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How dark it is, this spring starry sky! Three and a half months ago, at the same hour of the day, the southern half of the sky was decorated with seven brightest stars. And now our attention is attracted only by three stars of the first magnitude, shining alone, surrounded by a few and dim spring stars.
April 15, 11 pm. Slightly to the right of the celestial meridian, almost halfway from the point south to the zenith, the constellation Leo is visible, in which the silhouette of the mane and body of the “king of beasts” can be easily discerned. The main star of this constellation is Regulus.
Two bright stars are visible in the southeast. The one that is taller and brighter is the orange star Arcturus, the brightest of the spring stars, the main one in the constellation Bootes. Below and to the right of Arcturus is the bluish Spica, leading the constellation Virgo. Leo, Bootes and Virgo are the main and most expressive of the spring constellations (see Appendix V).
To the right of Leo is the constellation Cancer, and above Leo is the unremarkable tiny constellation Leo Minor. To the right of Bootes the constellations Canes Venatici and Coma Berenices are visible, and to the right and below Virgo an irregular quadrangle of stars of almost equal brightness forms the constellation Raven. In the long constellation Hydra, it is easy to find only the relatively bright star α (2m). But the Chalice and Sextant, concluded between Leo and Hydra, are so inexpressive that it is simply impossible to outline their clear contours. To the left and below Spica, two stars (2.8m and 2.6m) are visible low above the horizon - α and β from the constellation Libra.
The origin of the names of some of the spring constellations is very curious. For example, in the constellation Leo the same fierce Nemean Leo is forever imprinted, the victory over which was one of the twelve labors of the popular mythical hero Hercules (Hercules). By the way, right there in the spring sky we will find another victim of Herculean power - the Lernaean Hydra. In the battle with this nine-headed monster, Hercules showed considerable ingenuity, and, despite the help of Hydra from the gigantic Cancer (and he is also immortalized in the spring starry sky), in the end, victory remained with the hero.
We are already familiar with the mythical story of Bootes, the son of Callisto. The origin of the constellation Virgo is not entirely clear. According to one of the ancient versions, this is the goddess of the harvest, Ceres. In any case, on ancient star maps, the heavenly Virgin holds in her hands a ripe ear of grain, marked with the star Spica (this is her name and means “ear of ear”).
The legend associated with the constellation Coma Berenices is funny. The Egyptian king Ptolemy Euergetes (3rd century BC) had a beautiful wife, Queen Veronica. Her luxurious long hair was especially magnificent. When Ptolemy went to war, his saddened wife swore an oath to the gods to sacrifice her hair if only the gods would keep her beloved husband safe and sound.
Soon Ptolemy returned home safely, but when he saw his shorn wife, he was quite upset. The royal couple was somewhat reassured by the astronomer Konon, who said that the gods raised Veronica’s hair to the sky, where they were destined to forever decorate the spring nights.
The constellation Libra is also one of the oldest, but the motives that prompted the ancients to place this simple measuring device among the stars are not entirely clear. It is possible that the constellation Libra and Virgo (with the Spike) reflected the economic interests of ancient traders and farmers.
In ancient star charts, the Raven and the Chalice are placed on Hydra. For some reason, the Raven pecks at the Hydra, and the Chalice looks very unstable, ready to fall. What does this strange combination of completely dissimilar objects mean? All traces of the origin of these ancient constellations have been erased from human memory. True, one far from reliable story has reached us that supposedly in this place in the sky the raven was captured, which Apollo sent with a bowl to fetch water to perform one religious ritual. The raven did not fulfill Apollo's request, for which, along with the cup, he was forever placed on the back of the serpentine celestial monster as punishment.
The other three constellations of the spring sky - Leo Minor, Canes Venatici and Sextant - are of very recent origin. They were introduced in the 17th century. Hevelius, whose ingenuity in this matter, in the complete absence of any serious argumentation, we have already noted earlier.
Leo Minor was placed in the sky for astrological reasons. Astrologers attributed a bad influence to the two celestial Ursa Dippers and Leo, and in order not to break traditions, Hevelius placed between Leo and the Big Dipper an animal with the same “bad influence” - a lion cub or, which sounds more respectable, the Lesser Lion.
In the place now occupied by the constellation Canes Venatici, Hevelius painted a pair of dogs rushing at Ursa Major. Since Hevelius put the leashes of these dogs into the hands of Bootes, it turned out that for some reason the son of Callisto was poisoning his mother with the dogs. This strange invention of Hevelius looks more like mischief than an action that has any logical basis.

