Selina's+Page

=Star Watch= This page mainly talks about constellations: Greek Mythology.

**Star Constellations:**
They are groups of stars that seem to form shapes or patterns in the sky. Some stars are farther away from the Earth than others or not close to each other than it seems; they just look like that are. They were used for thousands of years as calendars, timekeepers, and directions for lost people on land and water. However this method is still used in some parts of the world.

If you want to know more about constellations please go check out Susan's Page

**Comparing Planets and Stars:**
as part of a constellation ||
 * **Feature** || **Planet** || **Star** ||
 * **Location** || In the Solar System || Far beyond the Solar System ||
 * **Distance from the Earth** || Fairly near || Very far ||
 * **Real size** || Smaller than most stars || Usually larger than planets ||
 * **Why we see them** || Reflects light from Sun || Emits own light ||
 * **Surface Temperature** || Usually cold or very cold || Very hot ||
 * **Observable feature** || Has a steady light || Gases under high pressure and temperature ||
 * **Long-term Observation** || Slowly wanders through constellations || Appears to more through the sky

**Greek Mythology:**
The Greek name for constellations was Katasterismoi. Out of all the constellations twelve of them, whose risings intersected, the Sun’s at dawn were known as the (zodiac) or Zodiakos Kyrkios (circle of little animals) They were mostly God favored (or cursed) heroes and beasts who received a place in the heavens in memorial to their deeds. They were regarded as semi-divine spirits that strode across the heavens. Ex. Aries, Capricorn, Leo, etc.

The constellations revolve round a central point in the northern sky known as the pole star, or heavenly axis (Greek //polos//). Because of its location, most of the stars are seen to rise in the east and set in the west. Only those few closest to the pole - Ursa Major and Minor (the Bears), and Draco (the Dragon) - appear to travel at night in a circle around the pole. What They Believed: The Greeks imagined the heavens as a great, solid dome, which, some say, was made of bronze, and on it the constellations were fixed. The Titan Atlas, was said to spin the dome around upon his shoulders, causing the stars to rise and set. Part of the dome always lay beneath the horizon. Here the constellations were apparently believed to dwell deep beneath the earth in the misty pit of Tartaros, or within the land of the dead. When they rose up into the heavens, the constellations were first bathed in the purifying waters of the great earth-encircling river Okeano. Various myths describe the birth and death of the semi-immortal constellations: such as the Gemini twins, or Dioskouroi, who were said to divide their time equally between Heaven and Haides. Orion was also described by Homer both striding across the heavens and hunting wild beasts in the underworld

Zodiac Constellations
arrow. ||
 * = **Zodiac Constellations** ||= **Origins**: **Greek Myths** ||
 * = Aries ||< Ram with Golden Fleece, could fly through the air. ||
 * = Aquarius ||< Water Bearer, represented by Ganymede, a beautiful Phrygian youth. Taken by Jupiter and served as cup bearer to the gods. ||
 * = Cancer ||< Crab, sent by Juno to kill Hercules, who squashed it with his foot. ||
 * = Capricorn ||< Sea Goat. Pan only partly succeeded in turning himself from a goat into a fish. ||
 * = Gemini ||< Twin brothers. Pollux (one of them 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. ||
 * = Leo ||< The Nemean Lion, killed by Hercules during his first labor. ||
 * = Libra ||< Scales (balance), because the Sun was in Libra during the autumn equinox when the Romans chopped off the claws of Scorpius to create this constellation. ||
 * = Pisces ||< Two fish. Venus and her son Cupid escaped from Typhon by swimming through the sea as two fish. ||
 * = Sagittarius ||< The Archer, a centaur (half man and half horse) archer named Chiron, shooting an
 * = Scorpio ||< Scorpion sent by Gaia to kill Orion when Orion boasted he would slay all the animals of the Earth; now Orion and Scorpius circle each other on opposite sides of the sky. ||
 * = Taurus ||< Bull. Babylonian constellation. Jupiter turned himself into a bull to carry off Europa, daughter of the King of Crete. ||
 * = Virgo ||< Maiden, goddess of farms and harvest, holding a shock of wheat. ||

Bibliography:

Atsma, Aaron. "katasterismoi." //Theoi Project// 2000 - 2007 1-2. Web.25 May 2009. .

"Greek Mythology and Constellations." //Western Washington University Planitarium// Web.26 May 2009. .

Bell, Cathy. "The Mythology of the Constellations." Princeton University. 16 May 2009 .

Magruder, Kerry. "The Zodiac and Planetary Motions." 27 May 2009 .