More Constellations!!

I thought I’d give a bit more background on some more of the constellations drifting around the night sky:

4) Leo: Leo, the lion, is typically associated with the story of the Nemean lion faced by Heracles as one of his twelve labours. It was said that the skin of the Lion was perfectly impenetrable; therefore Heracles strangled the cat to death and subsequently used the creature’s own claws to skin the beast. Heracles is constantly depicted as having worn the skin of the Nemean lion on all of his adventures and seems to have been his key symbol apart from the club he bore as well.  Leo is most recognizable in the night sky by the bright star Regulus, representing the supposed heart of the lion. The curved “sickle” makes up the Lion’s head, and the triangle towards his flank makes up the back portion of Leo.

5)Draco: Draco, the snake (or dragon as it is sometimes depicted) has many originations, each of which is just as likely to be the true myth behind the constellation. Here, I’ll simply tell my favourite; the story of Cadmus and the founding of Thebes. Cadmus was given probably one of the most peculiar tasks of literally following a cow until the cow lay down, and here he was told to found the city of Thebes.  Once reaching the site, however, his men were set upon by the ‘monster of Mars’. Mars being the god of war and perhaps the most violent of the Roman Gods, it’s understandable why the men were killed so quickly. Cadmus took up arms however and slew the dragon, planting its teeth in the ground (some of these myths are pretty crazy) from which sprung a legion of warriors to fight for Cadmus. They fought amongst themselves until there were but 5 soldiers left, and they, with Cadmus, became the first people of Thebes.

Draco ‘snakes’ up in between the constellations of Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, distinctively curving in on itself. 

Hope that was enjoyable!!

-StarKid