There is some hope for success: after all ε Eridani resembles the Sun. It is solitary, quite cold, even somewhat colder than the Sun, comparable to it in size and mass, and rotates slowly around its axis. The last circumstance can be considered, if not as a direct indication, then as a hint of the existence of ε Eridani planetary system. This star is somewhat closer to us than τ Keith, - it’s only about 3 pcs.

CONSTELLATIONS OF THE SPRING SKY

How dark it is, this spring starry sky! Three and a half months ago, at the same hour of the day, the southern half of the sky was decorated with seven brightest stars. And now our attention is attracted only by three stars of the first magnitude, shining alone, surrounded by a few and dim spring stars.

April 15, 11 pm. Slightly to the right of the celestial meridian, almost halfway from the point south to the zenith, the constellation Leo is visible, in which the silhouette of the mane and body of the “king of beasts” can be easily discerned. The main star of this constellation is Regulus.

Two bright stars are visible in the southeast. The one that is taller and brighter is the orange star Arcturus, the brightest of the spring stars, the main one in the constellation Bootes. Below and to the right of Arcturus is the bluish Spica, leading the constellation Virgo. Leo, Bootes and Virgo are the main and most expressive of the spring constellations.

To the right of Leo is the constellation Cancer, and above Leo is the unremarkable tiny constellation Leo Minor. To the right of Bootes the constellations Canes Venatici and Coma Berenices are visible, and to the right and below Virgo an irregular quadrangle of stars of almost equal brightness forms the constellation Raven. In the long constellation Hydra, it is easy to find only a relatively bright star α (2 m). But the Chalice and Sextant, concluded between Leo and Hydra, are so inexpressive that it is simply impossible to outline their clear contours. To the left and below the Spike, two stars are visible low above the horizon (2.8 m and 2.6 m) - α And β from the constellation Libra.

The origin of the names of some of the spring constellations is very curious. For example, in the constellation Leo the same fierce Nemean Leo is forever imprinted, the victory over which was one of the twelve labors of the popular mythical hero Hercules (Hercules). By the way? Right there in the spring sky we will find another victim of Herculean power - the Lernaean Hydra. In the battle with this nine-headed monster, Hercules showed considerable ingenuity, and, despite the help of Hydra from the gigantic Cancer (and he is also immortalized in the spring starry sky), in the end, victory remained with the hero.

We are already familiar with the mythical story of Bootes, the son of Callisto. The origin of the constellation Virgo is not entirely clear. According to one of the ancient versions, this is the goddess of the harvest, Ceres. In any case, on ancient star maps, the heavenly Virgin holds in her hands a ripe ear of grain, marked with the star Spica (this is her name meaning “ear of ear”).

The legend associated with the constellation Coma is funny. Veronica. The Egyptian king Ptolemy Euergetes (3rd century BC) had a beautiful wife, Queen Veronica. Her luxurious long hair was especially magnificent. When Ptolemy went to war, his saddened wife swore an oath to the gods to sacrifice her hair if only the gods would keep her beloved husband safe and sound.

Soon Ptolemy returned home safely, but when he saw his shorn wife, he was quite upset. The royal couple was somewhat reassured by the astronomer Konon, who said that the gods raised Veronica’s hair to the sky, where they were destined to forever decorate the spring nights.

The constellation Libra is also one of the oldest, but the motives that prompted the ancients to place this simple measuring device among the stars are not entirely clear. It is possible that the constellation Libra and Virgo (with the Spike) reflected the economic interests of ancient traders and farmers.

In ancient star charts, the Raven and the Chalice are placed on Hydra. For some reason, the Raven pecks at the Hydra, and the Chalice looks very unstable, ready to fall. What does this strange combination of completely dissimilar objects mean? All traces of the origin of these ancient constellations have been erased from human memory. True, one far from reliable story has reached us that supposedly in this place in the sky the raven was captured, which Apollo sent with a bowl to fetch water to perform one religious ritual. The raven did not fulfill Apollo's request, for which, instead of with the cup, as punishment he was forever placed on the back of the serpentine celestial monster.

The other three constellations of the spring sky - Leo Minor, Canes Venatici and Sextant - are of very recent origin. They were introduced in the 17th century. Hevelius, whose ingenuity in this matter, in the complete absence of any serious argumentation, we have already noted earlier.

Leo Minor was placed in the sky for astrological reasons. Astrologers attributed a bad influence to the two celestial Ursa Dippers and Leo, and in order not to break traditions, Hevelius placed between Leo and the Big Dipper an animal with the same “bad influence” - a lion cub or, which sounds more respectable, the Lesser Lion.

