Write a legend about the constellation. ...Myths and legends about constellations...

In ancient times, people thought that the sky was a giant hollow dome rising above the flat Earth, like an upside-down cup on a saucer. Later, this idea of ​​the Earth and sky was replaced by another: the globe found itself in the center of a huge sphere, like a soap bubble. The sun moved across the surface of the bubble sky, making a full circle in a year.
The apparent path of the Sun around the Earth is called the ecliptic. The sun moves within a narrow band - the zodiac. It encircles the Earth and is 16 degrees wide (extending 8 degrees above the ecliptic and the same number of degrees below it). Within this belt are the orbits of all the planets of our solar system, except for Pluto, which moves within an exceptionally wide band. Also in the zodiac there are stars that form groups, called constellations in ancient times. To the first explorers of the sky, these constellations seemed similar to the outlines of animals, so the belt of constellations is known as the zodiac - from the Greek word "zodiakos", meaning "circle of animals".

The zodiac consists of twelve constellations, each of them has its own name and resembles an animal or human figure in shape. Ancient astrologers began to use these names to refer to the twelve astrological signs.
The zodiac belt is a conventional concept (it is generated by the consciousness of the person who highlighted it in the sky), but the stars located inside it are quite real. If you could simultaneously be at different points on the surface of the globe, you would see all twelve constellations at once. They were known long before Ptolemy described them in his writings. Each constellation has its own history, which has come down to us in the form of ancient myths. This folklore has become an integral part of our knowledge of astrological signs.

ARIES

Aries, or Ram, is the first sign of the Zodiac. In myths, the Ram always appears as a courageous, enterprising, agile, energetic animal, capable of overcoming obstacles and mountain steeps.
The story of the Ram begins in Ancient Greece, where King Athamas ruled Boeotia19. He married a woman named Nephele, and she bore him two beautiful children - a son, Phrixus, and a daughter, Gella.
After some time, Nephele got tired of Athamas. He left her and married Ino, who gave him two sons. Ino was a jealous schemer who hated her adopted children Phrixus and Gella. She planned to destroy them.
First of all, Ino persuaded the women of her country to dry the seeds prepared for sowing. That year nothing sprouted in the usually fertile fields. The Greeks were facing famine. The king sent an embassy to sacred Delphi to ask the oracle about the reason for the barrenness of the earth. It did not occur to him to ask the opinion of the women who sowed the seeds, but modern political leaders sometimes make a similar mistake.
Ino managed to bribe the king's envoys, and they, returning from Delphi, brought a false answer. They told Athamas that the gods would restore fertility to the soil if he sacrificed his children Phrixus and Gella to the god Jupiter. The gullible king decided to kill his son and daughter to save his people.
Frixus and Hella were meanwhile tending sheep. In the herd was the Golden-fleeced Aries, a gift from the god Mercury to their mother Nephele. Having heard about the impending crime, Nephele asked Aries to save her children. Aries, in a human voice, warned Frixus and Gella about the danger that threatened them, ordered them to climb onto his back and flew with them over the sea. Over the Dardanelles Strait, which separates Europe from Asia, Gella became dizzy, lost consciousness and slipped off Aries’s back. Hella fell into the sea and drowned. Since then, the sea where Gella died began to be called the Hellespont - the sea of ​​Gella.
Her brother Phrixus reached Colchis safely20. The vile Ino's plan failed, but this did not save the Greeks from hunger and did not bring Athamas to reason.
The ungrateful Phrixus sacrificed the Golden-fleeced Aries to Jupiter, who sent Aries to the stars for his brave deed.

CALF


The second sign of the Zodiac is Taurus, or the Bull, an animal that is both fierce and kind, always symbolizing strength and sexuality.
The myth of the Bull is associated with Jupiter, the supreme god of ancient Greece, the ruler of the heavens, other gods and people. Loving Jupiter had many affairs, wives and mistresses. One of his lovers was the beautiful Europa, daughter of the king of Phenicia.
Europa lived as a recluse in her father's palace and knew nothing of the outside world. One day she had a prophetic dream - an unknown woman stretched out her hands to Europe and said: “I will take you to Jupiter, since fate wants to make him your lover.”
And indeed, when that day Europa and her friends went to the meadow by the sea to pick roses and hyacinths, Jupiter saw the beauty and was struck by lightning. He decided to take over Europe.
Jupiter understood that the inexperienced young girl would run away from him in fear if he appeared to her in the guise of a thunderer, so he turned into a bull. He became not an ordinary bull, but a magnificent white animal with horns sparkling like diamonds and a silver moon on his forehead.
Europe succumbed to the charms of the beautiful, kind Bull and began to caress him. Finally she climbed onto his back. Jupiter was just waiting for this moment. He took off into the air and carried Europa to the island of Crete. There he resumed his former appearance and confessed his love to the girl. Under the shade of a huge tree they became lovers.
Soon the goddess of love Venus, appearing to Europe, explained to her that she was the woman from the dream. From now on, Venus said, the continent to which Jupiter delivered his chosen one will be called Europe.
This story of adultery (Jupiter was married to the goddess Juno) has a happy ending. Europa bore Jupiter three children, and he himself remained in heaven in the guise of a Bull.

TWINS


Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac and the first whose symbol is people, not animals.
The myth of Gemini, like the previous one, is associated with Jupiter and the weakness that he had for pretty women. In this story, the object of his passion is the beautiful Leda, the wife of King Tyndareus of Sparta. Lustful Jupiter, apparently not wanting to repeat the trick with the bull, this time turned into a magnificent swan. The details of their meeting have been preserved only approximately, but it is known that Jupiter, in the guise of a swan, managed to seduce Leda.
In this amazing union, Leda gave birth to two eggs. According to the myth, one of the eggs contained the offspring of Jupiter, and the other - the offspring of Leda's mortal husband. From a pair of eggs four children were born: two brothers, Castor and Pollux, and two sisters, Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. It remains unclear whose father Jupiter was. According to one version, Castor and Pollux were the immortal descendants of God. According to another, the children of Jupiter were Castor and Helen.
In any case, the twins Castor and Pollux grew up strong, agile and inseparable. Castor became famous for his ability to tame wild horses, Pollux won universal recognition as an invincible fist fighter. In their youth, the brothers went with Jason and his Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. When a storm broke out in the sea, two stars sparkled above the heads of the twins, and the elements magically calmed down. Because of this incident, Castor and Pollux are considered the patrons of all those sailing the seas. (During a storm, these lights still flicker near the tips of masts and high spiers. They are generated by atmospheric electricity. According to legend, the appearance of two lights heralds the end of the storm. If only one light glows, the storm will intensify.)
Geminis were considered courageous young men. Unfortunately, Castor died in battle. Nothing could console Pollux. Finally he went to his father Jupiter and asked him to bring Castor back to life. In return, Pollux agreed to sacrifice himself.
Jupiter rewarded the brothers for their love and affection by sending them both to heaven as stars. Since then, they have been shining forever in the constellation Gemini next to each other.

CANCER


The fourth sign of the zodiac is depicted as Cancer, an inhabitant of water bodies, also capable of moving on land. It is known that Cancer as a symbol appeared in the zodiac about five hundred years before the beginning of our era. The Chaldeans gave one of the constellations this name because Cancer moves backward or moves in a zigzag, and the Sun, having reached the region of this sign around June 21, seems to freeze for several days in one position. After the Sun enters the constellation Cancer, the summer solstice begins.
The Egyptians called this constellation "Water Stars" and symbolized it with a pair of turtles. (This may be due to the fact that the constellation was observed at dawn, when the water level in the Nile reaches its minimum; at this time of year the Nile is teeming with turtles.) According to many astrologers, Cancer is a cross between the Egyptian river turtle and the Babylonian waterfowl Allula, apparently closely related to the turtle. There are important similarities between these three species - the turtle, the allulus and the crayfish. They are similar in structure, have a hard shell and move slowly (like the Sun in the sign of Cancer).
According to ancient Greek myth, a giant crayfish dug its claws into the leg of Hercules when he fought the nine-headed monster Hydra. Hercules, the son of Jupiter and a woman named Alcmene, was tasked with performing twelve heroic deeds known as the Labors of Hercules. One of these feats was to be the destruction of the formidable snake Hydra. At the time of the cancer's attack, Hercules knocked down the Hydra's heads with a club, but in the place of each knocked-down head, two new ones grew.
The cancer attack was inspired by Juno, the jealous wife of Jupiter, who wanted the death of Hercules. However, cancer doomed itself to death. Having crushed him, Hercules continued the fight with Hydra.
Nevertheless, Juno was grateful to the cancer for trying to carry out her orders. As a reward for obedience and sacrifice, she placed an image of a cancer in the sky next to the symbols of other heroes.

A LION


The fifth sign of the zodiac is represented by Leo, the king of beasts. The mythology of Leo is traditionally based on the story of the battle of Hercules with the Nemean lion.
Hercules was the son of the great god Jupiter and an ordinary woman Alcmene. Jupiter's wife Juno, who was not without reason jealous of her husband for his many lovers, began to pursue Hercules from the first day of his life. Young Hercules was forced to perform twelve dangerous heroic deeds, which went down in history as the Labors of Hercules.
The first labor of Hercules was to destroy the fierce and fearless lion that lived in the Nemean Valley. No human weapon could pierce his skin. Stone, iron and bronze bounced off her. Hercules tried to kill the lion with arrows, but they flew off the sides of the beast. The hero decided to defeat the lion with his bare hands. Possessing incredible strength, he managed to squeeze his neck with his fingers and strangle him. During the fight, the lion bit off Hercules' finger - undoubtedly, we can assume that the hero got off lightly.
Having killed the beast, Hercules tore off its magical skin. He made breastplates from it, and a protective helmet from the jaw of a lion. This new armor proved to be very valuable in the following feats.
The constellation Leo perpetuates the courage of Hercules, shown during single combat with the mighty Nemean lion.

VIRGO


Virgo is the sixth sign of the zodiac and the second whose symbol is a person, not an animal. Virgo is often depicted as a young woman holding a sheaf of wheat in her hand, as this constellation is always associated with the harvest. In Babylon it was called Furrow and was represented as the goddess of wheat. The main star in Virgo is Spica, which means “ear of wheat.”
The legend of the Virgin is found in the ancient Greek creation myth. According to it, before people and animals, there lived titans on earth - giants who ruled the world. Two titan brothers, Prometheus and Epimetheus, were given the task of creating people and animals. When this was done, Epimetheus began to give various gifts to the animals - wings to some, claws to others. He showed such generosity that when it came to the human race, he had nothing left in reserve, so he turned to Prometheus for help. Prometheus went to heaven and returned from there with fire. This gift elevated humans above all other species because fire allowed humans to keep warm, make tools, and eventually engage in trade and science.
Jupiter, the ruler of the gods, was furious when he learned that man had received the secret of the gods - fire. He ordered Prometheus to be chained to a rock, where the eagle constantly tore the titan's liver with its beak, never devouring it entirely. Jupiter also sent a curse to the earth, delivered by the first woman. Her name was Pandora, which means “endowed with all gifts.”
Pandora brought a box to earth that she was forbidden to open. One day, succumbing to curiosity, she lifted the lid. From the box scattered all those misfortunes that haunt humanity to this day: physical illness and death, as well as mental vices - anger, envy and the thirst for revenge. At the bottom of the box there was only one hope left.
After this incident, terrible times came, and one by one the gods left the Earth to live in heaven. The last to fly away was Astraea, the goddess of innocence and purity. She found refuge among the stars in the form of the constellation Virgo. Legend claims that one day the Golden Age will begin again and Astraea (Virgo) will return to earth.

