Constellation
Orion - The Hunter
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demonstrates the flexibility of
TheSky astronomy
software. There are many ways to represent the
constellations. 5 examples in this case. Which is correct?
They are all correct because there are no standard constellation
lines. To that end
TheSky
supplies several different version or depictions of the
constellations. See below. You can choose what you like
Or, just draw your own!
TheSky
characture drawing for Orion
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Default Constellation
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TheSky Astronomy
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Constellations - Levy version
TheSky Astronomy
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Constellations- Sir Patrick Moore
version
TheSky Astronomy
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Astronomy Magazine's
version
used by TheSky on-line star charts
No lines plotted
just the boundaries
Not all stars displayed for clarity
Object name: Orion
Equatorial: RA: 05h 35m 42s Dec: +04°35'16"(current)
Equatorial 2000: RA: 05h 35m 24s Dec: +04°34'48"
Source catalog: Sky Database: Constellation
Abbreviation: Ori
Constellation: Genitive Form: Orionis
Description: Orion, the Hunter
Remarks: Pronunciation: oh RY' uhn
Genitive Pronunciation: OH' rih OH' nis
Orion is one of the oldest
constellations recognized by the ancient Greeks and also one of the
most prominent and easy to identify constellations in the night sky.
Its' many very bright stars are easily recognizable to observers in
the northern hemisphere during the winter months and to the
observers in the southern hemisphere where they see him in the
summer months. The constellation was created by the Sumerians
and it is thought to be created based on their hero Gilgamesh, who
was much like Hercules. Gilgamesh is famous for his historic
battle with "The Bull of Heaven" now depicted in the nearby
constellation Taurus the Bull.
According to Greek mythology, Orion
the Hunter was the son of the sea god Poseidon and the Princess
Euryale - daughter of Minos and the King of Crete. Orion wields a powerful bronze club
which is also prominently depicted in the constellation. The
constellations Canes Major (the big dog) and Canes Minor (the
smaller dog) being the hunter's dogs. The two dogs are now
found trailing behind
Orion chasing a rabbit as found in the constellation Lepus.
Legend has it that
Orion attempts to win the affection of
Merope, the daughter of Oenopion - King of Chios where "Oinopion" is
translated into the "wine-man," and he was the son of Dionysus.
Merope is one of the Seven Sisters found in the
asterism the Pleiades, also
known as the "sailing sisters".
After much effort and no success in
winning over Merope, Orion gets drunk (or was made to become drunk
by the King) he then takes advantage of Merope or has is way with
her. Furious King Oenopion gouges out Orion's eyes blinding
him. The King then banishes Orion to the sea forever.
An Oracle had told Orion (or it may
have been common knowledge) that his eyesight could be restored by
the healing rays of the sun god Helios as found in the land of Colchis.
Traveling with a young man given to him by Hephaestus in the land of
Eos, Orion with the boy riding on his shoulders as a guide makes his
way safely toward the sunrise in Colchis whereby he regains his
eyesight just as the Oracle had said he would.
In the land of Colchis Orion falls
in love with Artemis and in any case it is generally accepted that
Artemis is actually responsible for Orion's death. After
bragging that he (Orion) could kill any and all animals on Earth,
Orion ironically dies from the sting of a scorpion, depicted as the
constellation Scorpius. Or
more generally accepted the scorpion was sent to kill Orion by the
Earth Goddess Demeter, from Greek Mythology, who had heard of his
boasting. Orion narrowly
escapes the sting of the scorpion
finding refuge in the nearby sea.
While off the shoreline in the sea,
Apollo the twin brother of Artemis, convinces her to display her
skill with the bow by shooting an arrow at the distant object
bobbing up and down in the water. Unknowingly, Artemis shoots
an arrow at the object and hits Orion in the head killing him with
her arrow. The reason for Apollo pulling the deadly con is he
did not approve of the marriage between his sister the goddess
Artemis and the mere mortal Orion since he himself was not a God.
After Artemis begged the God Zeus
to bring Orion back to life it was finally decided that Orion would
be placed safely in the sky far from the scorpion's sting. And
there today just as Orion is setting
in the west soon after Scorpius
is rising in the east.
The constellation Orion contains the Great Nebula located in his
sword. The Great Nebula contains the heart of the four stars
making up the Trapezium asterism. Orion
also contains the famous Horse Head nebula located below the eastern
most belt star Alnitak - Zeta Orionis. Orion is host to many
interesting non-stellar objects. Also note the Witch Head
Nebula to the right.
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