By David Ward
There are 88 constellations of stars up there in the sky, and they represent about everything imaginable. Of course, there are the mythological characters like Orion, the hunter, Perseus, the hero, and Cassiopeia, the queen. A surprising number of practical devices including scientific instruments like a microscope, a telescope, an eyepiece, a chemical furnace and a carpenter’s level can be found in the sky.
These are almost all only visible from the southern hemisphere. About half of the constellations portray animals. Some are fanciful, like the sea goat, whatever that is. Others are grand like the dragon, and the great bear. Others are tiny, like the fly, with only four stars. Whoever thought a mere fly was important enough to grace the heavens? There is a pony, a unicorn, two centaurs — which are half man and half horse — and one horse. What a horse he is — pure white like every good guy should be riding, and he even has wings.
Look almost straight overhead in early November for a large square of four sort-of-bright stars. The inside of the square is almost empty of stars and is known as the Great Square of Pegasus, the flying horse. On the western side of the square, a curved line of stars from each of the two corners represents the front legs and hooves of the famous horse.
Pegasus was a favorite mythological character of the ancient Greeks. He was born when the hero Perseus whacked off the head of Medusa, the horrible creature living on the seashore with her sisters. She had snakes writhing in her hair, a hairdresser’s nightmare. Medusa was a very dangerous character because her gaze was so icy — one glance from her would turn you to stone. When the blood from her decapitated head spilled into the sea foam, out sprang the most beautiful creature imaginable, almost the complete opposite of the snaky headed monster: Pegasus the flying horse.
Pegasus has long been associated with the nine muses, beautiful goddesses who inspired artists, poets, philosophers and musicians. It is said that he struck the side of Mt. Helicon with his hooves, causing the spring Hippocrene, sacred to the muses, to flow.
Man and horse
The story of Pegasus cannot be separated from that of Bellerophon, a handsome Greek youth who yearned to tame the steed. With the help of the goddess Athena and a bridle of pure gold fashioned on Mt. Olympus, Bellerophon was able to ride Pegasus, and the pair had many adventures together. The most famous of these exploits was the slaying of the dreaded monster the Chimera, a horrible beast with the head of a lion and the tail of a dragon.
Bellerophon was overcome by his pride, a human trait not appreciated by the gods, and decided to ride Pegasus all the way up to Mt. Olympus. The mighty Zeus, king of the gods, enraged by the presumptive youth, sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, who bucked and threw his rider. Pegasus made it to Mt. Olympus, where he lived a comfortable life in the plush stables of the gods and carried the thunderbolts of Zeus. Bellerophon survived the fall to Earth, but lived out his days as a crippled hermit wandering the land in search of his beloved flying horse.
From the northeast corner of the Great Square of Pegasus, two streams of dimmer stars flow northward to form the constellation Andromeda. Scan that area with binoculars to find the Andromeda Galaxy, the object largest and farthest away which can be seen with the naked eye. The hind part of the horse is not depicted in the stars. What happened to it? Modern mythologists have suggested that the rear end of the horse fell to Earth and founded the current race of politicians, an idea that you might resonate with no matter which side of the political fence you find yourself on.
Saturn has drifted into the twilight glow leaving our evening skies devoid of bright planets. If you are up before sunrise, look for dazzling Venus and bright Jupiter in the east before sunrise.
Bellerophon is not exactly a household name, but it is the unofficial name given to one of the first planets discovered circling another star — found in the constellation of Pegasus, the flying horse, of course.