SCALES


Libra is the seventh astrological sign and the only one whose symbol is not a person or animal. Libra represents balance, justice and harmony.
Like the previous sign, Libra is associated with the harvest, since in ancient times grain was weighed on scales after the harvest. They also contain deeper symbolism. In the underworld, the deeds of the dead are weighed against them.
In the religion of the Egyptians, the scales of justice were solely owned by the god Anubis, the guide of souls. Anubis, who had the head of a jackal, led the dead through the underworld and made sure that they received what they deserved. He was the keeper of the scales. There is a painting called the Ani papyrus, painted one and a half thousand years before the birth of Christ. It depicts a court scene. Anubis stands at the large scales used to weigh the heart of the deceased. On one bowl rests the heart, on the other sits Truth, symbolized by a feather. In this painting the bowls balance each other. According to Egyptian beliefs, a dead heart (or soul) must be in balance with the Truth in order to gain a second life.
Libra has also long been associated with justice and legality. We have all seen statues that symbolize justice. This is a blindfolded woman holding scales in her hands, a symbol of impartiality, that everyone will be rewarded according to their deserts.
In Greek mythology, the goddess of justice was Themis, mother of Astraea. Themis and her daughter Astraea are represented by the constellations Libra and Virgo, twinkling in the sky next to each other. According to legend, when the human race finally enters the Golden Age, Themis, symbolizing justice, and her daughter (symbolizing innocence), will return to earth.

SCORPION


The eighth sign of the zodiac is represented by Scorpio, which paralyzes its victim with poison, which it throws out through a sting located behind it.
This sign suffers from an association with Scorpio, a hated and dangerous insect. However, the scorpion was not always disgusting. In ancient Egypt, he was deified in the form of the goddess Selket. She was considered the patroness of the dead; she can often be seen with outstretched protective wings on the walls of crypts.
The classic Scorpio myth begins with the death of Orion, a handsome young giant and skilled hunter, son of the god of the seas Poseidon (Neptune). Orion's agility, strength and courage are glorified in legends. The story of his death is told in several versions. According to one of them, the goddess of the dawn Eos fell in love with Orion and took him with her. The Moon Goddess Diana (Artemis among the Greeks) out of jealousy ordered the scorpion to kill her mortal lover Eos.
According to another version, Orion tried to rape Diana, and she pulled out a giant scorpion from the ground, which killed Orion with its poison.
After the death of Orion, Jupiter placed him and Scorpio among the stars. Each of them became a constellation. Orion, with his golden armor and sword in hand, is one of the brightest and most spectacular constellations in the winter sky. But in the summer, when Scorpio appears in the sky, the shine of Orion fades.

SAGITTARIUS


Sagittarius, the ninth sign of the zodiac, is not an ordinary person stretching the bowstring. Sagittarius is a centaur, a mythological creature that is half man and half horse. Sagittarius is the only astrological sign depicted as both a human and an animal.
However, the constellation Sagittarius is not a simple centaur. This is the great and wise Chiron, the son of the Titan god Saturn. Chiron was a friend and confidant of both gods and men. The gods taught Chiron to heal, hunt, play musical instruments and predict the future. Over time, Chiron himself became a recognized teacher. Among his famous students were Achilles, Jason, Castor, Pollux and Hercules.
One day, when the great Hercules was hunting a formidable boar, he accidentally wounded Chiron in the knee with a poisoned arrow. A terrible agony gripped Chiron, but the immortal centaur could not die. Hercules promised to find Death, who could alleviate the fate of Chiron. During his wanderings, Hercules discovered the unfortunate Prometheus, forever chained to a rock, where an eagle was devouring his liver. The supreme god Jupiter cursed Prometheus: the hero’s torment was to continue until someone agreed to voluntarily take his place. The dying Chiron replaced Prometheus. Thus the curse ended. Chiron was allowed to die, and Hercules freed Prometheus.
After Chiron's death, Jupiter rewarded his nobility by placing the courageous centaur among the stars, and he became the constellation Sagittarius.

CAPRICORN


The tenth sign of the zodiac is Capricorn, an animal with strong hooves that climbs up mountain slopes, clinging to every ledge.
In ancient times, Capricorn was depicted as a half-goat, half-fish, or rather, a goat with a fish tail. In many paintings and engravings you can see Capricorn with a fish tail, and in some astrological books Capricorn is called the Sea Goat.
In the religion of ancient Babylon, the Sea Goat is the great and revered god Ea, who brought knowledge and culture to the peoples of Mesopotamia. In the Mesopotamian Valley, irrigation of lands and crops began with the flooding of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Because of this, people believed in the existence of an underground ocean. God Ea lived in this ocean. He came out of the underground reservoir every day to bring his wisdom to people, and returned back at night.
During the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, Capricorn became associated with the god Pan, a cheerful and lustful creature, ruler of forests and fields, herds and shepherds. Above the waist, Pan was a man, and below - a goat. He had goat ears and horns.
Pan loved music and became famous for his playing of the pipe. His shepherd's pipe was actually a nymph who rejected his sexual advances. Pan turned her into a musical instrument, declaring that if he could not possess her in her original form, she would still belong to him in a new form.
Pan gained fame as the god of nature. Some of Pan's traits - sexuality, shamelessness, love of nature - were preserved in the character of Capricorn.

AQUARIUS


The symbol of the eleventh sign of the zodiac is Aquarius, a man with a jug from which water is pouring.
The image of Aquarius first appeared in the religions of Egypt and Babylon. In Egypt, Aquarius was the god Hap, who personified the Nile River. Hap carried a pair of water vessels, symbolizing the Southern and Northern Nile. This god was considered the guardian of life. All living things would die without Hap's water.
In ancient Greek literature, Aquarius was sometimes associated with Jupiter, by whose will water flowed from heaven to earth. This sign also perpetuates the memory of Deucalion, the only person who was not harmed during the great flood.
At the beginning of the creation of the world, gods and people lived in harmony. This era is called the Golden Age. The earth itself gave man rich fruits, and he did not have to cultivate fields and gardens; The river beds were filled with wine and honey. Then Pandora opened the box of disasters, and disease and other misfortunes befell humanity.
Great Jupiter looked down and decided to rid the world of people, to create a new race, more worthy of life. With the help of his brother Poseidon, Jupiter flooded the earth with water. Only two people survived, Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha - righteous people who zealously worshiped the gods. They found refuge on Mount Parnassus, and when Jupiter saw them, he remembered the exemplary behavior of the spouses. Jupiter caused the waters to recede and the earth to dry up. He ordered Deucalion and Pyrrha to collect stones and throw them, without turning around, over their heads. Deucalion fulfilled the command of the mighty thunderer, and the stones that he threw turned into men, and the stones thrown by his wife Pyrrha turned into women. So the Earth received a new population after the flood. Deucalion became the father of these people.

FISH


The twelfth and last sign of the zodiac is depicted as two fish, tied to one another, but swimming in opposite directions. Two fish in the water symbolize opposing emotions and secret depths.
The constellation Pisces was known by this name two thousand years BC. In Babylon it bore the name Kun, which translated means Tails (of fish). Kun is also interpreted as a ribbon or leash (with which two fish are connected). Two fish-goddesses on a leash, Anunitum and Symmachus, symbolized the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
In Greek mythology, Pisces is associated with the myth of Aphrodite and Eros. The terrible monster Typhon with a hundred dragon heads, spewing fire from his eyes, shook the air with a menacing howl, in which the hissing of snakes, the roar of a bull and the roar of a lion could be heard.
One day Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was walking along the banks of the Euphrates with her son Eros. Suddenly Typhon appeared in front of them. Ominous tongues flickered in his mouth, his eyes blazed with fire. The monster set out to destroy the goddess and her son. Frightened Aphrodite, unable to escape, called on her father Jupiter for help. The great god immediately turned Aphrodite and Eros into two fish. They jumped into the water and disappeared. According to another version, two brave fish jumped out of the river and carried Aphrodite and Eros on their backs to safety. Pallas Athena (the virgin goddess) took these fish to the sky as a sign of gratitude, where they became a constellation.

Probably every adult remembers a delightful lullaby from the old Soviet cartoon about Umka. It was she who showed little TV viewers the constellation Ursa Major for the first time. Thanks to this cartoon, many people became interested in astronomy and wanted to find out more about this strangely named collection of bright planets.

The constellation Ursa Major is an asterism of the northern hemisphere of the sky, which has a huge number of names that have come down to us from ancient times: Elk, Plow, Seven Wise Men, Cart and others. This collection of bright celestial bodies is the third largest galaxy in the entire sky. The most fascinating thing is that some parts of the “bucket”, which is part of the constellation Ursa Major, are visible all year round.

It is precisely due to its characteristic location and brightness that this galaxy is well recognizable. The constellation includes seven stars that have Arabic names but Greek designations.

Stars included in the constellation Ursa Major

Designation

Name

Interpretation

Small of the back

Beginning of the tail

The origin of the name is unknown

Loincloth

Benetnash (Alkaid)

Leader of the Mourners

There are a huge number of different theories about the appearance of the constellation Ursa Major.

The first legend is related to Eden. A long time ago, there lived the nymph Callisto, the daughter of Lycaon and the assistant of the goddess Artemis. There were legends about her beauty. Even Zeus himself could not resist her charms. The union of the god and the nymph led to the birth of the son Arcas. The angry Hera turned Callisto into a bear. During one of the hunts, Arcas almost killed his mother, but Zeus saved her just in time, sending her to heaven. He also moved his son there, turning him into the constellation Ursa Minor.

The 2nd legend is directly related to Zeus. As legend says, the ancient Greek titan Kronos destroyed each of his heirs, because it was predicted to him that one of them would overthrow him from the throne. However, Rhea - the mother of Zeus - decided to save the life of her child and hid him in the cave of Ida, located on the modern island of Crete. It was in this cave that he was nursed by the goat Amalthea and two nymphs, who, according to legend, were she-bears. Their names were Helis and Melissa. Having overthrown his father and the rest of the Titans, Zeus gave his brothers - Hades and Poseidon - the underground and aquatic kingdoms, respectively. In gratitude for feeding and caring, Zeus immortalized the bears and the goat, ascending them to heaven. Amalthea became a star in the constellation Auriga. And Helis and Melissa now represent two galaxies - Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

The myths of the Mongolian peoples identify this asterism with the mystical number “seven”. They have long called the constellation Ursa Major either the Seven Elders, or the Seven Sages, the Seven Blacksmiths and the Seven Gods.

There is a Tibetan legend about the appearance of this galaxy of bright stars. Legend says that once upon a time a man with the head of a cow lived in the steppes. In the fight against evil (in legend it appears as a black bull), he stood up for the snow-white bull (good). The sorceress punished the man for this by killing him with a steel weapon. From the impact it broke into 7 parts. The good snow-white bull, appreciating the man’s contribution to the fight against evil, carried him to heaven. This is how the constellation Ursa Major appeared, in which there are seven bright stars.

Constellations are “groups of stars”, areas into which the celestial sphere is divided for ease of orientation in the starry sky.

Our distant ancestors considered the stars to be motionless. Indeed, despite the fact that the entire picture of the starry sky continuously rotates (reflecting the rotation of the Earth), the relative position of the stars on it remains unchanged for centuries. Therefore, stars have been used since time immemorial to determine location on earth and keep time. For ease of orientation, people divided the sky into constellations - areas with easily recognizable star patterns.

We inherited from the most ancient astronomers the division of the sky into 21 northern constellations, 12 zodiacal and 15 southern, 48 in total. These 48 classical constellations received their modern names back in Hellenistic Greece and are included in the catalog of the starry sky of Claudius Ptolemy “Almagest”.

The sky was divided into 88 constellations with rectilinear boundaries. Of the 88 constellations, 32 are located in the Northern celestial hemisphere, 48 in the Southern, and 8 constellations are equatorial.

