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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Cancer
Origin:
The ancient constellation Cancer is one of the 12 zodiacal constellations,
rising after Gemini and before Leo,
and also the faintest zodiacal constellation. The mythology
surrounding the Crab is quite colorful.
Information:
Cancer is a particularly faint constellation with no star brighter than
4th magnitude. Were it not for its conspicuous placement between
Gemini and Leo, it might be missed all together. In spite of its
faintness, the constellation is home to arguably the prettiest open
cluster of stars, known as the Praesepe or Beehive Cluster. The
Praesepe is also called the Crib in honor of the manger in which Jesus was
laid. The constellation culminates in the southern sky (northern
observers) at about 9 pm on April 1.
Mythology:
Hera, wife of the god Zeus, was bitterly jealous of an amorous affair with
Alcmene (which lasted only 3 days). Alcmene bore a son, Hercules, who Hera vowed to kill. As one of the
12 "labors", Hercules was sent to the swamps of Lerna to kill
the enormous nine-headed (one head of which was immortal) water-snake, Hydra, whose breath would kill on contact. He
managed to kill the Hydra by cutting off the Hydra's immortal head but not
before Hera, fearing Hercules would gain fame and glory for his success,
sent a crab to assist the Hydra in thwarting Hercules by biting his
foot. Hercules simply stepped on the Crab and killed it.
Despite the crab's failure, for its boldness and devotion Hera placed it
in the heavens but with only faint stars. |
