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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Equuleus
Origin:
One of the 48 constellations described by Ptolemy in the Almagest
(A.D. 140).
Information:
Equuleus is a late summer constellation located east of Delphinus and west of the head of Pegasus. The Foal is among the smallest of
all constellations, second only to Crux, the Southern
Cross. It is highest in the southern sky, nearly overhead (for
northern observers), at 9 pm on October 28. The constellation is
very faint with no star brighter than magnitude 4. There are no
notable deep sky objects visible to amateur-sized telescopes.
Mythology:
Equuleus (also called Celeris) was the brother of the winged horse Pegasus. Pegasus was born from the blood of
the Gorgon Medusa who was decapitated by Perseus
during the salvation of Andromeda from the sea
monster. Equuleus, the Foal, was given to Castor (one of the twins
in Gemini born to Queen Leda, wife of the King of
Sparta and one of Zeus' lovers) by Hermes (Mercury in Roman mythology). |