According to available information, the delimitation of the zodiacal constellations and most of the constellations of the northern celestial hemisphere occurred in Egypt around 2500 BC. e. But the Egyptian names of the constellations are unknown to us. The ancient Greeks adopted the Egyptian delimitation of the constellations, but gave them new names. Nobody can say when this happened.

After the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1922, the constellations received Latin names that became universal.

The 47 constellations were named approximately 4,500 years ago. These are Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Dragon, Bootes, Taurus, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Libra, Virgo, Scorpio, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Aries, Pisces, Orion, Canis Major, Hare, Hercules, Arrow, Dolphin, Eridanus, Whale, Southern Fish, Southern Crown, Canis Minor, Centaurus, Wolf, Hydra, Chalice, Raven, Coma Berenices, Southern Cross, Small Horse, Northern Crown, Ophiuchus, Charioteer, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, Perseus, Lyra, Swan , Eagle and Triangle.

As you can see, most of the names are taken from Greek mythology. This number was also preserved by the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus (2nd century BC) in his star catalogue. The same constellations were also described by the Alexandrian scientist Claudius Ptolemy (2nd century AD). This was the knowledge about the constellations until the beginning of the 17th century.

In 1603, the German astronomer Johann Bayer published his star atlas, in which he added 11 new constellations to the ancient ones - Peacock, Toucan, Crane, Phoenix, Flying Fish, Southern Hydra, Dorado, Chameleon, Bird of Paradise, Southern Triangle and Indian. The names of these constellations are not associated with mythology (with the exception of Phoenix). Most of them bear the names of real and fantastic animals and birds.

In 1690, the star atlas of the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius was published, who added 11 more constellations - Giraffe, Fly, Unicorn, Dove, Canes Venatici, Chanterelle, Lizard, Sextant, Lesser Leo, Lynx and Shield.

The study of the starry sky in the southernmost part of the celestial sphere (inaccessible for observation in Europe) began much later. Only in 1752, the French astronomer Nicolas Louis Lacaille, a famous explorer of the southern starry sky, demarcated and named 14 constellations - Sculptor, Furnace, Clock, Reticle, Chisor, Painter, Altar, Compass, Pump, Octant, Compass, Telescope, Microscope and Table Mountain . As you can see, in the names of the constellations of the southern part of the starry sky, devices and instruments are immortalized most of all - the time has come for the beginning of technical progress.

The total number of constellations indicated so far is 83. Five constellations remain - Carina, Puppis, Sails, Serpens and Angle. Previously, three of them - Keel, Stern and Sails - formed one large constellation Ship, in which the ancient Greeks personified the mythical ship of the Argonauts, under the leadership of Jason, who undertook a campaign to distant Colchis for the Golden Fleece.

The constellation Serpens is the only one located in two separate areas of the sky. In essence, in this way, an interesting combination was obtained from it being divided into two parts by the constellation Ophiuchus, and, thus, an interesting combination of two constellations was obtained. In ancient star atlases, these constellations were depicted in the form of a man (Ophiuchus) holding a huge snake in his hands.

Of course, astrologers came up with the names of individual groups of stars. Usually stars are named in Latin, this is tradition. But in each country the names are translated into their own language. The imagination of ancient astrologers was limitless; with the help of their imagination, they saw the outlines of fairy-tale animals or brave heroes in the starry sky. Almost every constellation has some ancient legend or myth associated with it.

Andromeda

The constellation is visible throughout Russia all year round.

The best time to observe is in September and October.

The constellation Andromeda is located in the northern hemisphere. The constellation has been known since the Middle Ages and is included in Claudius Ptolemy’s catalog of the starry sky “Almagest”. It has a characteristic pattern called an asterism - the three brightest stars located in a line stretching from northeast to southwest.

Alamak is a triple system consisting of a yellow main star and two physically connected bluish satellite stars. The star Alferats has two other names:

Alfaret and the full Arabic name “Sirrah al-Faras”, which means “the navel of the horse”. They both refer to navigation stars, by which sailors can determine their position at sea.

According to ancient Greek myth, Andromeda was the daughter of the Ethiopian king Kepheus (Cepheus) and Queen Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia was very beautiful and did not hide it; once she even boasted of her beauty to the sea nymphs, who were not ugly at all. Therefore, they were angry with Cassiopeia for her immodesty and complained to the god of the seas, Poseidon. He decided to punish the proud queen and sent a flood to the land of Ethiopia. And along with the flood, a sea monster in the form of the Whale. This monster came out onto land with the tide and destroyed all the ships at sea, all buildings on land, devoured livestock and people.

King Kepheus turned to the priests of the god Amun (Zeus) for help.

After consulting, the priests came to a consensus: in order to get rid of the monster, it was necessary to sacrifice Andromeda, the king’s daughter, to him. Kefei did not dare to make such a sacrifice, since he and Cassiopeia loved their daughter, smart and beautiful, very much. But the exhausted people forced the king to fulfill the command of the priests, and Andromeda was chained to a rock on the seashore. Shortly before these events, Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of the Argive king Acrisius, defeated Medusa. He flew to an island where gorgons lived - monsters whose heads, instead of hair, were swarming with live snakes. Their gaze is so terrible that anyone who looks into their eyes freezes to stone. But courageous Perseus was fearless. After waiting for the moment when the gorgons fell asleep, he cut off the head of the most important gorgon - Medusa. Immediately, the winged horse Pegasus flew out of Medusa’s huge body. Perseus jumped on Pegasus and flew home.

Flying over Ethiopia, I saw the beautiful Andromeda chained to a rock. He was shocked by the beauty of the girl. And her bitter fate shocked him. And Perseus decided to help the girl out. When Keith emerged from the abyss and headed towards the shore to eat Andromeda, Perseus, rising on winged sandals, struck the monster with a sword. But Keith dodged and rushed to attack. Perseus was not taken aback and directed the numb gaze of Medusa, whose head was attached to his shield, at Keith. The whale looked into her eyes, froze, turned to stone and turned into an island.

Perseus freed Andromeda and took her to the palace of King Kepheus. The grateful father offered Perseus his daughter as a wife.

Captivated by Andromeda's beauty, Perseus agreed to marry her. As a token of gratitude, Kepheus and Cassiopeia arranged a magnificent wedding: Andromeda became the wife of Perseus. She lived happily with him for many years, giving birth to Gorgophon, Persian, Alcaeus, Electryon, Sthenelus, Mestor and Hylaeus. After death, the gods turned Andromeda into a constellation. King Kepheus (Cepheus), his wife Cassiopeia and even the evil Keith turned into constellations.

...Ursa Major... The beautiful constellation Ursa Major attracted the attention of the Bulgarian people, who gave it the name Cart. This name is associated with such a legend. One day a young man went into the forest to chop wood. He came to the forest, unharnessed the oxen and let them graze. Suddenly, a bear ran out of the forest and ate one of the ox. The young man was a great brave man, he grabbed the bear and harnessed her to the cart instead of the ox that she had eaten. The beautiful constellation Ursa Major attracted the attention of the Bulgarian people, who gave it the name Povozka. This name is associated with such a legend. One day a young man went into the forest to chop wood. He came to the forest, unharnessed the oxen and let them graze. Suddenly, a bear ran out of the forest and ate one of the ox. The young man was a great brave man, he grabbed the bear and harnessed her to the cart instead of the ox that she had eaten. But the bear could not pull the cart, she twitched from side to side, and therefore in the constellation the cart appears to be twisted. In the constellation Ursa Major, old people liken individual stars like this: the star η - the Charioteer, the star Mizar (ζ) - the Ursa, the star ε - the Ox, the star Alcor - a dog that barks at the bear. The remaining stars form the Cart itself. Because of similar geometric figures in the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Bulgarian people also call the constellation Ursa Minor the Little Carriage.

...URSA MINOR... Is also a circumpolar constellation and is visible above the horizon at any time. It is almost entirely surrounded by the constellation Draco. Just to the north of it is the constellation Giraffe. On a clear and moonless night, 20 stars can be seen with the naked eye in this constellation, but in general these are faint stars. Only one of them - Polaris - is a star of second magnitude. The brightest stars form a figure reminiscent of the Big Dipper, only smaller and inverted. Therefore, the constellation was named Ursa Minor.

Bötes One of the most beautiful constellations. It attracts attention with the interesting configuration formed by its brightest stars: an unfolded female fan, in the handle of which the zero-magnitude star Arcturus shines reddish. The bootes are best seen at night from April to September. Near it are the following constellations: Corona Borealis, Serpens, Virgo, Coma Berenices, Canes Venatici and Dragon.

According to one legend, the constellation Bootes represents the first farmer Triptolemus. The goddess of fertility and patroness of agriculture, Demeter, gave him an ear of wheat, a wooden plow and a sickle. She taught him how to plow the land, how to sow wheat grains and use a sickle to reap the ripe crop. The very first field sown by Triptolemus yielded a rich harvest. According to one legend, the constellation Bootes represents the first farmer Triptolemus. The goddess of fertility and patroness of agriculture, Demeter, gave him an ear of wheat, a wooden plow and a sickle. She taught him how to plow the land, how to sow wheat grains and use a sickle to reap the ripe crop. The very first field sown by Triptolemus yielded a rich harvest. Fulfilling the will of the goddess Demeter, Triptolemus initiated people into the secrets of agriculture. He taught them to cultivate the land and worship the goddess Demeter so that she would reward their labor with rich fruits. Then he got into a chariot harnessed to snakes and flew high, high... all the way to the sky. There the gods turned the first plowman into the constellation Bootes and gave him tireless oxen - bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major. With their help he continually plows and sows the sky. And when, after a period of invisibility in early spring, after midnight, a plowman appeared in the east - the constellation Bootes, people began to prepare for spring field work.

...THE HEARING DOGS... A small constellation. There are no bright stars to attract our attention. It is best observed at night from February to July. It is surrounded by the following constellations: Bootes, Coma Berenices and Ursa Major. On a clear, moonless night, about 30 stars can be seen with the ordinary eye in the constellation Canes Venatici. These are fairly faint stars, approximately at the limit of visibility with the naked eye, and they are so randomly scattered that if you connect them with lines, it is very difficult to obtain any characteristic geometric figure. Small constellation. There are no bright stars to attract our attention. It is best observed at night from February to July. It is surrounded by the following constellations: Bootes, Coma Berenices and Ursa Major. On a clear, moonless night, about 30 stars can be seen with the ordinary eye in the constellation Canes Venatici. These are fairly faint stars, approximately at the limit of visibility with the naked eye, and they are so randomly scattered that if you connect them with lines, it is very difficult to obtain any characteristic geometric figure. In the constellation Canes Venatici there are no notable objects visible to the naked eye. But with binoculars or a regular telescope you can observe one of the most beautiful and interesting double stars. This is α Canes Venatici - the brightest star in the constellation. In the visual field of a telescope, this star presents a magnificent spectacle: the main star emits yellow light, and its companion glows violet. This star attracts attention not only for its beauty, but also for its interesting feature - the main star has a variable brightness

(((…))) The constellations Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Bootes and Canes Venatici are associated with one myth, which still worries us today because of the tragedy described in it. Once upon a time, King Lycaon ruled in Arcadia. And he had a daughter, Callisto, known throughout the world for her charm and beauty. Even the ruler of Heaven and Earth, the thunderer Zeus, admired her divine beauty as soon as he saw her. Secretly from his jealous wife - the great goddess Hera - Zeus constantly visited Callisto in her father's palace. From him she gave birth to a son, Arkad, who grew up quickly. Slender and handsome, he deftly shot a bow and often went hunting in the forest. Hera learned about the love of Zeus and Callisto. Flowing into a rage, she turned Callisto into an ugly bear. When Arkad returned from hunting in the evening, he saw a bear in the house. Not knowing that this was his own mother, he pulled the bowstring... But Zeus did not allow Arkad, albeit unwittingly, to commit such a serious crime. Even before Arkad fired the arrow, Zeus grabbed the bear by the tail and quickly soared with her into the sky, where he left her in the form of the constellation Ursa Major. But while Zeus was carrying the bear, her tail began to lengthen, which is why the Big Dipper has such a long and curved tail in the sky. Knowing how much Callisto was attached to her maid, Zeus took her to heaven and left her there in the form of a small but beautiful constellation Ursa Minor. Zeus and Arcade moved to the sky and turned them into the constellation Bootes. Bootes is forever doomed to take care of his mother, the Big Dipper. Therefore, he firmly holds the leashes of the Hounds, which bristle with rage and are ready to pounce on the Big Dipper and tear it apart.

