Draco - Revision history

Sushoff: /* Eratosthenes */

2026-06-12T05:36:15Z

Eratosthenes

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:36, 12 June 2026
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	===== Eratosthenes =====		===== Eratosthenes =====
	<blockquote>'''Var. 1''' ('''Ὄφεως'''): This is the Great Serpent, the one that lies between the two Bears. It is said that this is the one who guarded the golden apples and was killed by Heracles. Hera had charged him with protecting the apples from the Hesperides, and it was she who gave him a place among the constellations. Indeed, Phecydes says that when Zeus married Hera, during the presentation of gifts given to him by the gods, Gaia, The Earth, came to offer her the golden apples. At the sight of them, Hera was dazzled and asked for them to be planted in the orchard of the gods next to Atlas. And as the daughters of Atlas were constantly stealing the apples, she appointed this gigantic snake as guardian. It is easy to see; above it is the figure of Heracles, for Zeus wanted to use this arrangement to flagrantly the memory of the struggle. He has three bright stars on his head and twelve stars on his body, which follow each other at close intervals to the tail and separate the two Bears48. <All in all, fifteen.> </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2 (Ὄφεως):''' This is the Great Serpent, the one that stretches between the two Bears. It is said that this is the one who guarded the golden apples and who died at the hands of Heracles. Hera had charged him with protecting the orchards and the golden apples against the Hesperides, and it was she who gave him a place among the constellations. In fact, Phecydes that on the occasion of the wedding of Zeus and Hera, during the gifts given by the gods, Gaia, The Earth, came to offer golden apples on their branches. At the sight of them, Hera was dazzled and asked for them to be planted in the orchard of the gods next to Atlas. And as the daughters of Atlas were constantly stealing apples, she appointed this gigantic snake as guardian.		Pamias and Zucker (2013,<ref>Pamìas, Jordi und Zucker, Arnaud (2013). Ératosthènes de Cyrène: Catastérrismes, Belles Lettres, Paris</ref> 10-13). Note that the constellation is called The Snake or Serpent and not Dragon.<blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 1''' ('''Ὄφεως'''): This is the Great Serpent, the one that lies between the two Bears. It is said that this is the one who guarded the golden apples and was killed by Heracles. Hera had charged him with protecting the apples from the Hesperides, and it was she who gave him a place among the constellations. Indeed, Phecydes says that when Zeus married Hera, during the presentation of gifts given to him by the gods, Gaia, The Earth, came to offer her the golden apples. At the sight of them, Hera was dazzled and asked for them to be planted in the orchard of the gods next to Atlas. And as the daughters of Atlas were constantly stealing the apples, she appointed this gigantic snake as guardian. It is easy to see; above it is the figure of Heracles, for Zeus wanted to use this arrangement to flagrantly the memory of the struggle. He has three bright stars on his head and twelve stars on his body, which follow each other at close intervals to the tail and separate the two Bears48. <All in all, fifteen.> </blockquote><blockquote>'''Var. 2 (Ὄφεως):''' This is the Great Serpent, the one that stretches between the two Bears. It is said that this is the one who guarded the golden apples and who died at the hands of Heracles. Hera had charged him with protecting the orchards and the golden apples against the Hesperides, and it was she who gave him a place among the constellations. In fact, Phecydes that on the occasion of the wedding of Zeus and Hera, during the gifts given by the gods, Gaia, The Earth, came to offer golden apples on their branches. At the sight of them, Hera was dazzled and asked for them to be planted in the orchard of the gods next to Atlas. And as the daughters of Atlas were constantly stealing apples, she appointed this gigantic snake as guardian.

	It has three bright stars at the tip of its head and twelve stars on the body, which follow each other at close to the tail, separating the two bears. (Pamias and Zucker 2013) </blockquote>		It has three bright stars at the tip of its head and twelve stars on the body, which follow each other at close to the tail, separating the two bears. (Pamias and Zucker 2013) </blockquote>

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

2026-06-04T06:29:58Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:29, 4 June 2026
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	===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===		===Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation===
			<gallery>
			File:H.A. Rey's stick figure stellarium-032.png\|(1952) H.A. Rey's stick figure of Draco
			File:O. Hlad's stick figure stellarium-032.png\|(1988) O. Hlad's stick figure of Draco
			</gallery>

