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  • Star Sign Lion

    The Lion is a strikingly distinctive constellation of the spring skies. As well as lending its own grandeur to the night sky, the constellation also has an astrologically significance as it is located on the ecliptic line, making it one of the 12 zodiac signs.
     
    Shape and position:The Lion
    The Lion is distinguishable by a curved star line, which is also known as the “Sickle”. This line is said to represent the lion's mane. Such bright stars as Denebola, Regulus, Algieba (γ) and δ Leonis form the body, whereas the stars ζ μ and ε Leonis constitute the head. Also, a couple of notable binary stars can be observed within the Lion constellation.
     
    Right ascension: 12h 00m to 9h 15m
    Declination: +0 to +30°
     
    Brightest star: Alpha Leonis (Regulus)
     
    Mythology:
    In the Greek mythology the constellation presented the “Nemean Lion”, which ravaged towns and dwelled in the vicinity of the town Nemea. Thanks to its extraordinary fur, the lion was invulnerable to any attacks – all weapons simply bounced away on hitting it. Slaying it was one of “Heracles's” - also known as “Hercules” - twelve labors given to him by his father Zeus. After a failed attempt to do so with a sword, he strangled the lion with his bare hands. Later on Heracles wore the fur and was himself invulnerable. The God Zeus, however, honored the Lion by giving him a place on the firmament.
     
    Astrological significance: People born under this sign are regarded as sociable, self-confident and blessed with success. Their generosity and egoism very often make them ideal leaders. Nevertheless they are good at heart, thanks to which they have many friends. Fire is their element.
     
    Best season for observation: Spring
     
    Neighbouring constellations: Small Lion, Cancer, Sextant, Crater, Virgo

  • Star Sign Northern Crown

    The constellation Northern Crown, also known in latin as Corona Borealis, is a constellation north of the celestial equator. The brightest star that can be seen clearly with the naked eye, is the star Gemma. The name of this constellation was made up by the ancient Greeks, who recognized a crown. The Arabs in turn indicated the constellation completely different and saw in it the key of a beggar.
     
    Shape and position:Star Sign Northern Crown
    This is a relatively small constellation located between the Hercules (left) and Boötes (right). The stars of the Northern Crown are kind of a semi-circle. Only the main star is bright, the other stars are only the fourth size class. To really see this constellation is difficult, but absolutely worth it on a dark night sky.
     
    Right ascension: 15h 15m to 16h 25m
    Declination: +26 to 40 degrees
     
    Brightest star: Alpha Coronae Borealis (Gemma oder Alphekka)
     
    Mythology:
    The legend of Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, helped the hero Theseus with a thread out of the labyrinth after he had defeated the Minotaur. Both were a couple in love, but the love did not last long and Theseus left on Naxos back. The god Dionysus took pity on Ariadne and married her. At the wedding he gave her a precious diadem, which he continued after her death at the sky. Here it shines today as Northern Crown.
     
    Best season for observation: Spring
     
    Neighbouring constellations: Hercules, Herdsman, Serpent

  • Star Sign Serpent

    As the only constellation in the sky the serpent is made up by two non-contiguous parts. These two parts are made of long chains of stars. It is also highly interesting that only in 2010, a planetary system in this constellation was discovered only 170 light years away! The snake is also among the 48 already mentioned by Ptolemy.
     
    Shape and position:Star Sign Serpent
    The coil consists of two parts, a triangular head and the more eastern part called the tail. The head of the Snake, Serpens Caput is in the west due to its triangular shape quite. The tail, Serpens Cauda, is located on the edge of our Milky Way. In this part of the snake you can find the very known gas nebula M16.
     
    Right ascension: 15h 10m to 18h 58m
    Declination: -16 to +25 degrees
     
    Brightest star: Unukalhai (Alpha Serpentis)
     
    Mythology:
    There are two different forms of representation for the formation of the constellation Serpent: The city Lema was made insecure over and over again, haunted by a many-headed serpent. The hero Heracles was told to kill this beast. He noted that the snake got new heads as soon as he struck one off. In addition, he was constantly attacked by a giant cancer. He got help from his nephew, who burned the pieces where Heracles struck of the snakes heads, so they could no longer grow out.
     
    Best season for observation: Summer
     
    Neighbouring constellations: Northern Crown, Herdsman, Virgin, Balance, Hercules, and many more

  • Star Sign Triangle

    At the northern part of the sky you can find the "Triangle". It is a relatively inconspicuous constellation of only three stars and of these only one reaches a size class 3. In the southern hemisphere there is a matching counterpart to the "triangle" called the "Southern Triangle" or "Triangulum Australis". The northern "Triangle" is one of those constellations of the ancient world, which has already been mentioned Ptolemy.
     
    Shape and position:Star Sign Triangle
    About 10 ° north from the head of the constellation "Aries" you will find the Northern Triangle. The most conspicuous object in the constellation Triangulum is the spiral galaxy M33. The open star clusters NGC 752 is beautiful to watch. The constellation provides a slightly elongated isosceles and the Triangle represents the brightest of the three stars there. Its neighboring constellations are Andromeda, the Fish, the Ram and the Perseus.
     
    Right ascension: 1h 31m to 2h 50m
    Declination: +25 to +37 degrees
     
    Brightest star: Beta Trianguli (HIP 10064)
     
    Mythology:
    The Greeks called the "Triangle" also "Trigonon", "Delta", or "Deltoton". Among others they saw the Nile Delta in it. But the Triangle also stands for Sizily, an island in the Mediterenean Sea, which is consecrated to Demeter. It’s said that Persephone was kidnapped from there into the Hades, the underworld. Hades, also the name of the god of the underworld, fell in love with Kore. He asked his brother Zeus, the godfather, to marry her. Zeus neither agreed nor declined the request, because he knew that Kore wouldn’t want to move into the dark underworld. So Hades kidnapped Kore and brought her to the underworld against her will, where she was named Persephone from there on.
     
    Best season for observation: Fall
     
    Neighbouring constellations: Andromeda, Fishes, Perseus, Ram

  • Star Sign Hercules

    The constellation of Hercules is one of the 48 classical constellations mentioned by Ptolemy and it is one of 88 modern constellations. It is the fifth largest constellations in the sky. The name of the constellation in ancient Greek is “Engonasin” which means “kneeling”. In Greek mythology, the “kneeling Hercules” represents Hercules’ remorse after he killed his wife and children in delusion.
     
    Shape and position:Star Sign Hercules
    Hercules is represented as "a kneeling man." Although Hercules is the fifth largest constellation in the sky, only three of its stars are brighter than magnitude 3. Its brightest star is Beta Herculis, with a magnitude of 2.8. It can be found between the constellation of Lyra and the distinctive "Northern Crown". Hercules is in the direction of our Apex and is moving along with our planet with a speed of 20km / s at this point. For star watchers Hercules contains two interesting globular clusters, which can be observed even with a relatively normal pair of binoculars.
     
    Right ascension: 15h 48m to 18h 57m
    Declination: +3 to 51 degrees
     
    Brightest star: Beta Herculis (Kornephoros)
     
    Mythology:
    According to Greek legends, after Hercules, son of Alcmene and Zeus, had slain his wife and children out of anger, he was devastated with regret. King Eurystheus then assigned him the legendary “Twelve Labors” tasks to help him right his wrongs. He excellently completed the “Twelve Labors” tasks, then built a funeral pile on Mount Eta, destroying his mortal body. His soul then joined with his father Zeus and other gods on the sky.
     
    Best time to observe: Summer
     
    Neighbouring constellations: Aquila, Bootes, Draco, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Serpens Caput, Sagitta, Vulpecula

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