... TRIANGLE... Refers to the smallest constellations. This constellation is highest above the horizon from October to March, and at this time it is best visible. Near it are the constellations Perseus, Aries, Pisces and Andromeda. On a clear and moonless night, about 15 stars can be seen with the naked eye in the constellation Triangulum, but only three of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. They are located so that they form a right triangle - a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation. At the vertex of the right angle is the star β Triangulum of third magnitude. There are no myths or legends associated with this constellation. Its name is motivated by the figure created by the three brightest stars. In this triangle, the ancient Greeks saw the delta of the Nile River transferred to heaven by the gods.

...WOLF... Is a southern constellation, and only part of it can be observed from the territory of Bulgaria, low above the southern side of the horizon at night in July and August. Around the Wolf are the constellations Scorpius, Angle, Centaurus and Libra. On a clear and moonless night, about 70 stars can be seen with the naked eye in the constellation Lupus, but only ten of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. Two of them are visible from Bulgaria. The brighter stars in the constellation Lupus form a large, curved quadrilateral. It takes a lot of imagination to see in this geometric figure the wolf, in the form of which this constellation is depicted on ancient star maps. It is the southern constellation, and only part of it can be observed from the territory of Bulgaria, low above the southern side of the horizon at night in July and August. Around the Wolf are the constellations Scorpius, Angle, Centaurus and Libra. On a clear and moonless night, about 70 stars can be seen with the naked eye in the constellation Lupus, but only ten of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. Two of them are visible from Bulgaria. The brighter stars in the constellation Lupus form a large, curved quadrilateral. It takes a lot of imagination to see in this geometric figure the wolf, in the form of which this constellation is depicted on ancient star maps.

...DOLPHINS... Small constellation. It is best seen at night from July to November. The dolphin is surrounded by the constellations Pegasus, Little Horse, Eagle, Arrow and Chanterelle. On a clear and moonless night, about 30 stars can be seen in this constellation with the naked eye, but these are very faint stars. Only three of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. Together with another faint star, they form a well-defined diamond shape. The Bulgarian people traditionally call this figure the Small Cross. It is noteworthy that the ancient Greeks saw a dolphin in this rhombus, and on ancient star maps this constellation is depicted as a dolphin. Small constellation. It is best seen at night from July to November. The dolphin is surrounded by the constellations Pegasus, Little Horse, Eagle, Arrow and Chanterelle. On a clear and moonless night, about 30 stars can be seen in this constellation with the naked eye, but these are very faint stars. Only three of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. Together with another faint star, they form a well-defined diamond shape. The Bulgarian people traditionally call this figure the Small Cross. It is noteworthy that the ancient Greeks saw a dolphin in this rhombus, and on ancient star maps this constellation is depicted as a dolphin.

...PISCES... A large but faint zodiac constellation that is best visible from early October to late January. It is surrounded by the constellations Aries, Cetus, Aquarius, Pegasus and Andromeda. On a clear and moonless night, about 75 faint stars can be discerned with the naked eye in the constellation Pisces. Only three of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. If the brightest stars are connected by lines, they form a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation Pisces: an acute angle with its apex at the point where the star α Pisces is located. One side of the angle faces north and ends in a small triangle created by three faint stars. The other side faces west and ends in an elongated pentagon of five relatively bright stars. Just to the west of the western apex of the pentagon is the star β Pisces, the second brightest in the constellation. You need to have a vivid imagination to see in such a geometric figure two fish, distant from each other and connected by a wide ribbon. This is how they are depicted on ancient star maps and star atlases.

King Priam had a brother Titon, who charmed the winged goddess of dawn Eos with his beauty, who kidnapped Titon and took him to her place on the edge of Earth and Heaven. The gods gave him immortality, but did not give him eternal youth. Days and years passed and left merciless marks on his face. Once Titon noticed in the distance the goddess of love Aphrodite, walking with her son Eros, who was ready at any moment to shoot a love arrow from a drawn bow into the heart of a god or a mortal. Dressed in gold-woven clothes, with a wreath of fragrant flowers on her head, Aphrodite walked holding her son’s hand. And where the beautiful goddess walked, wonderful flowers grew and the air smelled of freshness and youth. Fascinated by her beauty, Tithon rushed after Aphrodite, who began to run away with her son. A little more, and Tithon should have overtaken them. To escape his pursuit, Aphrodite and Eros threw themselves into the Euphrates River and turned into fish. The gods placed two fish in the sky among the constellations, connected by a wide and long ribbon, personifying great maternal love. King Priam had a brother Titon, who charmed the winged goddess of dawn Eos with his beauty, who kidnapped Titon and took him to her place on the edge of Earth and Heaven. The gods gave him immortality, but did not give him eternal youth. Days and years passed and left merciless marks on his face. Once Titon noticed in the distance the goddess of love Aphrodite, walking with her son Eros, who was ready at any moment to shoot a love arrow from a drawn bow into the heart of a god or a mortal. Dressed in gold-woven clothes, with a wreath of fragrant flowers on her head, Aphrodite walked holding her son’s hand. And where the beautiful goddess walked, wonderful flowers grew and the air smelled of freshness and youth. Fascinated by her beauty, Tithon rushed after Aphrodite, who began to run away with her son. A little more, and Tithon should have overtaken them. To escape his pursuit, Aphrodite and Eros threw themselves into the Euphrates River and turned into fish. The gods placed two fish in the sky among the constellations, connected by a wide and long ribbon, personifying great maternal love.

...The Milky Way... On clear and especially moonless nights in July, August and September, everyone probably saw a milky-white stripe in the sky that seemed to encircle the sky. This stripe spreads across the sky like a river. In some places it “flows” calmly in a narrow channel, but suddenly it “spills” and expands. Bright “clouds” are replaced by paler ones, as if huge waves are raging in a celestial river. At some point, this celestial river splits into two branches, which then reunite into a wide milky-white river flowing its waters across the celestial sphere. This is the MILKY WAY. On clear and especially moonless nights in July, August and September, probably everyone had to see a milky-white stripe in the sky, which seemed to encircle the sky. This stripe spreads across the sky like a river. In some places it “flows” calmly in a narrow channel, but suddenly it “spills” and expands. Bright “clouds” are replaced by paler ones, as if huge waves are raging in a celestial river. At some point, this celestial river splits into two branches, which then reunite into a wide milky-white river flowing its waters across the celestial sphere. This is the MILKY WAY.

The Milky Way has attracted people's attention since ancient times. In the mythology of the ancient Greeks the following is told about him. On the birthday of Hercules, Zeus, delighted that the most beautiful of mortal women, Alcmene, bore him a son, predetermined his fate - to become the most famous hero of Greece. In order for his son Hercules to receive divine power and become invincible, Zeus ordered the messenger of the gods, Hermes, to bring Hercules to Olympus so that he could be nursed by the great goddess Hera. With the speed of thought, Hermes flew in his winged sandals. Unnoticed by anyone, he took the newly born Hercules and brought him to Olympus. The goddess Hera was sleeping under a magnolia tree strewn with flowers at that time. Hermes quietly approached the goddess and placed little Hercules on her breast, who greedily began to suck her divine milk, but suddenly the goddess woke up. In anger and rage, she threw the baby from her breast, whom she had hated long before his birth. Hera's milk spilled and flowed across the sky like a river. This is how the Milky Way (galaxy, galaxia) was formed. The Milky Way has attracted people's attention since ancient times. In the mythology of the ancient Greeks the following is told about him. On the birthday of Hercules, Zeus, delighted that the most beautiful of mortal women, Alcmene, bore him a son, predetermined his fate - to become the most famous hero of Greece. In order for his son Hercules to receive divine power and become invincible, Zeus ordered the messenger of the gods, Hermes, to bring Hercules to Olympus so that he could be nursed by the great goddess Hera. With the speed of thought, Hermes flew in his winged sandals. Unnoticed by anyone, he took the newly born Hercules and brought him to Olympus. The goddess Hera was sleeping under a magnolia tree strewn with flowers at that time. Hermes quietly approached the goddess and placed little Hercules on her breast, who greedily began to suck her divine milk, but suddenly the goddess woke up. In anger and rage, she threw the baby from her breast, whom she had hated long before his birth. Hera's milk spilled and flowed across the sky like a river. This is how the Milky Way (galaxy, galaxia) was formed.

Among the Bulgarian people, the Milky Way was called Kumova Soloma or simply Soloma. This is what the folk legend tells. One day in a bitter winter, when the whole earth was covered with deep drifts of snow, one poor man ran out of fodder for his oxen. Day and night he thought about how to feed the cattle, where to get at least a little straw so that the oxen would not die of hunger. And so, on a dark, frosty night, he took the basket and went to his godfather, who had many stacks of straw. He carefully collected straw into the basket and quietly went back. In the darkness, he did not notice that his basket was full of holes. He walked like this with the basket behind his back towards his house, and straw after straw fell from the holey basket, forming a long trail behind him. And when he came home, he saw that there was not a straw left in the basket! At dawn the owner went out to the haystack to gather straw and feed his oxen, and saw that at night someone had torn up his haystack and stolen the straw. He followed the trail and reached the house where his godfather lived. He called his godfather and began to scold him for stealing straw from him. And the godfather began to make excuses and lie that he didn’t even get out of bed that night. Then his godfather took him by the hand, led him out into the street and showed him the straw scattered along the road. Then the thief was ashamed... And the owner of the straw went to his home and said: “Let this stolen straw catch fire and never go out, so that everyone knows and remembers that you cannot steal from your godfather...” The straw caught fire, and from then on until Today Kumova Straw is burning in the sky. Among the Bulgarian people, the Milky Way was called Kumova Soloma or simply Soloma. This is what the folk legend tells. One day in a bitter winter, when the whole earth was covered with deep drifts of snow, one poor man ran out of fodder for his oxen. Day and night he thought about how to feed the cattle, where to get at least a little straw so that the oxen would not die of hunger. And so, on a dark, frosty night, he took the basket and went to his godfather, who had many stacks of straw. He carefully collected straw into the basket and quietly went back. In the darkness, he did not notice that his basket was full of holes. He walked like this with the basket behind his back towards his house, and straw after straw fell from the holey basket, forming a long trail behind him. And when he came home, he saw that there was not a straw left in the basket! At dawn the owner went out to the haystack to gather straw and feed his oxen, and saw that at night someone had torn up his haystack and stolen the straw. He followed the trail and reached the house where his godfather lived. He called his godfather and began to scold him for stealing straw from him. And the godfather began to make excuses and lie that he didn’t even get out of bed that night. Then his godfather took him by the hand, led him out into the street and showed him the straw scattered along the road. Then the thief was ashamed... And the owner of the straw went to his home and said: “Let this stolen straw catch fire and never go out, so that everyone knows and remembers that you cannot steal from your godfather...” The straw caught fire, and from then on until Today Kumova Straw is burning in the sky.