In the place now occupied by the constellation Canes Venatici, Hevelius painted a pair of dogs rushing at Ursa Major. Since Hevelius put the leashes of these dogs into the hands of Bootes, it turned out that for some reason the son of Callisto was poisoning his mother with the dogs. This strange invention of Hevelius looks more like mischief than an action that has any logical basis.

And Hevelius placed the Sextant, a goniometric instrument, completely out of place at the feet of Leo. However, in this case, remaining true to himself, Hevelius provides the following “solid” basis for his invention. “It is placed here,” writes the famous Polish astronomer, “not because the arrangement of the stars is reminiscent of this instrument, and not because it turned out to be particularly appropriate here, but it served me from 1658 to 1679 to check the positions of the stars, but malice the people destroyed it along with my observatory and everything I had, consigning it all to the flames of a terrible fire. So I have placed this work of Vulcan in honor and glory of Urania, and astrologers will find that this monument is right here in its place, between Leo and Hydra, animals of a ferocious disposition.”

One should not, however, reproach Hevelius too much. He enjoyed the disposition of any discoverer, the right to give any name to the discovered object, and it is unlikely that he was bothered by the fear that his posterity might not find the motives he put forward to be entirely convincing.

First of all, get to know Regulus, the main star in this constellation. In the list of the twenty brightest stars in the sky, Regulus is in last place. This hot white star with a surface temperature of about 14,000 K is 140 times more luminous than the Sun. Placed at the distance of Sirius, Regulus would appear 6 times brighter than the brightest star in the earth's sky. But since Regulus is actually almost 10 times further than Sirius, its apparent brightness is only 1.3 m.

Regulus is a large star, 2.8 times the diameter of the Sun. And around this star the telescope discovers a strange retinue. At an angular distance of 177" a yellow star of 7.6 m is visible, whose physical properties are very similar to the Sun. Although the orbital motion of the star has not yet been discovered, the commonality of the proper movements of Regulus and its Sun-like companion makes us think that both stars are physically connected to each other. But Regulus also has a second satellite - a weak star 13 m, apparently, a white dwarf like the Puppy we already know. Three stars that are completely different from each other are united for some reason into a single physical system. The mysteries of such strange communities are still far from permissions.

But the double star is quite ordinary γ Leo. The orange and yellow stars 2.6 m and 3.8 m are separated by an interval of about four seconds of arc. An orbital motion occurring with a period of 619 years has long been discovered and studied in the system.

Pleshakov had a good idea - to create an atlas for children that would make it easy to identify stars and constellations. Our teachers picked up this idea and created their own atlas-identifier, which is even more informative and visual.

What are constellations?

If you look up into the sky on a clear night, you can see many sparkling lights of different sizes, like a scattering of diamonds, decorating the sky. These lights are called stars. Some of them seem to be collected in clusters and, upon prolonged examination, they can be divided into certain groups. Man called such groups “constellations.” Some of them may resemble the shape of a ladle or the intricate outlines of animals, however, in many respects this is just a figment of the imagination.

For many centuries, astronomers tried to study such clusters of stars and gave them mystical properties. People tried to systematize them and find a common pattern, and that’s how the constellations appeared. For a long time, constellations were carefully studied, some were divided into smaller ones, and they ceased to exist, and some, after clarification, were simply adjusted. For example, the constellation Argo was divided into smaller constellations: Compass, Carina, Parus, Poop.

The history of the origin of the names of the constellations is also very interesting. To make it easier to remember, they were given names united by one element or literary work. For example, it was noticed that during periods of heavy rain, the Sun rises from the direction of certain constellations, which were given the following names: Capricorn, Whale, Aquarius, and the constellation Pisces.

In order to bring all constellations to a certain classification, in 1930, at a meeting of the International Astronomical Union, it was decided to officially register 88 constellations. According to the decision made, constellations do not consist of groups of stars, but represent sections of the starry sky.

What are the constellations?

Constellations vary in the number and brightness of the stars that make up them. The 30 most noticeable groups of stars are identified. The largest constellation in terms of area is Ursa Major. It consists of 7 bright and 118 stars visible to the naked eye.

The smallest constellation, located in the southern hemisphere, is called the Southern Cross and cannot be seen with the naked eye. It consists of 5 bright and 25 less visible stars.

Lesser Horse is the smallest constellation in the northern hemisphere and consists of 10 faint stars that can be seen with the naked eye.

The most beautiful and brightest constellation is Orion. It consists of 120 stars visible to the naked eye, and 7 of them are very bright.