	==Mythology==		==Mythology==

IanRidpath: /* Almagest Δράκων. */ OCR errors

2026-05-20T12:22:11Z

Almagest Δράκων.: OCR errors

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:22, 20 May 2026
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	\|3		\|3
	\|ὁ ἐπάνω τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ.		\|ὁ ἐπάνω τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ.
	\|The· star above the ~~eve~~		\|The· star above the eye
	\|bet Dra		\|bet Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος.		\|τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος.
	\|The northern star of the ~~re!lr~~ side [of the quadrilateral]		\|The northern star of the rear side [of the quadrilateral]
	\|eps Dra		\|eps Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|τῶν ἐν τῷ ἐξῆς καὶ προηγουμένῳ τριγώνῳ ἡ ὁ ἑπόμενος,		\|τῶν ἐν τῷ ἐξῆς καὶ προηγουμένῳ τριγώνῳ ἡ ὁ ἑπόμενος,
	\|The most advanced of the three stars in the next triangle, which is in advance [ of the last]		\|The most advanced of the three stars in the next triangle, which is in advance [of the last]
	\|psi Dra		\|psi Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|τῶν ἐξῆς ἐπ’ εὐθείας γ’ ὁ νοτιώτερος		\|τῶν ἐξῆς ἐπ’ εὐθείας γ’ ὁ νοτιώτερος
	\|The southernmost of the ~~riext~~ 3 stars in a straight line		\|The southernmost of the next 3 stars in a straight line
	\|18 Dra		\|18 Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|τῶν ἐξῆς πρὸς δυσμὰς β’ ὁ βορειότερος.		\|τῶν ἐξῆς πρὸς δυσμὰς β’ ὁ βορειότερος.
	\|The ~~riorthernmost~~ of the next 2 to the west		\|The northernmost of the next 2 to the west
	\|eta Dra		\|eta Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|ὁ τούτωυ πρὸς δυσμὰς ἐν τῇ παρούρῳ ἐπιστροφῇ		\|ὁ τούτωυ πρὸς δυσμὰς ἐν τῇ παρούρῳ ἐπιστροφῇ
	\|The star to the ~~west·~~ of these, in the bend by the tail		\|The star to the west of these, in the bend by the tail
	\|iot Dra		\|iot Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν.		\|ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν.
	\|The rear star.of these (two)		\|The rear star of these (two)
	\|alf Dra		\|alf Dra
	\|-		\|-
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	\|		\|
	\|ἀστέρες λα, ὥν ν μεγέθους ἢ, δ’ ἰς, εε, ς’ β, ὁμοῦ λα		\|ἀστέρες λα, ὥν ν μεγέθους ἢ, δ’ ἰς, εε, ς’ β, ὁμοῦ λα
	\|31 stars, 8 of the third magnitude, 16 of the fourth, 5 of the fifth,2 of the sixth		\|{31 stars, 8 of the third magnitude, 16 of the fourth, 5 of the fifth, 2 of the sixth}
	\|		\|
	\|}		\|}

IanRidpath: /* Weblinks */ Added Warburg link

2026-05-19T21:37:46Z

Weblinks: Added Warburg link

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:37, 19 May 2026
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	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==
			* [https://iconographic.warburg.sas.ac.uk/category/vpc-taxonomy-017040 Warburg Institute Iconographic Database – Draco]
	*

	==References==		==References==

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-05-19T12:25:06Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:25, 19 May 2026
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	===== Hipparchus =====		===== Hipparchus =====
			not a rising and setting constellation

	===== Geminos =====		===== Geminos =====

Sushoff at 12:24, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T12:24:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:24, 19 May 2026
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	[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Dra]]		[[Category:88 IAU-Constellations]] [[Category:Dra]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]
	~~[[Category:4work]]~~

YoulaAzkarrula at 02:21, 19 May 2026

2026-05-19T02:21:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:21, 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:Dra]]
	[[Category:European]]		[[Category:European]]
	[[Category:4work]]		[[Category:4work]]

