Wikipedia
R.H. Allen:
Star Names
Ian Ridpath:
Star Tales
SkyEye
|
Wikipedia |
R.H. Allen: Star Names |
Ian Ridpath: Star Tales |
SkyEye |
 pinterest.com |
Star LoreBeehive Cluster |
 silent-volume.blogspot.com |
The Beehive Cluster is is an open cluster in the constellation
Cancer.
 To the unaided eye, it appears as a small nebulous object and as such it has been known since ancient times. It was one of the first objects that Galileo pointed his telescope at. In 1609, he wrote, "The nebula called Praesepe contains not one star only but a mass of more than 40 small stars." It was the first telescopic proof of the existence of stars not visible to the naked eye. With modern telescopes, the number of stars in the cluster has now risen to approximately 1,000. Sources: Messier Object Observations and Descriptions, vaticanobservatory.org |
Beehive Cluster on January 27, 2015 by Van MacateeSource: earthsky.org |
 |
Ancient Greece
The first record of the cluster was given in 270 BC by Aratus in his poem
Phaenomena. He called the cluster Phatne (Φάτνη), the Manger,
referring to the legend of the two Asses (see below) and described it as "A Little Mist," or "A Faint Nebula."
|
|
|
To astronomers, the cluster became known by the Latin name Praesepe. The dual meaning of Praesepe, which can mean both "manger" and "hive" led the
the popular English name Beehive Cluster. Aratus writes in Phaenomena: |
|
Watch, too, the Manger. Like a faint mist in the North it plays the guide beneath Cancer. Around it are borne two faintly gleaming stars, not far apart nor very near but distant to the view a cubit.s length, one on the North, while the other looks towards the South. They are called the Asses in the constellation Cancer, and between them is the Manger. On a sudden, when all the sky is clear, the Manger wholly disappears, while the stars that go on either side seem nearer drawn to one another: |
not slight then is the storm with which the fields are deluged. If the Manger darken and both stars remain unaltered, they herald rain. But if the Ass to the North of the Manger shine feebly through a faint mist, while the Southern Ass is gleaming bright, expect wind from the South: but if in turn the Southern Ass is cloudy and the Northern bright, watch for the North wind. |
|
In Greek mythology, the cluster is related to an event during the Gigantomachy,
the battle between the Gods and the Giants
that followed the overthrow of the Titans.
|
|
The story is tied to the two stars next to the cluster,
Asellus Borealis (γ Cnc) and
Asellus Australis (δ Cnc). They were known to the Greeks as Onoi (Ὄνοι),
the asses.
Told by Eratosthenes, at one battle, the the Gods Dionysus, Hephaestus, and some of their companions arrived on the battlefield riding donkeys. The Giants, having never heard the braying of donkeys got deathly scared. Fearing a giant monster was unleashed upon them they fled the scene of the battle. Grateful for their service, Dionysus put the asses in the sky. Between the two stars he placed Phatne (Φάτνη), the Manger, from which the asses seem to be feeding. Source: Ian Ridpath |
Dionysus and Hephaestus riding donkeysMuseum of Fine Arts, Boston; theoi.com |
 |
Christian Interpretations of Cancer and Praesepe
In the 6th century, Bishop Cassius of Narni interpreted the Praesepe cluster as the
Breastplate of Righteousness (aka. the Armor of God). Other Catholic scholars saw Praesepe as the
Manger in which Christ was born.
|
 |
Medieval Islamic Astronomy
In the ancient Arabic al-asad constellation,
γ and δ Cancri, the two stars
flanking the Beehive Cluster were seen as
al-mankhiran (المنخران) The Two Nostrils.
|
The Two NostrilsSource: Arab Star Calendars
|
|
an-nathra is also the name of the 8th Arabic Lunar Mansion, formed by the Beehive Cluster, together with γ and δ Cancri. Source: I. Hafez: Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi and his book of the fixed stars: a journey of re-discovery |
 |
Ancient India
In Hindu Astronomy,
Asellus Borealis (γ Cnc), Asellus Australis (δ Cnc) and
Theta Cancri, together with the Beehive Cluster are the center of the eighth
Nakashtra called Pushya, the nourisher.
|
Bharata;
Wikipedia
|
 |
Ancient China
In Chinese astronomy,
Asellus Borealis (γ Cnc), Asellus Australis (δ Cnc) and
Theta Cancri are part of Guǐ, the "Ghost" - the asterism that gave its
name to the 23rd Lunar Mansion.
|
|
 |
Navajo - North America
Navajo astronomy depicts the Beehive Cluster as Tsetah Dibé, the Mountain Sheep.
It is considered a winter constellation, primarily because of its association with the Navajo
winter Nightway ceremony. The constellation is thus visible in the winter months to the naked eye when it is very cold outside and when the moon is
not too bright. The constellation will appear over the evening eastern sky in early winter and will be overhead at dawn.
|
|
Back to Star Lore |
Back to Mythology |
 Back to Space Page |
Back to English |
 Back to Start Page |