All constellations are conventionally divided into those located in the southern or northern hemisphere. Those who live in the southern hemisphere of the Earth cannot see star clusters located in the northern hemisphere and vice versa. Of the 88 constellations, 48 ​​are in the southern hemisphere, and 31 are in the northern hemisphere. The remaining 9 groups of stars are located in both hemispheres. The Northern Hemisphere is easily identified by the North Star, which always shines very brightly in the sky. She is the extreme star on the handle of the Ursa Minor dipper.

Due to the fact that the Earth rotates around the Sun, which prevents some constellations from being seen, the seasons change and the position of this star in the sky changes. For example, in winter the location of our planet in its circumsolar orbit is opposite to that in summer. Therefore, at each time of the year you can only see certain constellations. For example, in the summer, in the night sky you can see a triangle formed by the stars Altair, Vega and Deneb. In winter, there is an opportunity to admire the infinitely beautiful constellation Orion. That’s why they sometimes say: autumn constellations, winter, summer or spring constellations.

Constellations are best visible in the summer and it is advisable to observe them in open space, outside the city. Some stars can be seen with the naked eye, while others may require a telescope. The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, as well as Cassiopeia, are best visible. In autumn and winter, the constellations Taurus and Orion are clearly visible.

Bright constellations that are visible in Russia

The most beautiful constellations of the northern hemisphere visible in Russia include: Orion, Ursa Major, Taurus, Canis Major, Canis Minor.

If you look closely at their location and give free rein to your imagination, you can see a hunting scene, which, like an ancient fresco, has been depicted in the sky for more than two thousand years. The brave hunter Orion is always depicted surrounded by animals. Taurus runs to his right, and the hunter swings his club at him. At Orion's feet are the faithful Canis Major and Canis Minor.

Constellation Orion

This is the largest and most colorful constellation. It is clearly visible in autumn and winter. Orion can be seen over the entire territory of Russia. The arrangement of its stars resembles the outline of a person.

The history of the formation of this constellation originates from ancient Greek myths. According to them, Orion was a brave and strong hunter, the son of Poseidon and the nymph Emvriala. He often hunted with Artemis, but one day, for defeating her during a hunt, he was struck by the goddess’s arrow and died. After death, he was turned into a constellation.

Orion's brightest star is Rigel. It is 25 thousand times brighter than the Sun and 33 times its size. This star has a bluish-white glow and is considered supergiant. However, despite such impressive dimensions, it is significantly smaller than Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse adorns Orion's right shoulder. It is 450 times larger than the diameter of the Sun and if we put it in the place of our star, then this star will take the place of four planets before Mars. Betelgeuse shines 14,000 times brighter than the Sun.

The constellation Orion also includes nebulae and asterisms.

Constellation Taurus

Another large and unimaginably beautiful constellation of the northern hemisphere is Taurus. It is located northwest of Orion and is located between the constellations Aries and Gemini. Not far from Taurus there are such constellations as: Auriga, Cetus, Perseus, Eridanus.

This constellation in mid-latitudes can be observed throughout almost the entire year, with the exception of the second half of spring and early summer.

The history of the constellation dates back to ancient myths. They talk about Zeus turning into a calf in order to kidnap the goddess Europa and bring her to the island of Crete. This constellation was first described by Eudoxus, a mathematician who lived long before our era.

The brightest star not only of this constellation, but also of the other 12 groups of stars is Aldebaran. It is located on the head of Taurus and was previously called the “eye”. Aldebaran is 38 times the diameter of the Sun and 150 times brighter. This star is located 62 light years away from us.

The second brightest star in the constellation is Nat or El-Nat (the horns of the bull). It is located near Auriga. It is 700 times brighter than the Sun and 4.5 times larger.

Within the constellation there are two incredibly beautiful open clusters of stars, the Hyades and the Pleiades.

The age of the Hyades is 650 million years. They can be easily found in the starry sky thanks to Aldebaran, which is clearly visible among them. They include about 200 stars.

The Pleiades got its name from its nine parts. Seven of them are named after the seven sisters of Ancient Greece (the Pleiades), and two more are named after their parents. The Pleiades are very visible in winter. They include about 1000 stellar bodies.

An equally interesting formation in the constellation Taurus is the Crab Nebula. It was formed after a supernova explosion in 1054 and was discovered in 1731. The distance of the nebula from the Earth is 6500 light years, and its diameter is about 11 light years. years.

This constellation belongs to the Orion family and borders the constellations Orion, Unicorn, Canis Minor, and Hare.

The constellation Canis Major was first discovered by Ptolemy in the second century.

