Cassiopeia, The Queen.
Cepheus was King of Æthiopia (not present day Ethiopia), and the beautiful Cassiopeia was his Queen. Soon after their marriage, Cassiopeia bore her husband a daughter, Andromeda. Cassiopeia was vain and boastful. So great was her beauty and that of Andromeda, she said, that it surpassed even that of Nereids (the Sea-goddess).
Cassiopeia has also been known as the Celestial "W" and Celestial "M".
Another story says that for her bragging, Cassiopeia was chained to her throne and placed in the sky to circle the North Star. At times she is hanging upside down in a most undignified position as a warning to all.
The Romans called her the Woman of the Chair.
To the Arabs, she was the Lady in the Chair.
More constellations here.
Explanation of of Constellation Position Notation here.
No comments:
Post a Comment