...ANCIENT GREEK MYTH... about the Sun After Uranus (Sky) became the master of the whole world, he married the blessed Gaia (Earth). And they had six sons and six daughters - powerful and terrible titans and titanides. Titan Hyperion and Uranus's eldest daughter Theia had three children - Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon) and Eos (Dawn). Far away on the eastern edge of the Earth was the golden palace of Helios, the god of the Sun. Every morning, when the east began to turn pink, pink-fingered Eos opened the golden gates, and Helios rode out of the gates on his golden chariot, drawn by four winged horses white as snow. Standing in the chariot, Helios firmly held the reins of his wild horses. All of him shone with a dazzling light emitted by his long golden robe and the radiant crown on his head. Its rays first illuminated the highest mountain peaks, and they began to glow, as if they were engulfed in violent tongues of fire. The chariot rose higher and higher, and the rays of Helios poured onto the Earth, giving it light, warmth and life. After Helios reached heavenly heights, he began to slowly descend on his chariot to the western edge of the Earth. There, on the sacred waters of the Ocean, a golden boat was waiting for him. Winged horses carried the chariot with its rider straight into the boat, and Helios rushed on it along the underground river to the east to his golden palace. There Helios rested at night. With the onset of day, he again rode out on his golden chariot into the heavenly expanses to give light and joy to the Earth. After Uranus (Heaven) became the master of the whole world, he married the blessed Gaia (Earth). And they had six sons and six daughters - powerful and terrible titans and titanides. Titan Hyperion and Uranus's eldest daughter Theia had three children - Helios (Sun), Selene (Moon) and Eos (Dawn). Far away on the eastern edge of the Earth was the golden palace of Helios, the god of the Sun. Every morning, when the east began to turn pink, pink-fingered Eos opened the golden gates, and Helios rode out of the gates on his golden chariot, drawn by four winged horses white as snow. Standing in the chariot, Helios firmly held the reins of his wild horses. All of him shone with a dazzling light emitted by his long golden robe and the radiant crown on his head. Its rays first illuminated the highest mountain peaks, and they began to glow, as if they were engulfed in violent tongues of fire. The chariot rose higher and higher, and the rays of Helios poured onto the Earth, giving it light, warmth and life. After Helios reached heavenly heights, he began to slowly descend on his chariot to the western edge of the Earth. There, on the sacred waters of the Ocean, a golden boat was waiting for him. Winged horses carried the chariot with its rider straight into the boat, and Helios rushed on it along the underground river to the east to his golden palace. There Helios rested at night. With the onset of day, he again rode out on his golden chariot into the heavenly expanses to give light and joy to the Earth.

Hercules

HERCULES is one of the largest constellations in the entire celestial sphere. It is visible high above the horizon, almost at the zenith, at night in July. Near Hercules are the constellations Arrow, Eagle, Ophiuchus, Serpent, Northern Crown, Bootes, Draco, Lyra and Chanterelle.

On a clear and moonless night, about 140 stars can be distinguished with the naked eye in the constellation Hercules, but in general these are very faint stars, the brightest being stars of the third magnitude. If you mentally connect them with lines, you will get a characteristic geometric figure of the Hercules constellation - two large trapezoids with a small common base, located one on top of the other. What amazing imagination did the ancient Greeks have if in this geometric figure with groups of faint stars located nearby, chaotically scattered near the brightest stars, they saw the gigantic figure of the mythical hero Hercules, holding a high club in his right hand, and two snakes in his left, whom he strangled as a child when they attacked him in the cradle! On his mighty shoulders, like a cloak, is thrown the skin of the Lion of Cithaeron, which Hercules killed while still a youth. On ancient star maps and atlases, Hercules's head is directed to the south, and his legs are directed to the north.

The ancient Greeks called this hero of myths Hercules. The soothsayer Pythia called him Hercules, and the Romans called him Hercules, and in this form this name was preserved in astronomy.

In the constellation Hercules (near the star v Hercules) there is an apex - an imaginary point on the celestial sphere towards which the movement of our Sun and the entire solar system is directed; the speed of this movement is 20 kilometers per second relative to the nearest stars.

Image of the constellation Hercules.

The Hercules constellation has many interesting objects, some of which can be observed without any instruments.

The double star α Hercules may be one of the most interesting stars visible to the naked eye. The main star has a size of 3m.1. At an angular distance of 4"",5 from it there is a satellite measuring 5m,4. In the field of view of the α Telescope, Hercules presents a magnificent spectacle: the main star sparkles with orange light, and its companion glows green. The companion is a spectral binary star with a period of 51.6 days, and the main star is a semi-regular variable star, its brightness varies from 3m to 4m.

At first glance, no periodicity is noticeable in the complex curve of changes in the brightness of the main star. But after long and careful observations of this star, two periods of changes in its brightness were discovered, which overlap one another. One period lasts six years. During this period, the star a Hercules changes its brightness with an amplitude equal to half the magnitude. Superimposed on this long period is a second one, the duration of which ranges from 30 to 130 days. Within the boundaries of this variable period, the luminosity a of Hercules changes with a variable amplitude from 3m to 1m.

The semi-regular variable star α Hercules can be easily observed with the naked eye. Continued observations of this object will help to study in more depth the complex changes in its brightness.

The star δ Hercules is also of interest. In the visual field of a telescope, it is visible as two stars located next to each other. One shines with white light, the other with purple. But δ Hercules is not a physical double star, it is an optical double star.

The star 68U Hercules, which is an eclipsing variable star of the β Lyrae type, also attracts attention. Its brightness changes strictly periodically over 2.051 days. When the star 68U Hercules is at its brightest, it has a magnitude of 4m.8. After this, its brightness begins to weaken, and it reaches a magnitude of 5m.3 (the first minimum). Following this, its brightness begins to slowly increase, and it reaches a value of 4m.9 (the second minimum). After this, the star reaches its initial maximum brightness, and then the phenomenon repeats with strict periodicity.

Between the stars η and ζ Hercules there is a globular star cluster M 13 (NGC 6205) with an integral magnitude of 5m.9 - almost at the limit of visibility with the naked eye. You can admire this wonderful spectacle even with binoculars.

The star cluster M 13 Hercules is located at a distance of 24,000 light years from us. It has a diameter of 75 light years and contains about 30,000 stars. According to experts, the probability that some stars in this cluster have planetary systems with developed civilizations is 0.5. Based mainly on this consideration, radio signals are sent in the direction of the globular star cluster M 13 Hercules, which in encoded form contain the most necessary information about earthly civilization. The choice of the M 13 cluster for this purpose is also explained by the fact that due to the expansion of the beam of radio signals with increasing distance traveled at a distance of 24,000 light years (namely, this is the distance to M 13), this beam will have a width of 75 light years and will be able to cover the entire star cluster M 13 and all 30,000 stars in it. Thus, energy consumption is reduced to the minimum possible. Radiograms to the M 13 cluster are sent at wavelengths of 12.6 centimeters using a radio telescope in Arecibo (Puerto Rico) with an antenna diameter of 300 meters, which is located in the crater of an extinct volcano.

Each radiogram contains 1679 short radio pulses with intervals between them. Received and recorded by a hypothetical civilization, these radiograms are sure to attract the attention of thinking beings by the number 1679 itself. This number is the product of two prime numbers 73 and 23. If they record the radio pulses in 73 lines with 23 in each line, they will get a picture from which they can extract rich information about earthly civilization. And first of all about the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0, which we use, then about the atomic weights of the chemical elements hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorus. From the following lines they will learn about deoxyribonucleic acid molecules - the main hereditary substance of a living cell. Next they will see a human figure and the number four billion - the number of the Earth's population... From the last lines they will learn about our solar system and the third planet in it - the Earth. The picture will be completed with a diagram of a radio telescope, with the help of which radiograms are sent. All quantities in it are expressed in a unit of 12.6 centimeters - the length of the radio wave at which the radio pulse is sent.

The first radiogram to the globular cluster M 13 Hercules was sent on November 16, 1974. Since then, every time the radio telescope is free from observations, a radiogram is sent automatically in the same direction. It will reach the cluster in 24,000 years. If we assume that the civilization that received the signals will give an answer immediately after deciphering the radiogram, then this answer will come to Earth 48,000 years after the signals were sent...

12 labors of Hercules

In mythology, many stories are associated with the name of Hercules; his exploits still excite us with their universal ideals. Here are some of them.

Electryon once ruled Mycenae. He had many sons and only one daughter named Alcmene, so sweet and beautiful that even Zeus, when he saw her, was enchanted and from then on looked for an opportunity to visit her.

Electrion's serene life did not last long. The sons of King Pterelai attacked his country with a large army, killed his sons and stole his herds. Electrion fell into deep sorrow and announced that he would give his daughter Alcmene as a wife to the one who would avenge his murdered sons and return to him the stolen herds. The hero Amphitryon managed to fulfill this condition, and Electryon gave him Alcmene as his wife. A magnificent wedding was arranged, but during the general fun Electryon and Amphitryon quarreled. The intoxicating wine clouded Amphitryon’s mind, and without hesitation he drew his sword and killed Electryon. The whole city was outraged by this treacherous murder. Amphitryon had to immediately leave Mycenae and seek refuge in foreign lands. Alcmene followed her husband, but made him swear that he would avenge her murdered brothers. They fled to Thebes, where they were received by King Creon as dear guests. Creon gave them everything they needed for a happy life. Here Alcmene reminded Amphitryon of the oath he had taken. He gathered a large army and set out to take revenge on King Pterelai and his sons. Alcmene was left alone - this was the opportunity that Zeus had been waiting for a long time. One night, taking the form of Amphitryon, he appeared at Alcmene. Alcmene was to give birth to twin sons from Zeus and Amphitryon.

Hera became angry and jealous when she learned that Zeus was intimate with Alcmene. She hated the son of Alcmene and Zeus before he was born. But Hera pretended to be calm and even delighted by Zeus’s words. At the same time, with the intelligence characteristic only of a goddess, she came up with an insidious plan to destroy Zeus’ plans for the future of his expected son. She calmly approached Zeus and with a sweet smile hiding her deceit, told him: “O great ruler of Heaven and Earth! Take an oath that the one who is born first in the Perseid family today will rule over all his relatives!”

The goddess of lies and deceit, Ata, came to the aid of Hera. She clouded the mind of Zeus so much that he could not unravel Hera’s insidious plan and swore by the waters of the Styx that he would do what she asked. Hera immediately raced in her golden chariot to Argos. She appeared in the house of Perseid Sthenel and accelerated the birth of his wife, which resulted in a weak premature child, named Eurystheus. After the birth of Eurystheus and Alcmene, she gave birth to two twin sons - Hercules According to our accepted data, the child at birth received the name Alcides. Later, the Delphic oracle gave him the nickname Hercules, which means “performing feats due to the persecution of Hera.” (Note per.)
, son of Zeus, and Iphicles, son of Amphitryon.

Having achieved her goal, Hera returned to Olympus, appeared before Zeus and told him: “Great lord! A son was born to Perseid Sthenel in Argos. He was the first born today, and he should be lord over all the descendants of your son Perseus!” Only now did Zeus understand Hera’s insidious plan. She, of course, would not have been able to deceive him if the goddess of deception Ata had not clouded his mind. He was angry with the goddess of deception and threw her off Olympus, strictly forbidding her to appear there. Since then, the goddess of deception Ata has lived among people on Earth.

Zeus could not break his sacred oath, which he gave to Hera. But he took measures to ease the fate of his beloved son, who appeared from the most beautiful of mortal women - Alcmene. He made an agreement with Hera that his son Hercules would not be under the rule of Eurystheus for the rest of his life, but only until he fulfilled his twelve orders. After this, he will be freed from his power and will receive immortality.

