Cygnus - Revision history

Sushoff: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2026-06-20T11:27:21Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:27, 20 June 2026
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	===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===		===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
	<gallery>		<gallery>
			File:Aratea fol. 46v.jpg\|Cygnus in the Leiden Aratea (~840 CE), fol. 46.
	File:Lyr+Cyg RudolphTab.png\|Cyg in Rudolphine Tables (Kepler 1627).		File:Lyr+Cyg RudolphTab.png\|Cyg in Rudolphine Tables (Kepler 1627).
	File:Cyg Fortin1795.jpg\|Cygnus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Cyg Fortin1795.jpg\|Cygnus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).

Sushoff: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2026-06-20T11:26:54Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

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 ===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
 <gallery>
 File:Cyg Fortin1795.jpg|Cygnus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
 File:H.A. Rey's stick figure stellarium-029.png|(1952) H.A. Rey's stick figure of Cygnus

Sushoff: /* Eratosthenes */

2026-06-12T07:20:57Z

Eratosthenes

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:20, 12 June 2026
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	===== Eratosthenes =====		===== Eratosthenes =====
	Pamias and Zucker (2013,<ref>Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud (2013). Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, Belles Lettres, Paris</ref> 82-84)		Pamias and Zucker (2013,<ref>Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud (2013). Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, Belles Lettres, Paris</ref> 77-79)<blockquote>'''Var. 1 (Περὶ τοῦ Ὄρνιθος)''': This is the one known as ‘the Great (Bird)’, and depicted as a swan. It is said that Zeus, in the guise of a swan, descended upon Rhamnonte in Attica, where he raped Nemesis. She gave birth to an egg from which, according to the poet Cratinos, Helen was born. And because he had ascended to heaven just as he was, without changing his form, and retaining his swan-like appearance, Zeus placed him amongst the constellations with outstretched wings. </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2 (Ὄρνιθος)''': This is the one known as “the Great (Bird)”, and depicted as a swan. It is said that Zeus declared his love for Nemesis by taking the form of this animal, for she was constantly changing shape to preserve her virginity, and at that time she was a swan. Thus, having also taken the form of this bird, Zeus descended upon Rhamnonte in Attica, where he raped Nemesis. She gave birth to an egg and, according to the poet Cratinos, from this egg, once hatched, Helen was born. And because he had ascended to heaven in that form, without changing shape, Zeus also placed the figure of the swan amongst the constellations. It has its wings spread, just as it was then.
			Cygnus has one bright star on its head, one on its neck, five on its right wing, five on its left wing, one on its body, and one on its rump, which is the largest star. Fourteen in all.</blockquote>
	'''Var. 1 (Περὶ τοῦ )''':

	'''Var. 2 ()''': This is the one known as “the Great (Bird)”, and depicted as a swan. It is said that Zeus declared his love for Nemesis by taking the form of this animal, for she was constantly changing shape to preserve her virginity, and at that time she was a swan. Thus, having also taken the form of this bird, Zeus descended upon Rhamnonte in Attica, where he raped Nemesis. She gave birth to an egg and, according to the poet Cratinos, from this egg, once hatched, Helen was born. And because he had ascended to heaven in that form, without changing shape, Zeus also placed the figure of the swan amongst the constellations. It has its wings spread, just as it was then.
	Cygnus has one bright star on its head, one on its neck, five on its right wing, five on its left wing, one on its body, and one on its rump, which is the largest star. Fourteen in all.

