Aquarius

History

Like the other constellations of the Zodiac, Aquarius is very old. It seems that it was already called Daulo by the Chaldée NS.

Aquarius was variously identified with the passing of years; the most current mythology wants that it is Ganymède, a who charms boy with which Zeus fell in love. It removed it with the mount Olympe to be used as wine waiter to the gods; the Coupe is sometimes identified like his.

The constellation was immortalisée in the years 1960, which off proclaimed the era of Aquarius (the air Age Aquarius in the musical comedy " Hair"). However, it seems that there is no standard definition for the " eras astrologiques" , judicious to correspond to the entry of the Not vernal in the corresponding Constellation. The era of Aquarius could begin either in 2150, or in 2660, according to the preferred definition.

Presentation

; Location of the constellation The main axis of Aquarius is located in the North-eastern/South-western diagonal Grand square of PEGASE, southern part. The constellation extends on this axis since the feet from PEGASE to the head from the Capricorne, marked by a pair of rather brilliant stars (horns of the Capricorn, α and β Capr).

Aquarius can be also located in the axis of the wings of the Cygne, axis which passes by the feet of PEGASE and ends southern part on Fomalhaut of the southern Poisson.

The remainder of the constellation extends in the axis marked by the west coast from the Grand square from PEGASE and which is prolonged towards the South until Fomalhaut, of the southern Poisson. One meets there successively λ, τ (weaker) and δ Aqr (more brilliant).

; Description of the constellation Aquarius is a rather large constellation (it is about the 10 {{E}} of the sky), but presenting to final only fairly luminous stars. One discovers two however there planetary nebulas rather remarkable.

Its most visible part is the " diagonale" marked by its most brilliant stars, α Arq (Sadalmeilk) and β Aqr (Sadalsuud). It is this diagonal which prolongs the Grand square of PEGASE and points on the two horns of the Capricorne. The essence of the constellation extends to South-east from this axis.

If the conditions of visibility are sufficient (mag 5), one can identify in front of the head of Aquarius (α Aqr) a Astérisme called the Ballot box, which would be the earthenware jar from where the constellation pours its water. This asterism appreciably has the shape of an equilateral triangle formed by the star S Sadalachbiah (γ The Aqr, with the West, most brilliant of the group), η Aqr (in the East), and π Aqr (in the North, weakest), the triangle being punctuated by ζ Aqr in the center.

In the axis PEGASE - Fomalhaut, some éparts small groups and not very visible marks the " drops of eau" spread by Aquarius.

; Great alignments In spite of its little of glare, Aquarius is with the crossroads of two major alignments:

the first is the alignment of the Grand square of PEGASE, which makes the turn of the sphere, and which is an axis of major location of the vault of heaven. It passes by the Grand square of PEGASE, along the diagonal of Andromède, Algol, Capella, Castor and Pollux, then Alphard (Hydre.
On other side, this alignment passes by the axis of Aquarius, the head of the Capricorne (β Cape), the arc and the head (σ Sgr) of the Sagittarius, Shaula (λ Scorpii), Alpha Centauri, Acrux, and skirts the extremity of the Voiles before joining Alphard (Hydre.
other great alignment is that which leaves Aquarius, passes by the feet of PEGASE, in the axis of the wings of the Cygne, through the head and on the heart of the Dragon, to lead on the diagonal of the Grande Ourse.
On other side, this alignment passes by Fomalhaut of the southern Poisson, and is completed on Achernar.

Principal stars

β Aquarii (Sadalsud)

The most brilliant star of the constellation of Aquarius is β Aquarii (Sadalsud), with only a Magnitude connects of 2,9. It is a red Supergéante and its low relative brightness comes from its distance, 612 light-years.

Its name comes from an Arab expression meaning “luckiest”. This “lucky” star designation is shared by two other stars of the constellation, Sadalmelik and Sadalachbiah

Other stars

Here some others star S principal of Aquarius:

Alpha Aquarii (Sadalmelik), “the lucky star of the king”, who is almost exactly on the celestial equator
Sadalachbiah (γ Aquarii, “lucky star of the hidden things”
Skat or Scheat (δ Aquarii), “tibia”
Albali (ε Aqr)
Ancha (θ Aqr)
Situla (κ Aqr), a star doubles

R Aquarii is a Variable of the type Mira, evolving/moving over 385 days between magnitudes 5,4 and 9,59. It is also a symbiotic star, his/her companion is a white Naine which tears off little by little whole pieces of its envelope.

Celestial objects

Two Nébuleuse S planet gears are in Aquarius: NGC 7009, known as the Nebulous Saturn because of its form similar to that of the planet, in south-east d'η Aquarii; and NGC 7293, famous the Nebulous Hélix, in the south-west of δ Aquarii.

One can also note the globular Amas S m2 and M72. One finds there also M73, traditionally catalogued like open Amas, but which would be actually made up of stars without any bond between them.

Two rains of meteorites come from the area of Aquarius: éta-aquarides (about on May 4th) and the delta-aquarides (about on June 28th), with all the two approximately 20 meteorites per hour.

See too

List of stars of Aquarius

Random links:

Columbia university | Free ludic license | Count of the Unicode/U0750 characters | Ars (river) | Caxias C Sul