Zeus knew that Hercules would have to expose his life to terrible dangers, overcome inhuman difficulties while carrying out the orders of the weak and cowardly Eurystheus, but he could not save his son from all this, since he had sworn an oath to Hera. Nevertheless, he asked his daughter Pallas Athena to help Hercules and protect him when his life was in mortal danger.

By order of Zeus, the god Hermes took the newborn Hercules and took him to Olympus, where he placed the child on the chest of the sleeping Hera. From her divine milk, Hercules acquired such strength that no mortal could possess. But Hera, waking up, pushed little Hercules away from her breast. Her hatred for him became even greater, and she decided to destroy him at any cost.

One evening, when Alcmene swaddled Hercules and Iphicles and left them in the cradle to sleep, Hera sent two snakes. They quietly crawled to the cradle and with a hiss began to wrap themselves around the body of little Hercules. They squeezed him tighter and tighter and were about to strangle him. But the future hero woke up, pulled his little hands out from under the diapers, grabbed the snakes by the heads and squeezed them so hard that they immediately died. In their agony, they hissed so loudly that Alcmene and her maids woke up from the noise. They saw a child with snakes in his hands and screamed in fear. Amphitryon ran into the room at the scream of the women with a drawn sword.

Alcmene and Amphitryon, shocked by the unexpected strength of little Hercules, asked the soothsayer Tiresias to tell them about the fate of their son. Looking into the future, the wise old man told them in detail about what feats Hercules would have to perform. With them he will become famous as the greatest hero, and the gods will reward him with immortality. And Hercules will live with them on Olympus...

Having learned about the future of Hercules, Amphitryon began to educate him: he taught him to shoot accurately with a bow and wield a club. Not only did Amphitryon want to develop strength and dexterity, he wanted to give his son knowledge and a good upbringing, but Hercules did not show such zeal in this: it was impossible to compare his successes in reading, writing and playing the cithara with the successes he showed in jumping and wrestling , archery and the ability to use other weapons. The music teacher Linus, Orpheus' brother, often complained to Amphitryon that Hercules did not want to play the cithara and had to be scolded and punished. One day Lin got angry with Hercules and hit him, then little Hercules grabbed the cithara and hit his teacher with it so hard that he fell to the ground dead. Amphitryon was very concerned about this incident. Seeing how the strength and power of Hercules grew every day, he began to fear him and therefore sent him to the distant island of Kiferon. There, among the cool forests, Hercules grew up in freedom. He soon surpassed everyone in height, strength, agility and skill with weapons. The spear and arrows of Hercules always hit the target.

The philosopher Prodicus (who lived in the 5th century BC) artistically described the following “case.” One morning, when Hercules was practicing in a green meadow, two fabulously beautiful girls appeared in front of him. One was called Tenderness - she invited Hercules to lead him along the path of an easy and pleasant life, full of pleasures and carefreeness. The second was called Virtue - she offered Hercules a different path in life, replete with difficulties, dangers and suffering, but great glory awaited him along this path. Without hesitation, Hercules chose the path proposed by Virtue, and did not deviate from this path throughout his life. He defeated cruel kings, destroyed ferocious monsters, and conquered the terrible forces of nature.

Hercules endured many difficulties and suffering, but he constantly fought for the well-being of people. While still very young, he saved the inhabitants of Kiferon from the terrible Lion of Kiferon, who lived high in the mountains and descended into the valleys at night, destroying everything that came his way. Hercules discovered his lair, attacked the lion and pierced him with a spear. After that, he took off his skin, threw it like a cloak over his powerful shoulders, tying his front paws in a knot on his chest, and the lion’s head served as his helmet. From an ash tree as hard as iron, uprooted by Hercules, he made a huge club that no one could even lift. From Hermes, Hercules received a sharp sword as a gift, and Apollo gave him a bow and arrows. Hephaestus forged a golden shell for him, and Pallas Athena herself wove clothing for Hercules. Thus armed, Hercules went to the city of Thebes. At that time, the Thebans paid tribute to the Orkhomen king Ergin every year. In the battle, Hercules killed him and imposed on the Orchomenians twice the tribute that Thebes paid them annually. The Theban king Creon, admiring the courage of Hercules, who saved the city from such evil, gave him his daughter Megara as his wife, and the gods sent him three sons.

Hercules lived happily in Thebes with his family. But like a hot fire, Hera’s hatred for Hercules flared up. She sent a serious illness to him. In a fit of madness, Hercules mistook his children and the children of his brother Iphicles for sacrificial animals and threw them into the fire. When his reason returned, he realized what atrocity he had unwittingly committed, and fell into deep sorrow. Seeking peace, Hercules left Thebes and went to the sacred city of Delphi to ask the god Apollo what needs to be done to cleanse himself of this terrible crime. Through his prophetess Pythia, Apollo ordered him to immediately go to Argos. There he had to serve Eurystheus for twelve years and perform twelve labors on his orders. Only after this was Hercules supposed to receive immortality from the gods.

Hercules went to Argos and became the obedient servant of the cowardly Eurystheus, who was so afraid of Hercules that he did not even allow him to appear in Mycenae, and transmitted his orders through the messenger Copreus.

Hercules had to carry out difficult assignments in the service of Eurystheus. First, he was ordered to kill the Nemean Lion, which was devastating the surroundings of the city of Nemea (see about the constellation Leo). Then Eurystheus ordered Hercules to deal with the Lernaean Hydra - a terrible monster with the body of a snake and nine heads of a dragon, one of which was immortal (see about the constellation Hydra). Freed from the suffering caused by the Hydra, the people held lavish celebrations to commemorate the feat of Hercules.

As soon as Hercules returned home with victory, a new assignment from Eurystheus immediately awaited him, even more difficult and dangerous: it was necessary to kill the Stymphalian birds. These birds turned the surroundings of the city of Stymphala into a desert; they pounced on people and animals and tore them apart with their copper claws and beaks. The feathers of these birds were made of solid bronze, and when the birds took off, they could throw them like clouds of arrows at those who dared to attack them. With the help of Pallas Athena, Hercules managed to drive away these birds, and they never returned to Stymphalus.

The goddess Artemis, offended by the inhabitants of Arcadia, sent the Kerynean doe to them, which devastated the fields and gardens. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to catch the doe and bring it alive to Mycenae. But this was not easy to do. Like a whirlwind, the doe rushed through the mountains and valleys of Arcadia and did not know fatigue. She never stood in one place for long. For a whole year, Hercules pursued the doe from the northernmost to the southernmost edge of the Earth, but could not overtake her. Only in Arcadia did he manage to get close to the doe, shoot an arrow and wound it in the leg. The doe could no longer run as before, and Hercules managed to grab her. But then the goddess Artemis appeared in front of him and said with anger: “Why did you, Hercules, wound my beloved doe?” Hercules calmly answered her: “Great goddess! It was not of my own free will that I pursued your doe, but at the command of Eurystheus. The gods themselves commanded me to carry out his orders, and I cannot disobey them, because by doing so I will offend them.”

Artemis forgave Hercules for his guilt and allowed him to take the doe and take her to Mycenae to Eurystheus.

On Mount Erymanthus there lived a boar that gave no mercy to anyone and with its terrible fangs tore apart both people and animals, devastating the surroundings of the city of Psofis. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to kill this boar, but it was not so easy to find him. The boar lived high, at the very top of Mount Erymanthus, in a dense, impenetrable forest. Hercules climbed to the top of the mountain and with loud cries drove the boar out of his lair. Hercules pursued him for a long time and finally drove him into deep snow, in which the boar got stuck and could not run. Hercules grabbed him, tied him with strong bonds and brought him alive to Mycenae.

The king of Elis, Augeas, the son of Helios, had countless herds of cattle. Among his herds were three hundred bulls, each more violent than the other. But Augeas’s farmyard was not cleaned for 30 years, and no one was able to clean it. Eurystheus entrusted Hercules with the task of doing this within one day. Hercules came to Augeas and offered him to clean out the barnyard in one day, on the condition that Augeas would give him one tenth of his herds. Augeas agreed without hesitation, because he was sure that Hercules could not complete this work in one day. But Hercules broke through the wall surrounding the barnyard on both sides, blocked the Alpheus River with a dam and directed its flow into the yard. A powerful stream of water washed out the stalls and carried away all the manure. When Hercules demanded that Augeas fulfill his promise - to give up a tenth of the herds, he kicked him out. Hercules returned empty-handed to Eurystheus, but then, having completed all his exploits and freed himself from service with Eurystheus, he gathered a large army, attacked Augeas and pierced him with a deadly arrow. Hercules took his property, made rich sacrifices to the gods and started the Olympic Games.

A great disaster struck the distant island of Crete. The god Poseidon, angry with King Minos for not sacrificing a bull to him (see about the constellation Taurus), instilled rabies in this animal. The enraged bull rushed around the island with terrible fury and destroyed everything in its path. Eurystheus heard about this disaster and ordered Hercules to immediately go to the island of Crete to catch and bring the mad bull alive to Mycenae. Hercules brilliantly fulfilled this order of Eurystheus.

The Thracian king Diomedes had beautiful horses, but they were so wild and violent that they could only be kept on iron chains. They ate not grass, but human flesh. In order not to sacrifice his subjects, Diomedes threw all the aliens who landed on the shores of Thrace during a shipwreck to be devoured by horses. Wild horses tore them apart and devoured them along with the bones. Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring Diomedes' horses alive, hoping that they would tear Hercules apart as soon as he began to untie the iron chains in the stall.

Hercules gathered loyal friends, among whom was his best friend Abder, the son of the god Hermes, and sailed by ship to Thrace. Having landed on the shore, they went to the horses. Hercules managed to untie them and take them to his ship. At this time Diomedes attacked him with a large army. Hercules instructed Abdera to guard the horses, and he himself, with his few remaining companions, entered into battle with Diomedes and killed him. Returning to the ship, Hercules saw a terrible picture - the horses of Diomedes tore to pieces his favorite Abdera. He buried his friend on Thracian soil and founded the city of Abdera there. Hercules brought wild horses to Mycenae, but when Eurystheus saw them, he was so frightened that he ordered them to be released into the inaccessible mountains of the Peloponnese.

Far away on the shores of Meotida (Sea of ​​Azov) was the kingdom of the Amazons. These were warlike women who did not allow men into their country. And the most warlike was their queen Hippolyta. She rushed like a whirlwind on her wild horse, and her arrows struck even great heroes. The symbol of her power over the Amazons was a magic belt, which she never took off. This belt was given to her by the god of war Ares.

One day, Eurystheus’ daughter Admet, who was a priestess of the goddess Hera, said to her father: “Father, I would like to have Hippolyta’s belt!” Eurystheus answered her: “You will have it, dear daughter!” He immediately ordered Hercules to get Hippolyta's belt.

Hercules gathered a small detachment of warriors, but in this small detachment there were famous heroes, and he sailed on a ship across the blue sea to the land of the Amazons. They swam for a long time. Along the way, Hercules and his companions accomplished many feats, and finally they arrived in the city of Themiscyra, the capital of the Amazon country. The glory of Hercules has already reached these places. Queen Hippolyta went out to meet the son of Zeus and find out why he had arrived. Hercules answered her truthfully: “Glorious queen! I have traveled a long and difficult journey across a stormy sea and arrived here with my army not of my own free will. By the will of the gods, I must fulfill the twelve orders of Eurystheus. On his instructions, I came here to take your belt and take it to the daughter of Eurystheus, who wished to own it.”