There is a myth according to which the Great Dog used to be Lelap. It was a very fast dog that could catch up with any prey. One day he chased a fox, which was not inferior to him in speed. The outcome of the race was a foregone conclusion, and Zeus turned both animals to stone. He placed the dog in heaven.

The constellation Canis Major is very visible in winter. The brightest star not only of this, but also of all other constellations is Sirius. It has a bluish luster and is located quite close to Earth, at a distance of 8.6 light years. In terms of brightness in our solar system, it is surpassed by Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon. Light from Sirius takes 9 years to reach Earth and is 24 times stronger than the sun. This star has a satellite called "Puppy".

The formation of such a concept as “Holidays” is associated with Sirius. The fact is that this star appeared in the sky during the summer heat. Since Sirius is translated from Greek as “canis,” the Greeks began to call this period vacation.

Constellation Canis Minor

Canis Minor borders on such constellations as: Unicorn, Hydra, Cancer, Gemini. This constellation represents the animal that, together with Canis Major, follows the hunter Orion.

The history of the formation of this constellation, if we rely on myths, is very interesting. According to them, Canis Minor is Mera, the dog of Icaria. This man was taught how to make wine by Dionysus and the drink turned out to be very strong. One day his guests decided that Ikaria had decided to poison them and killed him. The mayor was very sad for his owner and soon died. Zeus placed it in the form of a constellation in the starry sky.

This constellation is best observed in January and February.

The brightest stars in this constellation are Porcyon and Gomeisa. Porcyon is located 11.4 light years from Earth. It is somewhat brighter and hotter than the Sun, but physically differs little from it.

Gomeiza is visible to the naked eye and glows with a blue-white light.

Constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major, shaped like a ladle, is one of the three largest constellations. It is mentioned in the writings of Homer and in the Bible. This constellation is very well studied and has great significance in many religions.

It borders with such constellations as: Waterfall, Leo, Canes Venatici, Dragon, Lynx.

According to ancient Greek myths, the Big Dipper is associated with Callisto, a beautiful nymph and lover of Zeus. His wife Hera turned Callisto into a bear as punishment. One day, this bear came across Hera and her son, Arcas, with Zeus in the forest. To avoid tragedy, Zeus turned his son and nymph into constellations.

The big ladle is formed by seven stars. The most striking of them are three: Dubhe, Alkaid, Aliot.

Dubhe is a red giant and points to the North Star. It is located 120 light years from Earth.

Alkaid, the third brightest star in the constellation, expresses the end of the tail of Ursa Major. It is located 100 light years away from Earth.

Alioth is the brightest star in the constellation. She represents the tail. Because of its brightness, it is used in navigation. Alioth shines 108 times brighter than the Sun.

These constellations are the brightest and most beautiful in the northern hemisphere. They can be perfectly seen with the naked eye on an autumn or frosty winter night. The legends of their formation allow your imagination to run wild and imagine how the mighty hunter Orion, together with his faithful dogs, runs after his prey, while Taurus and Ursa Major watch him closely.

Russia is located in the northern hemisphere, and in this part of the sky we are able to see only a few of all the constellations existing in the sky. Depending on the time of year, only their position in the sky changes.

So the luminaries of the spring sky are shining above us - the bluish Spica, the amber Arcturus... Sirius disappeared. In the west – Castor, Chapel. Winter stars are leaving - but will rise again! Yes, it’s true – the constellations were brighter in winter. The seven brightest luminaries made their way across the sky. But even now I no less want to stand at the window and look at the sky. ( from the author’s early work – 14-15 years old).

Mid-April. Around 22-23 hours. It is this moment, according to tradition, that is considered as a reference for observing the constellations that are commonly called spring constellations. But it is worth noting that this is still a conditional point. The same picture can be observed on long winter nights (in the second half of the night), and in late spring and early summer (early evening). But we are talking specifically about this picture - taking into account the position of the constellation Leo near the celestial meridian, above the point of the south. And if you slightly soften the conditions and take as a basis the simultaneous visibility of Leo, Virgo and Bootes at the end of astronomical twilight (when the faintest stars are not visible) near the eastern or western horizon, then the time for observing the spring constellations will cover an even longer period of time - from mid-November to mid-July. (I’ll make a reservation that I mean the latitude of Moscow). So, spring stars... What are they?

