Tag: Mythology

Constellations – Pegasus

Constellations – Pegasus

Constellations

Stars glitter in the night sky above an atmospheric glow that blankets the city lights as the International Space Station orbited 259 miles above the Sudanese/Egyptian border before it crossed the Red Sea. Image credit: NASA<

It’s time for the next series; constellations! Join me as we navigate around some of the 88 modern constellations, and maybe learn something new about them on the way too.

Another of Ptolemy’s oringinal 48 constellations, Pegasus is our next stop around the night sky!

Pegasus

Pegasus was one of the first constellations I could identify in the night sky by finding the Square of Pegasus. Next time it’s a clear night, see if you can spot it!

I always loved the Greek mythology of Pegasus when I was younger. Many people know that Pegasus belonged to Hercules, possibly due to the Disney film. However, in the original myth, Pegasus first belonged to Bellerophon, a Greek hero and slayer of monsters. After an unfortunate situation, Pegasus ended up with Hercules who then immortalised him in the stars with his own constellation.

Constellations are made up by us playing connect the stars in the sky. They can be anything you want. Next time you look up in the night sky, maybe you can make your own constellations! Let me know what you make!

All the best,

Constellations – Ursa Minor

Constellations – Ursa Minor

Constellations

Stars glitter in the night sky above an atmospheric glow that blankets the city lights as the International Space Station orbited 259 miles above the Sudanese/Egyptian border before it crossed the Red Sea. Image credit: NASA<

It’s time for the next series; constellations! Join me as we navigate around some of the 88 modern constellations, and maybe learn something new about them on the way too.

Following on from The Great Bear last time, it’s only fitting we go and visit The Little Bear today! Sometimes it is called The Little Dipper because it looks like a small version of The Big Dipper in Ursa Major.

Ursa Minor

Here is The Little Bear. You can find Ursa Minor by following The Big Dipper in Ursa Major. That points you to Polaris, the end of the bears tail!

Fun little fact I learnt whilst making this: the Latin name for both Ursa Minor or Ursa Major is septentrio. This is from the words septem meaning “seven” and trio meaning “plow ox”, from the appearance of them moving around the north star. If you are wondering where the seven comes from, count how many stars are in The Big Dipper and The Little Dipper.

Constellations are made up by us playing connect the stars in the sky. They can be anything you want. Next time you look up in the night sky, maybe you can make your own constellations! Let me know what you make!

All the best,

Constellations – Ursa Major

Constellations – Ursa Major

Constellations

Stars glitter in the night sky above an atmospheric glow that blankets the city lights as the International Space Station orbited 259 miles above the Sudanese/Egyptian border before it crossed the Red Sea. Image credit: NASA<

It’s time for the next series; constellations! Join me as we navigate around some of the 88 modern constellations, and maybe learn something new about them on the way too.

Our first constellation is one of the largest and possibly one of the ones that most people can identify at least a part of; Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear. This is the constellation which has The Plough/Wheelbarrow/Saucepan/whatever you call it!

Ursa Major

Here is the first of our constellations. I’m looking forward to researching these for you. I’ve spent so much time observing some of them in the sky, it will be interesting for me to find out a little more about them too.

If you are interested, each constellation has it’s own mythology behind it. Various cultures have different stories too, so check them out. Some are more innocent than others though.

Constellations are made up by us playing connect the stars in the sky. They can be anything you want. Next time you look up in the night sky, maybe you can make your own constellations! Let me know what you make!

All the best,