My Site
  • ON THE GO!
  • THE EXPERIENCE

Day 81 -> Ursa Minor

8/9/2013

0 Comments

 
 Imagem
The Ursa Minor (Drawing by Me)
      The Ursa Minor constellation, also called Little Dipper, is commonly visualized as a baby bear with an unusually long tail. As I said yesterday, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major were related by the Greeks to the myth of Callisto and Arcas (who was Callisto's daughter with Zeus). However, in a variant of the story, in which it is Boötes that represents Arcas, Ursa Minor represents a dog. This is the older tradition, which could explain both the length of the tail and the obsolete alternate name of Cynosura (the dog's tail) for Polaris, the North Star.
      Previously, Ursa Minor was considered just seven close stars, mythologically regarded as sisters. In early Greek mythology, the seven stars of the Little Dipper were the Hesperides, daughters of Atlas. Together with the nearby constellations of Boötes, Ursa Major, and Draco, it may have formed the origin of the myth of the apples of the Hesperides, which forms part of the Labours of Hercules. Ursa Minor with its modern associations was invented by Thales of Miletus in approximately 600 BCE, from what had previously represented the wings of Draco, the Dragon. He did so out of a desire to commemorate the location of the North Celestial Pole, then near Beta and Gamma Ursae Minoris.
    In Hungarian mythology, though, the constellation is called 'Little Goncol cart' (Göncöl szekér) after a legendary shaman (Ursa Major is 'Big Goncol cart'). The shaman's knowledge knew no limit. He invented the cart: his nation was wandering, so the cart was the biggest gift of the Gods to the country. Legends claim he knew everything about the world. Nobody saw his death; his body simply disappeared among the stars.
~Ally
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

     Ally is a Biologist, Illustrator, Photographer and ex-procrastinator.

    Categories

    Todos
    Art
    Astronomy
    Botanic
    Comics
    Curiosities
    Diy
    Documentaries
    Folklore
    Food
    Games
    Geography
    History
    Inspiration
    Literature
    Maps
    Movies
    Music
    Mythology
    Nature
    Physics
    Sports
    Weapons
    Zoology

    Archives

    Abril 2014
    Março 2014
    Fevereiro 2014
    Janeiro 2014
    Dezembro 2013
    Novembro 2013
    Outubro 2013
    Setembro 2013
    Agosto 2013
    Julho 2013
    Junho 2013
    Maio 2013

    RSS Feed


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.