From astrology to astronomy, humans
always look to the skies
Since the earliest agrarian
civilizations, humans have
looked to the skies for answers.
They believed the gods wrote
our destiny in the stars and
planets. That's where astrology
comes from.
The urge to understand the skies
only grew stronger as science
evolved, even if the questions
An ancient print from 1515 showing southern constellations
An ancient print from 1515 showing northern constellations.
Ursa Major: The Big Dipper
The Big Dipper depicts the myth of Callisto, a lovely nymph, pursued by Zeus, the king of the gods, and the son she
bore him named Arcas. Hera, the queen of the gods and Zeus' wife, turned Callisto into a bear after a fit of
jealousy. She was doomed to roam the world as an animal until one day she met her son. He did not recognize his
mother and attempted to kill her, but Zeus could not bear to see this happen. Instead he transformed both of
them into constellations. Arcas became Ursa Minor and Callisto Ursa Major, and the two remained close to one
another in the sky.
In Indian mythology this constellation is known as Saptarshi, indicating seven Rishis. You see this two stars Mizar
and Alcor. In Indian Astronony they are know as Vasistha-arundhati. They are considered as an ideal couple. You
know what, in one of the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom takes his newly wed wife to an open sky field and
shows her this double star systems, which signifies that they both are campanions.
Ursa Major
Bootes
Boötes is usually thought to represent Arcas, who was an offspring of Zeus and the nymph
Callisto. Callisto had earlier taken a vow of chastity and became a companion of Artemis.
However, cunning Zeus appeared to her in the guise of Artemis, and when she discovered
his real identity, it was too late. So she gave birth to Arcas. Artemis was furious with
Callisto, and Zeus changed her into a bear to help her escape Artemis’s rage.
One day, when he was a man, Arcas was out hunting and came across Callisto in the guise
of a bear. She recognized him, but he did not know his mother. He gave chase and she
sheltered in a sacred place in which discovery would mean death. To protect her and Arcas,
Zeus placed them in the heavens. There are several variations of this story, and indeed
other stories about the origin of the constellation.
Orion: The hunter
According to Greek myth, Orion, led a tragic life that ended when he stepped on a scorpion, known as
Scorpius. The gods felt sorry for him so they put him and his faithful dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, into
the sky as constellations. The gods surrounded Orion with celestial animals for him to hunt; Lepus, the rabbit,
and Taurus, the bull. The gods placed Scorpius on the opposite side of the sky so he could never hurt Orion
again. Orion was also in love with Merope, one of the seven sisters known as Pleiades, however Merope
didn't want anything to do with Orion. The gods placed Orion into the sky forever chasing the Pleiades, but
never reaching them.
A sword hangs from his belt, marked by a diagonal composed of three bright stars. In mythology, Orion was
the son of Poseidon, the god of the sea, and Euryale, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. Poseidon gave
Orion the power to walk on water. Orion went hunting with two dogs at his heels, represented in the heavens
by Canis Major (the Great Dog) and Canis Minor (the Little Dog).
Orion had enormous stature and possessed prodigious strength. He was also handsome. Unsurprisingly, many
of the stories about him concern his love of beautiful women. In one, he was chasing the seven beautiful
sisters known as the Pleiades. Just as he was about to catch them, Zeus intervened, turned them into doves,
and later placed them among the stars. And this scenario is re-enacted in the heavens, where Orion stills
pursues them.
conclusion
• We are the storytellers!
• It celebrates and gives meaning to our ancestors’ urge to
decipher the skies.
•