation is named for a musical instrument used by the ancient Greeks. It is very similar to a harp, but only has 3 to 10 strings. Hermes, Messenger of the Gods, one day came upon an empty tortoise shell on the beach and out of it fashioned a small harp like instrument, the lyre. When in the right hands the instrument produced the most beautiful music ever heard by either gods or mortals. Hermes traded his invention with the Sun-god Apollo. Later, Apollo presented the lyre to his son Orpheus. So gifted was Orpheus at playing the lyre that neither mortals, beasts, nor the gods themselves could turn away when he played. It is said that on

hearing Orpheus play, Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, wept tears of iron. In time Orpheus took a wife, the young and beautiful Eurydice. But soon after the marriage she was bitten by a serpent and died, where upon she was transported to the Underworld, where all mortals souls went. Orpheus himself entered Hades, playing the lyre as he went. Pluto and all the other ruling spirits were so enchanted by Orpheus' music that they agreed to restore life to Eurydice--but only in one condition--that as Orpheus left Hades he would not look back to see if his wife were following him. As he left Hades, he could not understand why he had not heard footsteps behind him if his wife really were there. Breaking his vow, he looked back. He saw Eurydice, but she was rapidly faded away into the mists of Hades. Now she was lost to him forever, for once reborn, a departed soul cannot be reborn a second time. Utterly sad and lonely, Orpheus spent the rest of his days roaming over the land playing sweet but sad music to himself in memory of his dear wife. So sweet was the music that maidens from far and wide came to him and pleaded that he forget his sorrows and marry one of them. But he would not. Their pride crushed, the young maidens vowed to kill Orpheus since they could not have him for their own. They tore him apart limb by limb and threw his remains and lyre into the river. Zeus knew of these events. Also enchanted by the sweet music of Orpheus, Zeus rewarded the young man by making his music immortal. He raised the lyre into the skies and placed it beside the graceful swan, Cygnus. A small but brilliant constellation, Lyra is crowned with the bright star Vega, also known as the Harp Star. The Sumerians and Babylonians saw Lyra not as a harp but a vulture. This is suggested by early records of the constellation as a harp being carried by a vulture. So instead of being the Harp star it may once have been the Vulture Star. The ancient peoples of Britain called Lyra "the Harp of King Arthur."

The Chinese have a story about a weaving Princess and her cowherd lover. Chih Nu (Vega) was the daughter of the Sun-God. She was a most clever and deft weaving and spinning artist and could make the most exquisite tapestries. One sunny summer day she happened to look out of the palace window and saw her father's herdsman driving the flock of the King along the banks of the Milky Way. As so often happens in love stories, their glances met and both knew that this was love at first sight. The King who had been worried about his daughter's future was delighted when he heard about their romance, especially as the herdsman Ch'ien Niu (Altair) was a very conscientious worker who had always looked after the royal flock with the utmost care. Chih Nu wove her own wedding dress out of sparkling rays of starlight. They were very happy together. In fact, they were a little too happy and too devoted to each other. Consequently they forgot all about their work. The loom stood still and gathered dusty cobwebs while the royal cattle roamed far and wide across the heavenly meadows. The Sun-King gave them repeated warnings and every time they promised to amend their ways, but soon they lapsed into idleness again. This annoyed the King so much that after several warnings he decided to banish the husband to the other side of the Milky Way again so that he could tend the cattle there. When he had dispatched Ch'ien Niu across the one and only ford, T'ien-tsin, the King had both sides closed by barriers and a guard posted with instructions that neither of them were allowed to pass along this route. Chih Nu pleaded with her father but to no avail. Finally she appealed to the magpies who had pity on the couple. The magpies decided that once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month they would help the parted lovers. On that day all the magpies in China would fly to the Milky Way and make a bridge across it with outspread wings across which the lovers would rush into each other's arms and spend the rest of the day together. On that day a soft rain began to fall in the morning, which were their tears of happiness. But at nightfall the soft rain became a downpour, caused by the tears of having to part again for a year. Having done their duty the magpies would fly away again. When on the following day people saw the magpies in the fields once more they would rejoice and say: "Yes, look, the lovers have been together. See how the feathers on the birds are all worn down where their feet have trampled." If the feathers weren't trampled down the people would be sad and used to say that bad weather had apparently prevented the birds from building the bridge across the Milky Way. It is also said the children are told to throw stones at any magpies if the saw them in the fields on the seventh day of the seventh month, because those selfish birds were negligent of their duty.

Monoceros, the Unicorn.

The history of Monoceros is as dim as the constellation's stars. This mythological creature was a horned animal with the head and forequarters of a horse, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a lion. The unicorn can be traced back to the Assyrians (2700 BC to 600 BC) who sometimes recorded this animal in wall paintings. Modern scholars think that the unicorn originated from a mistaken description of the Indian rhinoceros. According to the lore that grew up around the beast, people who drank from the