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Sky Chart and Artist Rendering of Hydra
Origin:
Hydra is a very old constellation with a variety of different legends to
its credit.
Information:
Hydra is the largest constellation in the sky, covering 1303 square
degrees of sky, and also the most extended, stretching almost horizon to
horizon. There are many deep sky objects of merit -- mostly open
clusters and galaxies -- in Hydra which are worth exploring.
Hydra runs roughly parallel and south of the ecliptic. The head of
Hydra rises with and south of Cancer (the Crab)
and passes, in order, south of Sextans (the
Sextant), Crater (the Cup), Corvus
(the Crow), Virgo (the Virgin), and Libra (the Scales).
Mythology:
The swamps of Lerna was home of the enormous water-snake Hydra, possessing
nine heads (one of which was immortal), and with breath that would kill
from a mere whiff. Hercules, fulfilling on of the requirements of
his "labors" located the monster's lair, and proceeded to hack
off the heads of Hydra with his sword. Unfortunately, when one head
was sliced off, another (in some versions, two heads) appeared in its
place. Hercules (in some versions, his nephew Iolsus) solved this problem
by using a torch to cauterize each stump after he cut off that head.
Hercules finished off the Hydra by cutting off the immortal head. He
then dipped his arrows in the Hydra's blood. The slightest scratch
from one of these poisoned arrows brought instant death to the
victim.
See the legends of Corvus
the Crow and Crater the Cup for an alternate
story. |
