Constellations.

    So, I like to spend a lot of my time staring at the sky. Which is crazy, because with my work schedule I'm usually in bed before it's dark, and when I drive to work in the dark morning its foggy and the street lights steal the stars from my vision.

   I still have a very wondrous, dream state reaction to the back lit canopy with holes punched in it.This little blog will cover some of my favorite constellations, the pictures for references I've randomly stolen from the google. I may continue to do this through out the blog and cover several, but for now- start with some favorites.

Orion

     Orion is the hunter. I always see him as a man in traditional Greek combat attire. Breast plate, leather Pteruge, bow in one hand pulling an arrow with the other. Many depictions however, show him with a lion in one hand and a club in the other. That's the beauty of it, the shape is what you see.     

    Most of the world can see this constellation. The Greeks saw demigod Orion, powerful hunter that goddesses fought over. Egyptians saw Osiris, the God of Light. People of Brazil known as Bororo saw the constellation as a caiman, and the Maori of New Zealand, saw a canoe. 

Libra

  

    The Scales, Balance, the stars of my birth! We are all made of stardust you know. This was the last sign added to the Zodiac. In ancient times, the autumnal equinox occurred when  the Sun crossed the celestial equator in Libra. The scale represented equalizing of day and night. This has now moved to the constellation of Virgo.
   Libra is also associated with justice, and the scale sometimes shown in the hand of Goddess Astrea, who weighs right and wrong and is tattooed on my right ribcage. 

Ursa Minor & Ursa Major

Little Bear and Great Bear

   These are also commonly known as the Little and big dipper, although you will see that the big dipper is actually only part of the Ursa Major constellation. The story with these two is fun. 

  

Ursa Major

   Zeus fell in love with Callisto, a beautiful mortal. Hera furious transformed her into a bear. retaining her human sensibility, Callisto wandered the forest in terror of other animals until Zeus placed her in the stars. 

   The Native Americans saw this constellation as a great bear chased by 3 hunters. 

Ursa Minor 

   Zeus's desire for the beautiful Callisto resulted in a son Arcas. While roaming the forest as a bear Callisto saw her son out hunting and rose to embrace him. Seeing only an attacking bear, Arcas thrust at her with his spear. Zeus noticing the encounter, intervened at the last instant, placing both mother and son in the stars as bears.