dimanche 31 août 2008

Andromeda 1


Is a constellation named for the princess Andromeda (Greek Ανδρομέδη = guardian of the men ), a character in Greek mythology. The constellation is in the northern sky near the constellation Pegasus. It is most notable for containing the Andromeda Galaxy. It is sometimes called "The Chained Maiden" in English.
Corresponding Chinese constellations in Andromeda are Flying serpent (螣蛇), Celestial stable (天廄), Wall (壁), Legs (奎), Southern military gate (南軍門) and Great general of the heaven (天大将軍).

The brightest star in the constellation is α Andromedae (in the image by its proper name "Sirrah"), which marks her head. Formerly considered common to Andromeda and Pegasus, as confirmed by its name, "navel of the horse", it was also designated δ Pegasi. With α, β, and γ Pegasi it forms an asterism called the Great Square of Pegasus.
β Andromedae is called Mirach, the girdle. It is 200 light years distant and of magnitude 2.1.
γ Andromedae, or Almach, is found at the tip of the southern leg of the big "A".
υ Andromedae has a planetary system with three confirmed planets, 0.71 times, 2.11 times, and 4.61 times the mass of Jupiter.


Andromeda was a woman from Greek mythology who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. She was saved from death by Perseus, her future husband. Her name is the Latinized form of the Greek Ανδρομέδη (Andromēde). The etymology of the name is "to think of a man," from ανδρός (andros) "man" combined with μήδομαι (mēdomai) "to think, to be mindful of."

Andromeda is represented in the northern sky by the constellation Andromeda which contains the Andromeda Galaxy.
Four constellations are associated with the myth. Viewing the fainter stars, visible to the naked eye, the constellations are rendered as:
A large man wearing a crown, upside down with respect to the ecliptic. (The constellation Cepheus)
A smaller figure, next to the man, sitting on a chair. As it is near the pole star, it can be seen the whole year, although sometimes upside down. (The constellation Cassiopeia)
A maiden, chained up, facing/turning away from the ecliptic. (The constellation Andromeda), next to Pegasus.
A sea monster just under the ecliptic. (The constellation Cetus)


King Cepheus of Ethiopia and Queen Cassiopeia thank Perseus for freeing their daughter Andromeda, La Délivrance d'Andromède (1679) Pierre Mignard, Louvre.
Other constellations related to the story are:
Perseus
The constellation Pegasus, who was born from the stump of Medusa's neck, after Perseus had decapitated her.
The constellation Pisces, which may have been treated as two fish caught by Dictys the fisherman who was brother of Polydectes king of Seriphos where Perseus and his mother Danaë were stranded.
Sophocles and Euripides (and in more modern times Corneille) made the story the subject of tragedies, and its incidents were represented in numerous ancient works of art.

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