Constellation Handbook

By: Matt Ewalt

For thousands of years people have

looked into the stars and imagined

pictures of people and animals.

These images were given names and

stories. Today, we call these stars

constellations.

In this handbook, you will find

pictures of constellations, when you

can view them in the night sky, and

the story behind the constellation.

Can be seen in the night sky from November until February.

Orion is deemed the master of the winter skies.

A mythic tale of Orion go as far back as the Hittites, who flourished from the Second

Millennium BC to around 1200 BC.

In this story, Orion was a handsome and famous hunter. The Battle-Goddess Anat fell in love

with him, but when he refused to lend her his bow, she sent another man to steal it. When the

man tried to steal the bow he ends up killing Orion and dropping the bow in the sea. This is said

to explain the astronomical fact that Orion drops below the horizon for two months every spring.

Stars that make up his belt: Anilam, Alnitak, and Mintaka. Legend claims these starts are the

three wise men that followed the star marking the birth of Christ. [3]

Also known as the “Big Dipper”, it is the

3rd largest constellation in the night sky.

It can be seen at anytime.

Zeus who is married once had affair with a

woman named Callisto. Callisto went on to

have a son named Arcas. Angry at Callisto

Zeus’s wife turns her into a bear. Time goes

by, and some time later Arcas comes across a

bear in the woods while he’s hunting. The

bear just so happened to be Callisto. As

Arcas prepared to kill the bear Jupiter

stopped him. Arcas was transformed into a

bear like his mother and the two were taken

up into the sky. Zeus’s wife was annoyed

that the pair should be given such honor, and

took her revenge by convincing Poseidon to

forbid them from bathing in the sea. It is for this reason that Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are both

circumpolar constellations, never dipping beneath the horizon when viewed from northern

latitudes. [1]

Also known as the “Little Dipper”

Ursa Minor is the home of the North Star and can be seen at anytime in the Northern

Hemisphere. Ursa Minor is said to have been introduced by the Greek philosopher Thales around

600 BC. For as long as ships have sailed the seas Polaris has been an essential guiding star. [3]

(See previous story about Ursa Major)

Best seen in the month of November around 9pm.

Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. Poseidon was angered by

Cassiopeia because how vain she was. A huge whale was sent by Poseidon to destroy the entire

country but Cepheus was told he could sacrifice his daughter Andromeda to the whale to stop it.

But before Andromeda could be sacrificed, Perseus came to her rescue.

“For most of the year Cassiopeia is high in the sky on her throne. But during the spring months,

she appears upside down along the northern horizon.”[1]

Can be seen in the night sky around April 18th

-May 14th

.

Brightest star: Hamal

According to the story of Aries, there were once two children that were to be sacrificed to appease the

gods. The only thing that saved the two children from being killed was a ram. In order to honor the ram

he would be remembered forever.

Zeus put the ram's golden fleece up in the stars, the constellation of Aries represents that golden

fleece.[3]

Can be seen in the night sky around May 14th

- June 21st.

Brightest Star Aldebaran

The constellation of Taurus (bull) is associated with the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur.

According to myth, Theseus volunteered to be one of the youths from Athens who would be

offered as food to the horrible monster Minotaur (half man, half bull) who stayed in Crete, in the

labyrinth. But, when he was there and with the help of Ariadne, the legendary hero managed to

kill the beast and thus relieve his city Athens from the terrible punishment imposed by the Cretan

king Minos. [2]

Can be seen in the night sky around June 21st- July 20

th.

Gemini is linked with the story of the twin

brothers Castor and Pollux.

Zeus had an affair with the queen of Sparta named

Leda. To seduce her he disguised himself as a

swan. Because he was a swan Leda bore two eggs:

the first of which contained Helen and Pollux.

These two were the divine children of Zeus. The

other egg contained Clytemnestra and Castor.

These two children were believed to be the mortal

children of Tyndareus the husband of Leda.

Pollux and Castor were so close to each other they went by one name; the Dioscuri. When Jason

was recruiting the Argonauts to join him in his quest of the Golden Fleece, the Dioscuri eagerly

accepted the invitation. They did well on they’re expedition The Dioscuri, were said to have

power granted to them by Poseidon to calm the seas. But after a fierce battle Castor was killed.

Pollux was lost and prayed that he could die to so he could be reunited with his brother.

Later, when Zeus invited Pollux to Olympus and offered him immortality, Pollux declined

saying that he would not like to live forever without his brother. Zeus instead allowed them to be

together but they have to stay one day in heaven and the next in hades.

And so they would never again be separated Zeus cast their images among the stars which is now

Gemini. [2]

Can be seen in the night sky around July 20th

-August 10th

.

Brightest star: Al Tarf

Hercules as his second labor was sent to kill Lerna Hydra, a horrible water snake with a hundred

heads. Hercules went and faced the Hydra in an epic battle. During the battle the Hydra was

losing and Hercules’s enemy Hera didn’t like this at all. She wanted Hercules to fail so she had a

giant crab claw at his feet. Hercules then stomped on the crab crushing it. Though the crab failed

Hera was grateful for what he did. Hera honored the crab for helping her by placing its image in

the night sky as the constellation Cancer. [2]

Can be seen in the night sky around August 10th

-September 16th

.