Queen Hippolyta listened to these truthful words and was ready to give her belt to Hercules, but the goddess Hera, who never ceased plotting against Hercules, disguised herself as an Amazon and quietly joined their ranks. She whispered to several Amazons: “Don't trust Hercules! He then came here with soldiers to capture our queen and take her away into slavery!” These words of Hera were passed on from mouth to mouth, and after a while all the Amazons learned about them. Believing Hera's lies, they grabbed their bows and spears and unexpectedly attacked Hercules' companions. A fierce battle began. Many of Hercules' comrades died from the arrows of the warlike Amazons, but many Amazons also met their death on the battlefield. The seven bravest of them simultaneously attacked Hercules, but he repelled their spears with his shield and captured two of them - Antiope and Melanippe. The Amazons were defeated. Hippolyta, in order to redeem her bravest assistant Melanippa from captivity, gave the belt to Hercules, and he delivered it to Eurystheus’s daughter.

Before Hercules had time to rest from the battles with the Amazons, Eurystheus entrusted him with a new, even more difficult task. Far, far away, on the westernmost edge of the Earth, where the radiant Helios descended from the heavens every evening, the island of Erythia was located among the stormy ocean. There lived the terrible giant Geryon, who had three heads, three bodies, six arms and six legs. On this island, under the vigilant guard of the two-headed dog Ortho and the giant Eurytion, the famous cows of Geryon grazed. Hercules needed to lead them to Mycenae.

Hercules set off to carry out his assignment. First he passed through Africa, crossed the hot desert of Libya, passed through many more countries and finally reached the western edge of the Earth, where there was a narrow sea strait. In memory of the long and difficult journey he had passed, Hercules erected two huge rocks, which are now called the Pillars of Hercules. From here Hercules saw the island of Erythia far away in the vast expanses of the stormy ocean. But how can he get there?

Hercules sat thoughtfully on the shore and looked into the distance. It was getting dark. Now the chariot of Helios has descended to the waters of the ocean. A blinding light and unbearable heat spread around. Hercules jumped to his feet, grabbed his sword and rushed at the radiant god. Helios only smiled, seeing the fearlessness of the son of Zeus, and, appreciating his heroism, gave him his golden boat, on which he crossed the ocean every night with horses and a chariot from the western to the eastern edge of the Earth. Hercules got into the boat, and it carried him along the waves of the ocean. So he reached the island of Erithia.

As soon as Hercules set foot on the island, the bloodthirsty two-headed dog Ortho flew at him, whose terrible barking was like thunder in a thunderstorm. Hercules was calmly waiting for him, and when the dog approached him, he brought down his heavy club on him. Orfo fell to the ground dead. At that moment, like a hurricane, the giant Eurytion attacked Hercules, but the son of Zeus was not afraid. With terrible force he threw his spear, which pierced the giant, and Eurytion, like a huge rock, fell to the ground.

Hercules drove Geryon's wonderful cows to the place where he had left the boat, and was just getting ready to load them into it in order to cross the ocean with them, when Geryon himself attacked the hero. It was as if three giants attacked Hercules at the same time. If even one arrow or spear of Hercules had missed its target, Geryon would have defeated Hercules. But in this difficult fight, Pallas Athena came to the aid of Hercules, on the orders of her father. One after another, like lightning, the arrows of Hercules flew and pierced all three heads of the monstrous giant. Hercules smashed them with his club, and Geryon collapsed with such a roar that it seemed as if three huge rocks had fallen to the ground.

Having transported the cows across the ocean, Hercules left the boat on the shore so that Helios could continue his long journey into the night to the eastern edge of the Earth.

Hercules drove Geryon's cows further. I walked with them all over Southern Europe and encountered many difficulties along the way. But the biggest obstacles were erected by the goddess Hera. She sent rabies through the entire herd. With a terrifying moo, the cows ran in different directions. Hercules ran after them for a long time and with great difficulty, already in Thrace, he collected most of the herd and delivered the cows to Mycenae. There he gave them to Eurystheus, who sacrificed them to the goddess Hera in gratitude for the fact that she created such incredible difficulties in the path of Hercules.

A little time passed, and Eurystheus entrusted the hero with a new task - to bring the dog Kerberus, who was guarding the shadows of the dead in the underground kingdom of Hades.

The mere sight of Kerber's dog already struck terror into people. He had three heads, from the mouth of each head fangs sharp as swords appeared, and huge snakes coiled around his neck, hissing. Kerberus's long tail ended with the head of a dragon, which constantly spewed tongues of flame. No one dared to approach this monster and leave the dark kingdom of Hades.

Hercules had to overcome enormous difficulties to fulfill this assignment. He traveled south and reached Laconia. Here, near Tenar, in the southernmost part of the Peloponnese, Hercules descended into a bottomless gloomy abyss. In the darkness, he did not notice how he reached the gate leading to the kingdom of Hades. He stopped in front of the gate and wondered how to penetrate the kingdom of shadows. At this time, Hermes approached him, who accompanied the souls of the dead to Hades. He led Hercules into the underworld, and Pallas Athena accompanied him and did not leave until he completed his assignment.

Hercules had barely taken a few steps when the shadow of his friend Meleager appeared in front of him. Meleager asked Hercules to marry his sister Deianira, who remained defenseless after his death, and begged Hercules to be her protector. Hercules promised that after his return he would fulfill Meleager's request.

Having gone through all the horrors of the underworld, Hercules appeared before the throne of Hades himself and told him that, by the will of the gods, he needed to take Cerberus away and hand him over to Eurystheus. Hades could not offend the gods by refusing and answered the hero: “Son of Zeus, if you can tame my Kerberus without a weapon, take him, he is yours!”

Hercules went in search of Kerberus. He wandered for a long time through the underworld and finally found it on the banks of the Acheron River. Hercules pounced on the dog and grabbed his neck with his powerful arms. The faithful guard of Hades became enraged, his howl shook the underworld. But Hercules squeezed the dog’s neck harder and harder. Cerberus' long tail wrapped itself around Hercules' body, and the dragon's head at the end of the tail tore the hero's body with its teeth. But Hercules’s hands squeezed like a vice around Kerberus’s neck, and finally, exhausted and half strangled, the dog fell at the feet of the son of Zeus. Hercules brought Kerberus out of the underworld and took him to Mycenae. The dog had never seen the light and was so frightened that sweat and poisonous foam began to drip from his sides, and where they fell on the ground, poisonous herbs immediately grew.

At Mycenae, Hercules showed Cerberus to Eurystheus. He was so frightened that he ordered to immediately return him to the underworld. Hercules took him back to Hades, and there Kerberus began, as before, to guard the shadows of the dead.

Hercules' hard service with Eurystheus was drawing to a close. He had to complete the last task - Hercules had to go to the titan Atlas, who held the firmament on his shoulders, take three golden apples from his gardens, guarded by the daughters of Atlas, the Hesperides, and bring them to Eurystheus.

The difficulty of this feat was that no one knew the way to the Atlas Gardens and could not show it to Hercules. Hercules wandered for a long time, he traveled through many countries and reached the farthest North, where the Eridanus River flowed. Here the nymphs told him how to find out the way to Atlas. Having overcome many difficulties on his way, Hercules reached the edge of the Earth, where the great titan Atlas stood. Hercules looked in amazement at the mighty titan holding the vault of heaven on his shoulders.

Atlas noticed Hercules and asked what brought him here. Hercules answered him: “Great Atlas! By the will of the gods, I carry out the instructions of Eurystheus. It was he who ordered me to take three golden apples from your garden and bring them to him. Answer me, will you give them to me of your own free will?” Atlas replied: “Son of Zeus! I will give you golden apples, but in order for me to go and pick them, stand in my place and support the sky so that it does not collapse!”

Hercules took the place of Atlas. A terrible weight fell on his shoulders. He bent over, and his muscles bulged like mountains. Sweat flowed like a river from his body, but the goddess Pallas Athena reinforced his strength, and he held the firmament until Atlas appeared. Atlas brought three golden apples, but did not give them to Hercules, but offered to take them to Eurystheus himself to Mycenae. Then Hercules realized that Atlas, by cunning, wanted to be freed forever from the obligation to maintain the firmament, and decided to cheat himself. And he said to Atlas: “I agree, Atlas, but I ask you to relieve me for a while while I find a pillow that I want to put on my shoulders so that the vault of heaven does not put so much pressure on them.”

Simple-minded Atlas agreed. Then Hercules took the apples from him and went to Mycenae. He gave the golden apples to Eurystheus, but he gave them to Hercules. Then Hercules gave these apples to his patron Athena Pallas, and she returned them to the Hesperides so that the apples would remain in their gardens forever.

Hercules defeats the god of death Thanatos

When Hercules and his friends went to Thrace to fetch the horses of King Diomedes, they had to swim for a long time on a stormy sea. To reinforce his strength, Hercules decided to land near the city of Thera and visit his friend King Admet. But the unlucky day was when Hercules' ship landed in the bay. Admet's family and the whole city were in deep mourning. A few hours remained until the death of Admetus's wife Alcestis.

Several years ago, on an autumn day, when the cold wind blew from the mountains with terrible force and every person tried to quickly get to a warm home, a beggar appeared in Admet’s palace, dressed in rags, through which his blue body was visible. He came to King Admetus and asked him to take him as a servant for a year. Admet asked the beggar what his name was and where he came from, but he said nothing more. The king ordered to give him clothes, to feed him, and since the poor man did not know how to do anything, they sent him to graze the sheep.

Time passed day after day. A year has passed. One day Admet went to the mountains and heard magical music there. He looked around and saw on the top of the mountain a slender young man with a shining face, who was playing a golden lyre. The melody was so tender and beautiful that the sheep surrounded the musician and listened so intently that they did not even look at the lush green grass.

Admet approached the young man. Could this be the same beggar whom he received a year ago and sent to graze the sheep? Now he introduced himself to him: “I am the god Apollo. A year ago, my father, the thunderer Zeus, drove me from bright Olympus and ordered me to serve for a whole year with some person. You, Admetus, received me, dressed me, shod me, fed me, and I am pleased with you. Tell me now, what do you want me to do to repay you for your kindness?”

Admet was confused, but still answered: “Great lord! I'm happy that you're happy with me. I don’t need anything from you!”

Before going to Olympus, Apollo told Admetus that he could always ask him for help if necessary.

Admetus was left alone and thought for a long time about what had happened. Night fell and he returned home to the palace. He mentally transported himself to the neighboring city of Iolcus, whose king was the cruel Pelias. He had a daughter, Alcestis. Everyone who saw her experienced a feeling of exciting joy - she was so sweet and beautiful. The sons of kings came from near and far countries to woo her, but she refused everyone, because she only liked her neighbor - Admet, the young king of the city of Thera. Admetus also came to Pelias to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Pelias looked at the groom for a long time, thought about it and finally said to him: “If you want me to give you my daughter as a wife, prove that you are worthy of her hand and to be my son-in-law. You must come for her in a chariot drawn by a lion and a boar! If you arrive on any other chariot, even one made of pure gold and with flying horses, you will not see Alcestis!”

Admetus became sad, he realized that by setting this condition, Pelias was letting him know that he did not want to give him his daughter. Has this ever been heard of: harnessing a lion and a boar to one team?!

Every day Admet became sadder and sadder. But one morning the god Apollo appeared before him with a silver bow and a quiver full of arrows, and said to him: “I know why you are sad, Admetus, but Pelias’ condition is not so difficult. Come with me".

The two of them went to the mountains, surrounded by dense forests. A little time passed, and a lion appeared in front of them with a deafening roar. Apollo chased after him, caught him and tamed him so much that the lion, meek as a lamb, followed them. And then the boar was not long in coming. Fiercely flashing his eyes and revealing his sharp long fangs, he rushed towards them. Apollo released the lion, and he caught the boar and brought it to them. They returned to the palace and harnessed the two animals to one team. Admetus got into the chariot, waved his whip and rushed to the city of Iolcus. Seeing a lion and a boar harnessed to a chariot, and Admetus in the chariot, firmly holding the reins and whip, Pelias could not contain his amazement. He never believed that anyone could perform such a miracle. He gave his daughter Alcestis to Admet, and he took her to his palace. A magnificent wedding celebration was held there, at which Apollo himself was present, playing magical melodies on his lyre.