Sushoff at 12:11, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:11:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:11, 27 February 2026
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	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	===Origin of Constellation===		===Origin of Constellation===
	Aratos describes the constellation as a dragon that “coils around and around,” “a thousandfold” and “like a waterfall and a great wonder.” Eratosthenes, on the other hand, calls the constellation “snake,” and this is how it is depicted on the Farnese Globe: only the head of the creature can be seen there—an architectural hole in the globe erased the coils down to the tail. Greek astronomy distinguishes this “giant” snake, which winds around the pole, from the snake of the serpent bearer, but there is no indication that this figure has a dragon-like appearance. In the Leiden Aratea, too, this constellation was more reminiscent of an earthworm. This manuscript dates from the 9th century (Carolingian Empire) and Central Europe; one copy was found in the Netherlands and another in France. However, its drawing style implies a Roman model that is now lost. It can therefore be concluded that the Greek image of the giant snake, which was not a dragon, remained unchanged from Aratos in the 3rd century BCE to the Carolingian Middle Ages.		<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>Aratos describes the constellation as a dragon that “coils around and around,” “a thousandfold” and “like a waterfall and a great wonder.” Eratosthenes, on the other hand, calls the constellation “snake,” and this is how it is depicted on the Farnese Globe: only the head of the creature can be seen there—an architectural hole in the globe erased the coils down to the tail. Greek astronomy distinguishes this “giant” snake, which winds around the pole, from the snake of the serpent bearer, but there is no indication that this figure has a dragon-like appearance. In the Leiden Aratea, too, this constellation was more reminiscent of an earthworm. This manuscript dates from the 9th century (Carolingian Empire) and Central Europe; one copy was found in the Netherlands and another in France. However, its drawing style implies a Roman model that is now lost. It can therefore be concluded that the Greek image of the giant snake, which was not a dragon, remained unchanged from Aratos in the 3rd century BCE to the Carolingian Middle Ages.

	==== Babylonian ====		==== Babylonian ====
	In Mesopotamian uranography, this region of the sky cannot be reconstructed well because it is circumpolar and therefore no rise and set dates are given. However, it is clear that there were neither dragons nor serpents here: this region of the sky is dedicated to the god of agriculture, Enlil, and his family.		In Mesopotamian uranography,<ref name=":0" /> this region of the sky cannot be reconstructed well because it is circumpolar and therefore no rise and set dates are given. However, it is clear that there were neither dragons nor serpents here: this region of the sky is dedicated to the god of agriculture, Enlil, and his family.

	==== Greco-Roman ====		==== Greco-Roman ====

Sushoff: /* Mythology */

2026-02-24T19:00:29Z

Mythology

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:00, 24 February 2026
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	==Mythology==		==Mythology==

			=== Greek ===
			The earth goddess Gaia's wedding gift to Hera and Zeus was golden apples. Hera was so amazed by this “miracle of nature” that she wanted to have these fruits planted in the garden of the gods. This garden was located near Atlas, whose daughters, the Hesperides, repeatedly stole some of the apples.

			Hera therefore set a giant snake to guard the apples. One of Heracles' heroic deeds was to kill this giant snake. Eratosthenes writes that Heracles' battle with the snake was ordered by Zeus.

	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==

Sushoff at 18:59, 24 February 2026

2026-02-24T18:59:28Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:59, 24 February 2026
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	----		----
	[[File:Draco IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Dra star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]		[[File:Draco IAU.svg\|alt=star chart\|thumb\|Dra star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg).]]
			[[File:Greece, Delphi, Omphalos at Via Sacra of Delphi.png\|thumb\|Greece, Delphi, Omphalos at Via Sacra of Delphi (CC BY Berthold Werner).]]
			[[File:Omphalos, AM of Delphi, 201424x.jpg\|thumb\|The omphalos was found in the area to the northeast of the temple of Apollo. It most probably reproduced the form of the omphalos that stand in the adyton. It is regarded as a Hellenistic (or Roman) copy of that omphalos. Archaeological Museum of Delphi. (CC BY SA Zde)]]
	One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. The ancient constellation depicts a snake coiled around the truly stationary (ecliptic) celestial pole. It is Python, a giant snake that was killed by the god Apollo and buried in the Greek sanctuary at Delphi. There, Apollo whispers through her corpse to the Pythia, a priestess, the famous “Oracle of Delphi.” The (dead) Python writhes around the “navel of the world,” a sacred stone (''omphalos'') in Delphi. The analogy to the ecliptic pole in the sky is obvious.		One of the [[:Category:88_IAU-Constellations\|88 IAU constellations]]. The ancient constellation depicts a snake coiled around the truly stationary (ecliptic) celestial pole. It is Python, a giant snake that was killed by the god Apollo and buried in the Greek sanctuary at Delphi. There, Apollo whispers through her corpse to the Pythia, a priestess, the famous “Oracle of Delphi.” The (dead) Python writhes around the “navel of the world,” a sacred stone (''omphalos'') in Delphi. The analogy to the ecliptic pole in the sky is obvious.