Brightest star: Regulus

Leo comes from with Hercules' first task. His first task is to kill Nemean the Lion. A great battle

ensues and Hercules emerges victorious.

Hercules wins the fight by strangling the lion. Once the lion was killed Hercules found a way to

skin the lion. Though Hercules was able to remove the pelt from it, skin of the lion was said to be

impenetrable to any known weapon of the time. So Hercules decided to wear the pelt as

protection from his enemies.

To commemorate the great battle and death of the great lion Zeus projected the constellation Leo

into the sky as an image of a lion. [2]

Beta Leonis Minoris

21 Leonis Minoris

SU Leonis

Minoris

Can be seen in the night sky around September 16th

– October 31st.

Brightest star: Spica

Persephone, the daughter of

Demeter, was abducted by

Hades to become his bride.

Demeter upset with the loss of

her daughter did not allow

crops to grow.

So Zeus decides to get involved and sends the god Hermes to Hades to bring back Persephone,

but before he is able to take her Hades tricks Persephone into eating a pomegranate seed.

Anyone who tastes food of Hades has to stay in the underworld.

After Rhea, the mother of Zeus, Hades, and Demeter , steps in they reach a compromise.

Persephone would remain in the underworld six months with Hades. And she can return to her

mother for the next six months. So Persephone returns home with Demeter and Demeter allows

crops and fruit to grow again. But every six months Persephone will return to Hades and the

crops go barren until her return. [2]

The six months in the underworld is when you can’t see Virgo in the sky, the six months with her

mother is when you can see her.

Can be seen in the night sky around November 21st - November 29

th.

Brightest Star: Antares

Orion was said to be the tallest and the most handsome man of the world. He was often a great

hunter who was often seen hunting in the woods and hills of ancient Greece with his pack of

dogs. Orion was also boastful; he claimed he could kill any animal if he wanted to. Because of

his boasting Gaia sent a scorpion that succeeded killed Orion.

After Orions death, Artemis the goddess of earth placed him in the sky. And Gaia who was so

angered by Orion put the scorpion in the sky with Orion. And because Orion is setting while

Scorpius is rising, they say the scorpion is forever chasing Orion.[2]

Can be seen in the night sky around December 17th

- January 20th

.

Brightest star: Kaus Australis

As the myth goes, Cheiron was a great

centaur king who was destined to suffer

a gruesome death.

Hercules was on his way home to Tiryns after killing the Erymanthian Boar. On the way home

he had a violent encounter with, some drunken centaurs. During the scuffle Hercules shot a

poison arrow and missed.

Ironically the arrow strikes Cheiron who was Hercules’ trainer. Cheiron was in such high regard

that he was semi-divine. Because of this the poison does not kill him and instead he is forced to

live in agony. Zeus, feeling bad for Cheiron, allows him to pass on his divine status to

Prometheus. When he does this he is finally able to die. Zeus in his compassion puts an image of

the centaur in the stars for all to admire. [2]

Can be seen in the night sky around January 20th

- February 16th

.

Brightest Star: Algedi

Rhea the wife of Cronus gave birth to a baby boay

named Zeus. Cronus had devoured their previous children, and Rhea thought he would do the

same with Zeus. So Rhea took Zeus and hid him in a cave on in Crete. Here he was cared for and

raised by Amaltheia, a goat nymph. Amaltheia cared for him like her own child.

Zeus later grew up to be the the god of gods. Amaltheia, who had nursed him so lovingly, was

not forgotten. He turned one of her horns into the horn of plenty. The horn of plenty would

always be full of delicious food and drink for whoever possessed it. Also to show his

appreciation for her he formed a constellation named Capricornus after her image. [2]

Can be seen in the night sky around February 16th

- March 12th

.

Brightest star: Sadalsuud

Ganymede was the son of king Tros. The young prince was the most exquisite and handsome

youth that ever lived, and was adored and admired by both gods and mortals.

Because of his appearance Zeus felt that he deserved to join the gods at Olympus. So Zeus

disguises himself as an eagle and retrieves Ganymede. Once at Olympus Zeus makes Ganymede

his cupbearer. This is an extremely important position because he is to pour Zeus’s nectar.

Nectar is the drink of the gods that gives them eternal youth and vigor.

In honor of Ganymede Zeus put his image in the sky.[2]

Can be seen in the night sky around

March 12- April 19

Brightest Star: Eta Piscium

Zeus defeated the race of the giants, who

were the children of Gaia. Gaia is mother

earth. As revenge for her children Gaia

gave birth to the most frightening

creature ever born named Typhon. Typhon was sent to the Olympian home of the gods to destroy

them.

The gods all disguised themselves before Typhon got there. Some hid as cows, cats,and boars,

but Aphrodite and her son Eros plunged into the ocean as twin fish.

After Zeus defeated Typhon and the gods transformed back, Aphrodite put an image of the fish

in the sky who were the reason her and her son escaped. [2]

References

1. SkyGazer 4. 1990-2008, Carina Software.

2. http://www.igreekmythology.com/greek-zodiac.html

3. http://www.freewebs.com/benatargrl/constellations.htm

4. http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Ursa_Major.html

All images were found on Google Images