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Topic starter
Very much looking forward to Ian Ridpath's lecture to the Flamsteed on Monday evening.
I've just been thinking over my favourite story about how we describe the night sky. There are many, but I think, on balance, it's the naming of the star "Sirius".
For those that don't know, "Sirius" comes from the Greek word Seirios (the "scorcher") and was so named because the helical rising of Sirius (i.e. when a star first becomes visible above the eastern horizon just before sunrise) coincided with the hottest and driest days of the summer.
Sirius, as many of us have seen, twinkles through all the colours of the rainbow when it is low down on the horizon, and almost looks like it is burning.
The other great story about Sirius, of course, is that, because it is the brightest star in Canis Major, it's also known as the Dog Star... which is where the phrase "dog days of summer" comes from!
Posted : 09/10/2014 5:37 pm
Well there you go! Didn't know that was where that phrase came from! Really fascinating stuff!
Have you heard of the theory about the nursery rhyme 'Hey diddle diddle' being all about the constellations?
Hey diddle diddle the cat and the fiddle, (Leo the lion and Lyra the instrument)
The cow jumped over the Moon, (Taurus the bull and our Moon)
The little dog laughed to see such fun, (Canis Minor)
And the dish ran away with the spoon. (Ursa Major = the spoon, not sure about the dish...)
I like this theory! It pleases me so I'm running with it 🙂
Posted : 10/10/2014 1:01 am
Topic starter
Have you heard of the theory about the nursery rhyme ‘Hey diddle diddle’ being all about the constellations?
And suddenly the scales fall from my eyes! No, I hadn't heard that theory, but it's so obvious now that I don't know why I hadn't thought about it before.
not sure about the dish
That'll be Crater I suspect, which is to the south of Leo and Virgo (difficult to see from the UK). Crater is known as "the Cup", but symbolises Apollo's bowl.
Crater was charted by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD and was identified as one of his original 48 constellations. In this myth, Corvus, the Crow, was taking water to Apollo in the cup, Crater. Corvus became distracted and stopped to wait for figs to ripen so he could eat them. Upon remembering his mission, he knew that Apollo would be angry. He picked up a water serpent, Hydra, and took it to Apollo, claiming that the serpent attacked him and caused the delay. Apollo, who knew the truth, was so angry that he cast all of them (Corvus, the cup, and the water snake) into the sky. Corvus now sits in the sky within sight of the cup, but he can never drink because it is guarded by the serpent.
Posted : 10/10/2014 8:51 am
Ahhhh, I LOVE IT!!! What a great story!
Feel as though I should be sat around a campfire listening to these. Here's a virtual one for now:
Any more star stories?
Posted : 10/10/2014 4:02 pm
Topic starter
Love the campfire 🙂
One of the most famous stories concerns Cassiopeia. Queen Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Ethiopia (who is, of course, next to Cassiopeia in the sky).
Cassiopeia was apparently rather vain, and claimed to be more beautiful than the sea nymphs. This angered Poseidon, who sent a sea monster (Cetus) to attack the coast of Cepheus's country. As a sacrifice to the monster, Cepheus and Cassiopeia chained their daughter Andromeda to a rock, but Andromeda was saved from the monster's clutches by Perseus.
As punishment for her crimes, Cassiopeia was condemned to circle the celestial pole forever. Of course, as an added indignity, she often hangs upside down!
Posted : 10/10/2014 5:33 pm
Mike you should appear on Crackanory.
Posted : 10/10/2014 6:33 pm
Hey diddle diddle
This is what is known in journalism as a story that is far too good to investigate to see if it's actually true! Love it!
Posted : 13/10/2014 12:56 pm