First of all, after the enchanting spectacle of winter constellations, you will be amazed by the darkness of the spring sky. There are significantly fewer bright stars and noticeable constellations on it. If in winter the southern part of the sky was decorated with seven brightest stars, now there are only three. ...The main and most noticeable constellation of the spring sky is Leo. It is located east of the constellation Gemini and south of Ursa Major (to find it, look from the “bottom” of the Bucket in the direction opposite to the North Star). The shape of this constellation leaves no doubt about the correctness of its name. The silhouette of the lying king of beasts with his head held high is clearly visible in it. And the four brightest stars form a trapezoid, visible even in conditions of strong sky illumination. According to tradition, it is believed that this is a lion killed by Hercules while performing one of his labors. But this interpretation of the name, like almost all mythological explanations, is secondary. Alpha Leo - Regulus. This white star shines 140 times brighter than the Sun and 6 times brighter than Sirius. But due to the fact that it is located 10 times further than the brightest star in our sky, its brightness is only 1m.3. Nevertheless, Regulus managed to get into the twenty brightest stars in the sky, taking, however, the last place there. Regulus has two satellites, very different from both its bright companion and each other. One of them, star 7 m.6, is very similar in its characteristics to the Sun. The other, whose brightness is estimated at 13 m, is a white dwarf...

Three completely different luminaries. What brought them together?.. An interesting feature of this star is its location almost exactly on the ecliptic line. As a result, a series of lunar occultations of Regulus can sometimes be observed. In addition, Regulus is also interesting because of the origin of its name. Translated from Latin, it means “Royal” (from “regulus” - king). It would seem that this is directly related to the constellation in which this star is located: after all, the lion is the king of beasts. No wonder it is located on the site of the heart of a giant beast! But in reality everything is more interesting. Let's start with the fact that names with similar meanings exist in other languages. This star was also called “royal” in the Arab world. For example, Biruni called her “Maliki” - which also means “Royal”. The Greek name “Basiliskos”, which Claudius Ptolemy called Regulus even earlier, has the same meaning. This name of the star is clearly older than the name given to it by its place in the constellation “Heart of Leo.”

And finally, it is from the name of the star Regulus, according to philologists, that the word “regulate” comes from! This indicates its special importance for the ancients. It is believed that Regulus was one of the four "royal guardians" of the sky. These were the stars that, at the dawn of human history, designated four important points in the visible path of the Sun: the vernal equinox (Aldebaran), the summer solstice (Regulus), the autumn equinox (Antares), and the winter solstice (Fomalhaut). The “royal stars” divided the ecliptic, and therefore the year, into four equal segments. They were used to count the seasons. This means that we can say that they “regulated” the entire course of agricultural work... This was about 5 thousand years ago. Of course, over the past time, due to precession, the equinoxes and solstices have moved far from these stars. Now, near the point of the summer solstice, Aldebaran is located, the autumn equinox is foreshadowed by Regulus, the winter solstice is Antares, and near the spring equinox the Sun approaches Fomalhaut. The entire precession cycle is equal to 25,800 years, so it will be a very long wait for the ecliptic points to return to their original places... To the west (i.e. to the right) of Leo is the constellation Cancer. According to mythology, it depicts a cancer that bit Hercules during his battle with the Hydra (which is also nearby). This dim zodiac constellation contains the beautiful star cluster Manger (M44). The star “feeder” is located between two stars - “Donkeys” and is visible to the naked eye as a foggy speck.

The constellation Hydra is the most extensive in the entire sky. It occupies 1303 sq. degrees. But on such a huge area there was a long chain of dim stars. Only Hydra's alpha, Alpharad, reaches second magnitude. It can be found by continuing down the right (west) side of Leo's trapezium. There is also a long-period variable star R in this constellation, the brightness of which at maximum is only slightly weaker than the famous Mira Ceti. But we must move on to other notable spring constellations. Below and to the left of Leo, the constellation Virgo shines, shaped like an irregular rhombus. The main star of this constellation - Spica (it can also be found using the trapezoid of Leo, continuing down the left side) - has a magnitude of 1m.2, so it is slightly brighter than Regulus. This is despite the fact that it is more than twice as far as Regulus - almost 190 light years away. And our Sun Spica is 600 times more luminous! This is a hot blue-white giant star. In addition, Spica is a spectroscopic double star.

The origin of the name of the constellation Virgo is rather unclear. Even mythological explanations for it are contradictory. According to some sources, this is the Greek goddess of truth Dike, according to others - the goddess of fertility Ceres. Judging by the fact that the name of the star Spica in translation means “ear of grain”, and in the drawings of the constellation Virgo actually held an ear of grain or even a whole sheaf in her hands, the second explanation has taken more root.

