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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Gemini
Origin:
Gemini is an ancient constellation associated with the twins, Castor and
Pollux. It is the third constellation of the ancient zodiac.
Information:
Gemini is east of Taurus the Bull and precedes Cancer the Crab, and is one of the ecliptic
constellations. Gemini is considered a winter constellation and is
high in the sky at 9 pm on February 15. The feet of the Twins are
traversed by the Milky Way making the area excellent for binocular and
telescopic viewing. Castor, the less bright of the two "head"
stars, is triple star system in which each star is itself an unresolved
binary system. Open clusters and nebulae are the objects in which
Gemini excels -- especially the famous "Eskimo Nebula" (NGC
2392) near Delta Geminorum.
Mythology:
In Greek mythology, Castor and Pollux were twin heroes and the sons of
Leda, born from the egg she laid after she was seduced by Zeus in the
disguise of a swan (Cygnus). Pollux, born
the son of Zeus, was immortal and Castor, born the son of King Tyndareus
of Sparta, was mortal. In spite of the differences in their
heritage, the two brothers were good companions and were made gods and
patrons of athletes. Poseidon established them as protectors of
sailors at sea and were given control over the winds and waves. The
Twins are also associated with the static electrical discharge sometimes
seen on a ship's mast and spars, known as St. Elmo's Fire. Castor
became famous as a rider of horses (associating him with peaceful activity
and repose) while his brother Pollux became equally skilled at boxing and
fighting battles (associating him with war).
The twins were raised by the centaur
Chiron (now the constellation Sagittarius)
and later joined Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden
Fleece. They chose two beautiful daughters of the king of Sparta to
be their wives; women who happened to be already married to the Twins'
cousins Idas and Lynceus. Disregarding the breach of family
etiquette, the twins married the women anyway. The two cousins were
not bothered by this and, in fact, the cousins, in friendly company of the
Twins, rustled a herd of cattle. It is said that finally there was
trouble between the two pairs of thieves when they tried to divide the
cattle among themselves. Idas and Lynceus used trickery to get the
cattle and herd them away. Castor and Pollux vowed to get even with
their cousins. The Twins caught up with their cousing and during the
fight that ensued, Idas killed Castor with a spear. Infuriated,
Pollux caught and killed Lynceus with a single blow. Just as Idas was
about to kill Pollux with a tombstone, Zeus came to the aid of the living
twin and killed Idas with a lightning bolt. Pollux begged to die so
that he would not be separated from his brother. Rather than killing
his own son, Zeus placed them together in the sky as the constellation
Gemini, the Twins. |
