Everything about Cygnus Constellation totally explained
Cygnus () is a northern
constellation. It was one of
Ptolemy's 48 constellations, and is also one of the 88 modern constellations. Because of the pattern of its main
stars, it's sometimes known as the
Northern Cross (in contrast to the
Southern Cross).
It is said to resemble a swan, the bird extending over the
Milky Way, appearing to fly south.
Notable deep sky objects
Several
star clusters and
nebulae are found in Cygnus due to its position on the Milky Way. The
North America Nebula (
NGC 7000) is found a bit to the east of Deneb. Its resemblance to the continent is best appreciated in photographs. The
Pelican Nebula (
IC 5070) is nearby.
To the south of
Epsilon Cygni is the
Veil Nebula (NGC 6960, 6962, 6979, 6992, and 6995) which is an ancient
supernova remnant covering approximately 3 degrees of the sky.
Also of note is the
Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888), located between Gamma and Eta Cygni, which was formed by the
Wolf-Rayet star HD 192163.
More
supernovae have been seen in the
Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946) than in any other
galaxy.
The constellation also contains the X-ray source
Cygnus X-1, which is now known to be caused by a black hole accreting matter in a binary star system. The system is located close to the star Eta Cygni on star charts.
History and mythology
The constellation bears a resemblance to a wide winged, long necked bird, in graceful flight
(External Link
). In
Greek mythology, the constellation represents several different legendary swans.
Zeus disguised himself as a swan to seduce
Leda, who gave birth to the
Gemini,
Helen of Troy, and
Clytemnestra.
Orpheus was transformed into a swan after his murder, and was said to have been placed in the sky next to his
lyre (
Lyra).
Finally, it's said that a king named
Cycnus was a relative or lover of the ill-fated
Phaëthon. The son of Apollo, Phaethon tricked his father into allowing him to ride the chariot of the Sun, but lost control and was struck down by Zeus. Grief-stricken after Phaëthon's death, and determined to give his remains a proper burial, Cycnus dove to the bottom of the river
Eridanus to find him. He dove so many times into the river that he was transformed into the swan Cygnus, and is visible in the sky today.
Cygnus, together with other constellations in the
Zodiac sign of
Sagittarius (specifically
Lyra and
Aquila, together with
Sagittarius itself), may be a significant part of the origin of the myth of the
Stymphalian Birds, one of
The Twelve Labours of
Heracles.
In
Chinese mythology, the constellation Cygnus is the site of the once-a-year
magpie bridge (Que Qiao) which connects the lovers Niu Lang and Zhi Nu (see
Qi Xi).
In
Ovid's
Metamorphoses, there are three people named Cygnus, all of whom are transformed into swans. The first is the relative of Phaethon mentioned above, who is the son of
Sthenelus and king of
Liguria. The second is a boy from
Tempe, to whom
Phyllius gives several tamed animals as gifts. When Phyllius refuses to give Cygnus a tamed bull that the boy demands, Cygnus throws himself off a cliff in a fit of spite. Instead of falling to his death, Cygnus is transformed into a swan and flies away. The third person named Cygnus is a son of
Neptune. He is a warrior in the
Trojan War who is invulnerable to all stabbing weapons, much to the frustration of his enemy,
Achilles. Achilles finally kills him by smashing his face in with his shield, but Neptune saves Cygnus by transforming him into a swan.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cygnus Constellation'.
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