	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====

Sushoff: /* Eratosthenes */

2026-06-12T07:17:18Z

Eratosthenes

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:17, 12 June 2026
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	===== Eratosthenes =====		===== Eratosthenes =====
			Pamias and Zucker (2013,<ref>Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud (2013). Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, Belles Lettres, Paris</ref> 82-84)

			'''Var. 1 (Περὶ τοῦ )''':

			'''Var. 2 ()''': This is the one known as “the Great (Bird)”, and depicted as a swan. It is said that Zeus declared his love for Nemesis by taking the form of this animal, for she was constantly changing shape to preserve her virginity, and at that time she was a swan. Thus, having also taken the form of this bird, Zeus descended upon Rhamnonte in Attica, where he raped Nemesis. She gave birth to an egg and, according to the poet Cratinos, from this egg, once hatched, Helen was born. And because he had ascended to heaven in that form, without changing shape, Zeus also placed the figure of the swan amongst the constellations. It has its wings spread, just as it was then.
			Cygnus has one bright star on its head, one on its neck, five on its right wing, five on its left wing, one on its body, and one on its rump, which is the largest star. Fourteen in all.

	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2026-06-04T06:29:30Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:29, 4 June 2026
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	<gallery>		<gallery>
	File:Cyg Fortin1795.jpg\|Cygnus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Cyg Fortin1795.jpg\|Cygnus in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
			File:H.A. Rey's stick figure stellarium-029.png\|(1952) H.A. Rey's stick figure of Cygnus
			File:O. Hlad's stick figure stellarium-029.png\|(1988) O. Hlad's stick figure of Cygnus
	</gallery>		</gallery>

IanRidpath: /* Weblinks */ Added Arburg link

2026-05-19T21:33:29Z

Weblinks: Added Arburg link

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:33, 19 May 2026
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	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==

	*		* [https://iconographic.warburg.sas.ac.uk/category/vpc-taxonomy-017047 Warburg Institute Iconographic Database – Cygnus]

	==References==		==References==

Sushoff at 12:22, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T12:22:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:22, 19 May 2026
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	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Cyg]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Cyg]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]
	~~[[Category:4work]]~~

YoulaAzkarrula at 01:44, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T01:44:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:44, 19 May 2026
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	[[Category:Eurasia]]		[[Category:Eurasia]]
	[[Category:Constellation]]		[[Category:Constellation]] [[Category:Asterism]]
	[[Category:Almagest]]		[[Category:Almagest]]
	[[Category:Mesopotamian]]		[[Category:Mesopotamian]]
	[[Category:West Asian]]		[[Category:West Asian]] [[Category:Asian]]
	[[Category:Modern]]		[[Category:Modern]]
	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Cyg]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]
	[[Category:4work]]		[[Category:4work]]

Sushoff at 12:08, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:08:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:08, 27 February 2026
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	=== Origin of Constellation ===		=== Origin of Constellation ===
	The Greek constellation was originally named "The Bird" (ornithos). In Babylonian uranography, there is a figure of a giant storm demon named U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A, literally meaning ‘the one with the open mouth’. It is not known exactly what this demon may have looked like, but there is an image on reliefs at a temple entrance in Nimrud that could fit: it is a panther-headed demon with wings and fearsome claws, standing between the weather god and the god of war, turning towards the weather god with its mouth wide open. This demon could be described as a panther griffin. This fits with the later Akkadian vocabulary for this constellation, as the Sumerian word U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A can also be written in Akkadian as ''nimru'' (panther).		<ref>Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>The Greek constellation was originally named "The Bird" (ornithos). In Babylonian uranography, there is a figure of a giant storm demon named U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A, literally meaning ‘the one with the open mouth’. It is not known exactly what this demon may have looked like, but there is an image on reliefs at a temple entrance in Nimrud that could fit: it is a panther-headed demon with wings and fearsome claws, standing between the weather god and the god of war, turning towards the weather god with its mouth wide open. This demon could be described as a panther griffin. This fits with the later Akkadian vocabulary for this constellation, as the Sumerian word U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A can also be written in Akkadian as ''nimru'' (panther).

