Constellations

SLIDE ONE

To many people, a constellation is a group of stars which appears to form a

picture in the sky. However, astronomers define a constellation as a specific region
in the sky. There are eighty-eight different recognized constellations.
The cluster of stars in a constellation is actually separated by considerable
distances although they may look very close to each other from here on Earth.
There are also numerous stars amongst them which are too distant or dim to be
seen.
Since the ancient times, star-gazers have tried to bring some order into the
sky by fitting the stars into patterns, the constellations, to which names were given.

SLIDE TWO

Orion is one of the most easily recognized constellations in the southern sky
on winter nights.
Orion:
he is the son of the god Poseidon and the gorgon Euryale
he has the power to walk on the surface of the sea
he was engaged to Merope, but was then blinded by her father for
consummating their union prior to the marriage ceremony
he was eventually healed by Helios, the sun god
Orion journeyed to Crete, where he met the goddess of the
hunt, Artemis
they hunted happily together for a time

 How his life ended was either Orion threatened to kill every creature so
mother earth, not being happy with that outcome, sent a scorpion to kill him
or Apollo became jealous of his sisters pleasure in this mortals company
and tricked her into shooting him

Rigel:

7th brightest star in the sky

40,00050,000 times brighter than the sun

forms Orions right foot, and Rigel, in fact, means foot in Arabic.

Betelgeuse:

12th brightest star in the sky

10,000 times more luminous than the Sun

Orions belt:
Mintaka; means the belt
Alnitak; means the girdle
Alnilam; means the string of pearls
-

Alnilam is further away than the other two stars but however, it is still the
most massive and luminous of the three. It is about 10,00 times brighter
than the Sun.

SLIDE THREE

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:
Pollux- son of a god;immortal; strong,
Castor- mortal; 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.

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.
SLIDE FOUR

By far the most commonly accepted version of Draco's arrival in the heavens;
Draco was the dragon killed by Cadmus. 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. 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. 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 drink offering to Jupiter, and
they wandered into a cave with springs. As they were getting water, however, they
were all killed by a creature with a wonderful golden crest. After his companions did
not return, Cadmus himself went into the cave and discovered the dragon. He killed

it with his spear, and planted 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.
SLIDE FIVE

SLIDE SIX

Crux, the Southern Cross, is the most familiar constellation in the southern
hemisphere. This tiny constellation (the smallest in the entire sky) was once part of
Centaurus, but the sight of such a brilliant cross in the sky was so compelling that it
became a constellation of its own in the sixteenth century.