The most famous landmark of the Virgo constellation is the largest cluster of galaxies. It is accessible with a large instrument, but, for example, the famous galaxy M 87 (see photo on the left, approx. webmasters), known as the Virgo A radio galaxy, is already visible with small (diameter 50-60 mm) instruments. Its gloss is 8m.7. The third bright star of the spring sky can be found by continuing the line of the handle of the Ursa Major dipper along a slightly curved curve. This is the orange Arcturus from the constellation Bootes, similar in outline to a parachute (I don’t see a better comparison). According to the myths, it depicts Arkad, the son of Callisto, transformed into the Big Dipper. Arcturus, apparently, received his name from his place in the sky. Translated, its name means “Guardian of the Bear.” This is a star of zero magnitude, the sixth in the list of the brightest stars in the sky. Its orange color easily catches the eye even to a novice observer. It is 26 times larger in diameter than the Sun. We are separated by about 36 light years. Arcturus is also notable for its enormous movement in the sky. This star travels a distance equal to the diameter of the lunar disk in approximately 800 years. It would seem that this is not much, but if all the stars moved at such a speed, the figures of the constellations would change noticeably within several centuries. The remaining constellations of the spring sky are not marked with such bright stars. I will list them, dividing them into two groups - “old” and “new”. The first include Libra, Raven, Chalice and Veronica's Hair. The second are the Lesser Lion, Sextant and Hounds. They, like some other constellations, were placed in the sky in the 17th century. Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius. They are all extremely inconspicuous. Is modesty noticeable only in Hound Dogs? - a star of third magnitude under the handle of the Ursa Major bucket. But it’s worth telling about this star in more detail. It so happened that the two names on the map of the spring sky are associated not with mythological, but with very real historical characters. The first of them is the constellation Coma Berenices. It is probably impossible to say for sure whether the events described took place in reality, but their characters - the Egyptian king Ptolemy Everget (III century BC) and his wife Veronica (Berenice) - lived in reality. One day, while waiting for her husband to go to war, the queen sacrificed her luxurious long hair to the gods. The court astronomer announced to the saddened king that the sacrifice was accepted by the gods and ascended to heaven...

Don't be angry, my king! – the old man exclaimed, “And listen to the will of heaven.” To you, lord, the goddess gives you the Great Miracle of Miracles. Look at the sky, where Arcturus, Shines like a spark in the distance, Where the seven-star Ladle and the royal Lion wove a precious pattern... ... Indeed, where Regulus once shone, Yes, Mizar and Alcor smoldered, Scattered diamond dust across the sky, the Hair of Veronica pattern.

This is how this scene is described in the poem “The Hair of Veronica” by the Greek poet Callimachus, the teacher of the geographer Eratosthenes, his predecessor in charge of the Library of Alexandria. It is worth noting that it has come down to us only in the Latin adaptation of the poet Catullus. And the quoted Russian translation mentions the Arabic names Mizar and Alcor, which were fixed on the map only in the Middle Ages.. But let’s forgive the poets for the inaccuracies...

The second “historical” name on the map of the spring sky is the name of that very modest alpha of the Hound Dogs. It bears the proud name “Carl’s Heart”! This refers to the English monarch, however... it is not entirely clear which one, and it is also unclear who is the author of this name! F. Yu. Siegel’s book “Treasures of the Starry Sky” says that Flamsteed named the star this way in honor of King Charles II. Yu. A. Karpenko in the book “Names of the Starry Sky” claims that the author of the name is Halley! And finally, I had to read somewhere that the “prototype” was not Charles II, but Charles I... But, be that as it may, there is no doubt about the “royal title” of this star.

Strange are the fates of earthly rulers! In the story about the winter constellations, I mentioned the flatterers’ proposal to place Napoleon Bonaparte in the starry sky, which was not accepted. Here, the names of the rulers, directly or indirectly, still remained on the map of the starry sky, having rather dubious reasons for this. Will these monuments be as enduring as the Egyptian pyramids and folk tales? Will the “crowned” name Heart of Charles last as long as the “royal” name Regulus? And in general, won’t the names of stars and constellations soon be forgotten, finally giving way to catalog numbers?

Constellation overview
Chapter 5. Constellations of the spring sky.