	Such a figure can also be seen very clearly in the stars of Cygnus and Cepheus. However, the Babylonian constellation covers a much larger area, i.e. approximately two Greek constellations. It extends to the star λ Andromedae as the foot of the demon and covers parts of Cepheus in addition to Cygnus. Therefore, it must have undergone numerous transformations to be considered one of the precursors. It cannot have been adopted directly from Babylonian into Greek.		Such a figure can also be seen very clearly in the stars of Cygnus and Cepheus. However, the Babylonian constellation covers a much larger area, i.e. approximately two Greek constellations. It extends to the star λ Andromedae as the foot of the demon and covers parts of Cepheus in addition to Cygnus. Therefore, it must have undergone numerous transformations to be considered one of the precursors. It cannot have been adopted directly from Babylonian into Greek.

Sushoff at 18:08, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T18:08:42Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:08, 26 February 2026
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	----		----
	[[File:Cygnus IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Cyg star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Cygnus IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Cyg star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
	~~One~~ of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]].		Cygnus, the Swan, one of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. In the original Greek, the constellation is called ‘bird’, and only the star legend tells us what kind of bird it is supposed to be. The figure is Greek.

			Today, we depict it as a swan, viewed from directly above, which is why it has the simplified shape of a cross: it is therefore also called the ‘Cross of the North’. In ancient times, however, the depiction was asymmetrical. One can see one of the bird's feet resting on the Arctic Circle. The neck is not perfectly straight, and while one wing is stretched out, the other appears to be folded, which is probably meant to be a perspective effect.

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	[[File:KugelGlobe Sge.JPG\|thumb\|Cyg, Lyr, Del, Aql and Sge on the Kugel Globe (1st century BCE), SMH 2024.]]		[[File:KugelGlobe Sge.JPG\|thumb\|Cyg, Lyr, Del, Aql and Sge on the Kugel Globe (1st century BCE), SMH 2024.]]
	~~The Greek constellation was originally named "The Bird" (ornithos).~~

			=== Origin of Constellation ===
			The Greek constellation was originally named "The Bird" (ornithos). In Babylonian uranography, there is a figure of a giant storm demon named U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A, literally meaning ‘the one with the open mouth’. It is not known exactly what this demon may have looked like, but there is an image on reliefs at a temple entrance in Nimrud that could fit: it is a panther-headed demon with wings and fearsome claws, standing between the weather god and the god of war, turning towards the weather god with its mouth wide open. This demon could be described as a panther griffin. This fits with the later Akkadian vocabulary for this constellation, as the Sumerian word U<sub>4</sub>.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A can also be written in Akkadian as ''nimru'' (panther).

	~~===Origin~~ of ~~Constellation===~~		Such a figure can also be seen very clearly in the stars of Cygnus and Cepheus. However, the Babylonian constellation covers a much larger area, i.e. approximately two Greek constellations. It extends to the star λ Andromedae as the foot of the demon and covers parts of Cepheus in addition to Cygnus. Therefore, it must have undergone numerous transformations to be considered one of the precursors. It cannot have been adopted directly from Babylonian into Greek.

	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====
			see

			* [[UD.KA.DU8.A\|UD.KA.DU<sub>8</sub>.A]]

	==== Greco-Roman ====		==== Greco-Roman ====
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	==Mythology==		==Mythology==
			'''Greek'''

			Eratosthenes reports that Zeus fell in love with Nemesis, the goddess of retributive justice or righteous anger. She wanted to remain a virgin and therefore fled from him. She once transformed herself into a swan, whereupon Zeus also transformed himself into a swan and thus succeeded in seducing her. He then flew energetically skyward, leaving behind the image of the magnificent animal form among the stars. The imprint in the star pattern depicts the bird flying, with its wings spread wide.

			In the constellation Aquila, we present another version of the story, told by Hyginus in Roman times, according to which Zeus, in the form of a swan, allowed himself to be pursued by his eagle in order to find refuge in the bosom of Nemesis. However, the eagle in the sky does not pursue the swan, but they fly across the sky at the same time.

			In any case, the result of this union is that Nemesis lays an egg. The egg later hatches into the beautiful Helen, who was the cause of the Trojan War. Helen is considered to be the daughter of Leda because the egg was given to Leda and Leda raised the girl.

	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==