Admetus and Alcestis lived happily. The gods sent them two beautiful children - a son and a daughter. At the request of Apollo, the goddesses of fate - the Moiras - determined that Admetus could get rid of death if someone else voluntarily agreed to die in his place.

Years passed, and Admet's last hour came. He asked his elderly parents for one of them to die in his place, but neither his father nor his mother agreed. Not one of Admet’s closest relatives and friends expressed consent either. And death was already approaching... Then Alcestis came to Admetus and told him that she was ready to die in his place.

Alcestis prepared to leave for the kingdom of shadows, kissed her children for the last time and asked the goddess of the hearth and hearth, Hestia, to protect them when they were left without a mother. Then she retired to her chambers and went to bed. Those around her bitterly mourned her. Admetus himself begged her not to leave him alone. And the hated god of death, Thanatos, was already bending over Alcestis. Apollo begged him to postpone the death of Alcestis, but the god of death was inexorable. So he bent over Alcestis, and from his chilling breath she began to cool down and closed her eyes...

When Alcestis was already being prepared to be carried to the tomb, Hercules and his companions arrived in the city. Admet met them, but grief did not allow him to express joy at the meeting.

Admetus ordered Hercules to be taken to the guest room and a rich feast to be arranged for him, while he himself went to the cemetery. Unaware of the misfortune that befell his friend, Hercules feasted with his companions. But it did not escape his attention that the faces of the servants were sad and they were secretly crying bitter tears. Hercules asked them about the cause of grief, but Admetus forbade the servants to reveal the terrible truth. Then Hercules guessed that some great misfortune must have befallen his friend. He called one of the servants aside and insisted that he tell him what had happened. The servant could no longer shut himself up at the sight of such participation on the part of Hercules and answered him: “Dear foreigner, today our mistress, the beautiful queen Alcestis, descended into the kingdom of the dead.”

Hercules's heart was filled with sorrow. It hurt him that on this unhappy day for his friend he was feasting and having fun in his house. Hercules decided to thank Admetus for the fact that, despite the grief that befell him, he still greeted him hospitably. He learned from the servant where the tomb of Alcestis was located, took his club, spear and bow and rushed to the tomb. Having run there, Hercules hid behind the tomb and began to wait for the moment when the god of death Thanatos would appear there. A little time passed and he heard the flapping of terrible black wings. Freezing everything around with his breath, Thanatos flew in to drink the blood of Alcestis at the grave. At that moment, Hercules pounced on him, grabbed him with his powerful hands and began to choke him. The chilling cold of death emanated from Thanatos, but the son of Zeus squeezed his throat more and more tightly, and finally Thanatos lost his last strength and, helpless, lowered his black wings. Then Hercules tied him tightly to a thick tree and said that he would untie him and let him go only when he gave him Alcestis. Thanatos had to part with his victim and leave her alive. Hercules and Alcestis returned to the palace, entered Admetus’s chambers and saw him bitterly mourning his beloved wife. He didn't even notice their appearance. Hercules quietly approached his bed and said to him: “My dear Admetus, mourn no more! Here is your beloved Alcestis. I got it in a hard fight with Thanatos. Be happy again and enjoy life as before!”

Joy flared up in Admet's soul. He embraced Hercules and said: “Illustrious son of Zeus! You brought back my happiness. How and how can I thank you? Stay as my guest, and we will solemnly celebrate your victory over the god of death!”

However, Hercules could not stay longer with Admetus, since he needed to swim after the horses of Diomedes.

Hercules gains immortality

When Hercules was in the kingdom of Hades, he promised his friend Meleager to take his sister Deianira as his wife. Returning from the kingdom of shadows, Hercules went to the city of Calydon to King Oineus and told him about the meeting with the shadow of Meleager, the king’s son, and the promise he made to him. But it turned out that many other men and young men also sought Deianira’s hand, and among them the river god Aheloy. It was difficult for Oineus to decide who to give his beloved daughter to. Finally, he announced that Deianira would become the wife of the one who wins the fight. Hearing this, all the other contenders for Deianira's hand refused the fight, because they saw no chance of winning over Achelous. Only Hercules remained. The rivals went to a wide clearing and stood opposite each other. Wasting no time, Hercules rushed at the huge Achelous and grabbed him with his powerful arms. But no matter how hard Hercules strained his muscles, he could not topple his opponent, who stood unshakable like a huge rock. The fight became more and more brutal. Hercules had already pressed Achelous to the ground three times, but only the fourth time he managed to grab him in such a way that victory seemed to be close. At this moment, Ahelous resorted to cunning. He turned into a snake and slipped out of the hero's hands. Undeterred, Hercules grabbed the snake and squeezed its head so tightly that the snake’s tail could no longer curl into tight coils. But the snake slipped out of the hands of Hercules and instantly turned into a ferocious bull, which furiously attacked the son of Zeus. The hero grabbed the bull by the horns and twisted his head so hard that he broke one horn and knocked him half-dead to the ground. Left without strength, the god Aheloy fled and disappeared into the stormy waters of the river.

Oeneus gave Deianira as his wife to the winner, and the wedding was magnificent and fun. After the wedding, Hercules and Dejanira went to Tiryns - the homeland of Hercules. The road led them to the stormy and high-water Even River, the water was dragging huge stones, and it seemed impossible to get to the other side - there was no ford or bridge. The centaur Nessus carried travelers across this river. Hercules called him and asked him to take Deianira to the other side. The centaur agreed, and Dejanira sat down on his broad back. Hercules threw his club, bow, spear and quiver of arrows to the other bank, and he himself rushed into the stormy waters of the river and swam across it. As soon as he came ashore, he heard the frightened cry of Deianira. Nessus, admiring the beauty of Deianira, wanted to kidnap her. Hercules grabbed his trusty bow, and a whistling arrow overtook the fleeing Nessus and pierced his heart. The mortally wounded centaur gave Deianira treacherous advice - to collect his poisoned blood, telling her: “Oh, daughter of Oeneus! You were the last one I carried across the stormy waters of Even. I'm dying. I give you my blood as a souvenir. It has a wonderful property: if Hercules ever stops loving you and another woman becomes dearer to him than you, at least rub this blood on his clothes. So you will return his love, and no mortal woman or goddess will be dearer to him than you.”

Dejanira believed the words of the dying Nessus. She collected his blood and hid it. Together with Hercules, they continued their journey to Tiryns. There they lived happily, and their children grew up carefree and delighted their parents.

One day Ifit came to visit them. Hercules received his friend cordially. Having celebrated the joyful meeting and talked, the friends went for a walk to the Tiryns fortress, standing on a high rock. From the walls of the fortress below, a terrible deep abyss was visible. Standing on the wall, Hercules and Ifit looked into the darkness of the gorge. And at that moment the goddess Hera, whose hatred for Hercules flared up more and more, instilled anger and madness in him. Unable to control himself, Hercules grabbed Iphitus and threw him into the abyss. With this involuntary murder, Hercules greatly angered his father, almighty Zeus, since he unwittingly violated the sacred customs of hospitality. As punishment, Zeus sent a serious illness to his son, from which Hercules suffered for a long time. No drugs could ease his pain and suffering. Finally, he went to Delphi. There, the soothsayer of the god Apollo, Pythia, told him that he would recover only on the condition that he was sold into slavery for three years, and the money received for him would be given to Iphitus's father Eurytus.

Hercules was sold into slavery to the Lydian queen Omphale, who subjected him to painful humiliations. She dressed the famous hero in women's clothing and forced him to spin and weave along with her maids. And at this time Omphale herself threw on herself a lion’s skin, which served as Hercules’s cloak, took his club, which she could hardly tear off the ground, and girded herself with his sword. She proudly walked past Hercules and mocked him. The hero's heart was filled with anger, but he could not do anything - after all, he was a slave of Omphale: she bought him and could do whatever she wanted with him. Three years of slavery to Omphale were difficult for Hercules. During this time he never sent any news to Deianira, and she fell into despair because she did not know whether her husband was alive. But one day a messenger brought her good news: Hercules is alive and well, his messenger Lichas should soon arrive, who will tell her in detail how Hercules took possession of the city of Oikhalia and destroyed it.

Finally, Lichas arrived. He brought captives with him, among whom was the royal daughter Iola. Lichas told about the victory of Hercules and pleased Deianira, saying that Hercules should soon return. In the crowd of captives, Dejanira noticed a beautiful girl, whose mournful appearance attracted attention, and asked Lichas about her. But he didn't answer her.

Dejanira ordered the prisoners to be taken to the room reserved for them. As soon as Likhas left, a servant approached her and quietly whispered: “Glorious lady! Lichas did not want to tell you the truth about this grieving slave. Listen to me, lady! This is Iola, daughter of King Eurytus. Hercules did not send her here as a slave. As soon as he returns, he will marry her...” Dejanira heard this, and the pangs of jealousy began to torment her soul. The thought that after the return of Hercules she would be abandoned and expelled depressed her more and more. In despair, she remembered the advice of the centaur Nessus. She rubbed the blood of Nessus on the cloak that she had sewn for Hercules, wrapped it and gave it to Lichas, saying to him: “Lichas, quickly take this cloak to Hercules and tell him to immediately put it on and make sacrifices to the gods. But no mortal should wear this cloak before him. Even the rays of Helios must not touch the cloak before Hercules puts it on. Hurry up, Likhas!”

The messenger immediately set off. Dejanira returned to the room and saw with horror that the wool with which she had rubbed the cloak with the blood of the centaur had turned to ashes as soon as the rays of Helios fell on it. And in the place where the wool lay, poisonous foam appeared. Only now did Dejanira understand the insidious deception of the dying Nessus, but it was too late: Lichas handed the cloak to Hercules. Hercules threw on his cloak and sacrificed twelve bulls to his father Zeus and the other gods. From the heat of the burning altar, the cloak stuck to Hercules' body, and he began to writhe in terrible convulsions from unbearable pain. His son Gill, who was with him at the time, carried his father to the ship, and he hurried to his mother to tell him what she had done. When Gill told his mother about the inhuman suffering of his father, Dejanira, without saying a word, went to her chambers, locked herself there and pierced herself with a double-edged sword. They brought the dying Hercules. He experienced even greater torment when he learned that Deianira had killed herself and he could not take revenge on her. The poison burned his body, and he no longer had the strength to endure this pain. He ordered his son to burn him on the funeral pyre and thereby save him from further torment. Gill and his relatives fulfilled his father's wishes. Hercules was carried and placed on the fire, but no one wanted to light it, no matter how Hercules begged to do so. At this time Philoctetes arrived, and Hercules persuaded him to light a fire and promised to leave him his bow and arrows as a reward. Philoctetes fulfilled his wish. Huge tongues of flame engulfed the body of Hercules, but the lightning thrown by the great Zeus flashed brighter than the fire, and the thunder seemed to tear the sky apart... Pallas Athena and Hermes rushed in on a golden chariot. They raised the famous hero and beloved son of Zeus to Olympus. There the gods granted Hercules immortality, and he, as an equal among equals, began to live among them. Hera herself, forgetting her hatred, joyfully met Hercules and gave him her daughter, the beautiful and eternally young goddess Hebe, as his wife. The gods rewarded Hercules for all the heroic deeds, suffering and torment he endured on Earth, for the fact that he saved people from the monsters that caused them terrible disasters... The Lord of Heaven and Earth Zeus turned his beloved son into the constellation Hercules. It appears high above the horizon during the summer months. In the sky, this constellation is surrounded by the constellations Leo, Hydra, Taurus, Dragon and others, reminding people of the great deeds of the hero.