There are a whole host of interesting constellations in the spring sky. Today we will talk about the constellations Canes Venatici, Corona Borealis, Bootes, Coma Berenices, Leo, Leo Minor, Virgo, Raven, Chalice, Sextant, Hydra and Libra. Of these, three are zodiac - Leo, Virgo and Libra. Let's start with an overview map -

Now let's talk about each of the constellations separately.
If you look down from the outermost star of the Ursa Major bucket, you will see a fairly bright star there. This is Arcturus, alpha constellation Bootes, one of the brightest stars in our sky, the fourth brightest. The magnitude of Arcturus is -0.05 magnitude. The constellation Bootes itself contains 90 stars visible to the naked eye and its area occupies 907 square degrees. Bootes has many double stars and is home to the radiant of the Quadrantid meteor shower.
To the east of Bootes a bright star is visible - this is Gemma, the alpha constellation Northern Crown. Its magnitude is 2.2 magnitude. Together with several other stars of 3-4 magnitudes, it forms a semicircular figure, similar to a diadem. The small constellation of the Northern Crown contains 20 stars with a brightness of up to 6 magnitude and occupies an area of ​​179 square degrees. The constellation contains interesting variable stars and several double stars.
To the right (west) of Bootes, directly under the handle of the Ursa Major dipper lies the constellation Hound Dogs. Its alpha, Cor Caroli, at magnitude 2.9, is itself a curious double star. The constellation contains 30 stars brighter than magnitude 6, and its area is not large - 465 square degrees. Canes Venatici contains variable and double stars, the large globular cluster M3, accessible to a small telescope, as well as many galaxies, some of which are within the reach of small instruments.
Directly below Canes Venatici is the constellation Veronica's hair. Most of the constellation is occupied by a vast star cluster of the same name as the constellation. Coma Berenices contains interesting binaries, a globular cluster and many galaxies (part of the famous Virgo galaxy cluster), some of which are accessible to amateur instruments. Also located in Coma Berenices is the North Pole of our Galaxy. In the constellation there are 50 stars visible to the naked eye, and under the area of ​​Coma Berenices is slightly smaller than Canes Venatici - 386 square degrees.

This is how the constellations Bootes and Coma Berenices are presented in the atlas of John Hevelius “Uranography” -

If we continue the straight line formed by the stars alpha and beta of Ursa Major downwards, then there we will find a large star trapezoid - these are the contours of the constellation Leo. The brightest star of the constellation is Alpha Leo, named Regulus. Its brightness is 1.4 magnitudes. Leo contains 70 stars visible to the naked eye and is quite large in area - 947 square degrees. The constellation contains double and variable stars, many interesting galaxies, including those accessible to small telescopes. This is where the radiant of the Leonid meteor shower is located.
North of Leo is Little Leo. This small constellation covers an area of ​​232 square degrees and contains only 20 stars visible to the eye. Unlike previous constellations known since antiquity, it was introduced by John Hevelius in 1687.
There is a small constellation south of Leo Sextant. It was also introduced in 1687 by Jan Hevelius and named after the instrument of the same name. Contains only 25 stars up to sixth magnitude. In area it occupies 314 square degrees. In the constellation there are a couple of double and several galaxies, of which, perhaps, only one can be found with a small device.
This is what the constellation Leo looks like in the atlas of John Hevelius -

Below the constellation Bootes with Arcturus we will find another of the bright stars of the Northern sky - Spica. This is the alpha constellation Virgo. It has a brilliance of first magnitude. This large (1,294 square degrees) constellation contains 95 stars brighter than sixth magnitude. There are many binaries here that are suitable for observation with amateur instruments, and most importantly, Virgo is home to a great many galaxies. The famous Virgo galaxy cluster is located here. Some of them are quite capable of an amateur device. This is what Virgo looks like in Hevelius's atlas -

Just below and west of Spica lies the constellation Crow. Its main stars form a quadrangle, by which this small constellation can be identified - it occupies an area of ​​only 184 degrees. There are only fifteen stars visible to the naked eye. However, there are a couple of double stars, as well as a couple of galaxies, visible to the average amateur instrument.
West of the Crow is Bowl. This is also a small constellation - 282 square degrees and 20 stars to the naked eye.
This is how our ancestors saw both of these constellations -

To the left (east) of Spica we will find the ancient constellation Libra. There are 50 stars in Libra that are visible to the naked eye. In terms of area, it can be classified as medium - 538 square degrees. The constellation contains curious variables and double stars, as well as a small globular star cluster. Here is Libra in the old star atlas -

And the constellation stretching along the horizon closes our view Hydras. This highly elongated constellation occupies an area of ​​1303 square degrees in the sky. It contains 130 stars visible to the naked eye. You can find the alpha of Hydra, which bears the name Alphard, by placing a straight line connecting Gamma and alpha Leo to the south. Alphard has a brilliance of second magnitude. Hydra contains interesting double and variable stars, and several nebulous objects that are accessible to a small instrument.
We will look at these constellations in more detail in a series of separate posts. A detailed map will be added to each of them.

to be continued…