There are some nebulae in the constellation Aquarius. Legends and myths about constellations. The brightest stars of Aquarius

Let's start with the fact that the average person knows Aquarius, first of all, as one of the twelve existing signs of the Zodiac. Indeed, on the path of the Sun, this constellation lies along with the other eleven constellations of the zodiac belt.

Constellation location

Where is Aquarius located geographically? If we talk about zodiac placement, then traditionally it is between Capricorn and Pisces. The constellation Aquarius is located in the southern hemisphere of the starry sky, where it is surrounded by various water inhabitants - the constellations Cetus, Dolphin, Eridanus and others, due to which the area it occupies is often called the sea. Aquarius, as the ancient Greeks called it, is one of the oldest and largest constellations. To be precise, in terms of the area occupied in the starry sky, namely 980 square degrees, Aquarius is in tenth place.

Number of stars in the constellation

If there is a moonless and clear night outside the window, then the observer will easily be able to see approximately 90 stars from the constellation Aquarius. It is worth noting that only seven of these ninety have a magnitude greater than four. These stars form a kind of curved arc, in the middle of which the five brightest stars are concentrated. This five forms a kind of prototype of a jug with a stream of water flowing from it. In this arrangement of stars it is not easy to see a young guy with a jug of water, but this is exactly how the constellation Aquarius was depicted on ancient star atlases.

Why did they begin to designate the constellation Aquarius with this image? This picture appeared as a result of the ancient Greeks’ observations of natural phenomena. The fact is that above the southern part of the horizon the constellation becomes clearly visible with the arrival of autumn and the onset of the rainy season. This situation repeated regularly, from year to year. Then the Greek ancestors began to associate Aquarius with a certain young man who, on his knees, watered the earth with water from a jug. The picture, invented in ancient times, has survived to this day.

The brightest stars of Aquarius

The most significant in this constellation are three stars - alpha, beta and delta Aquarius. Let's start the story with the first star, not alphabetically, but by brightness, which is called Sadalsuud (aka beta Aquarius). Like most stellar objects, this unusual name for the celestial body comes from the Arabic language, and translated means “lucky among the happiest.” The name is undoubtedly philosophical, but it is explained simply: the Sun enters Aquarius precisely at the moment when spring replaces winter, and the season of regular light spring rains begins outside the window.

Sadalsuud

Sadalsuud is a third magnitude star - its apparent magnitude is 2.91m. This celestial body is quite rare, because it belongs to the hot supergiants. Its spectral class is defined as G0, and its surface temperature is almost similar to the Sun - 5600 K. Beta Aquarii is located at a distance of six hundred light years from Earth and has a luminosity 2200 times that of the Sun. Sadalsuud also has other advantages over the Sun: the diameter of the star is approximately 50 times that of the Sun, and its mass is equal to six whole Suns.

In a telescope you can see that Sadalsuud is a triple star. In addition to the main component, beta Aquarius itself, it is worth noting two more optical components. The first component is Beta Aquarius B, which has an apparent magnitude of 11.0m and is approximately 35 arcseconds from the main star. The second component is beta Aquarius C, which is 57.2 arcseconds away from the main star and its magnitude is 11.6m. However, at the moment, unfortunately, there is no evidence that these stars are a triple system (gravitationally bound). There is a high probability that they are simply a visual triple system.

Another “lucky” star of Aquarius

The second brightest star in Aquarius after Sadalsuud is Sadalmelik, but its light is only slightly weaker than that of Beta Aquarius. As usual, the name of the star is rooted in Arabic. The name of Alpha Aquarius means "lucky star of the king." It has an apparent magnitude of 2.96m and its spectral type is G2 Ib. In the constellation drawing, this luminary is located on the right shoulder of Aquarius.

Sadalmelik is a rather unusual star, and this is due to several reasons. Firstly, this star is classified as a yellow supergiant. The surface temperature of Sadalmelik is only a few degrees lower than the solar 6000 K. It is worth noting that meeting a yellow supergiant in the sky is a great success, because most of the large stars known to astronomy are either even hotter (and therefore have a blue color) or colder (and, as a result, the color is red).

Sadalmelik is 750 light years away from Earth. From here, thanks to simple calculations, we can conclude that its luminosity is 3000 times greater than the Solar one, but its diameter is only 60 times greater than the Solar one. The figure is impressive, but unlike the real ones, which are capable of occupying the entire orbit of Jupiter, Sadalmelik is a moderately modest star. The rank of a supergiant rather suggests that, in accordance with the evolution of stars, this star is close to its imminent death.

The third bright component of Aquarius

In third place in brightness after Sadalsuud and Sadalmelik is the Aquarius delta. It is better known as Skat, which can be translated from Arabic as “thigh”. No wonder, because the star is located exactly on the foot of Aquarius, hence the origin of the name. The star's apparent magnitude is 3.27m, and its spectral class is determined to be A3V. It is 160 light years away from our planet.

Skate is a blue-white star. In its spectral class, Delta Aquarius is on the main sequence. Judging by the distance of the central star of the system, again by its spectral class and luminosity, we can conclude that it is very similar to beta of the constellation Leo. There is a possibility that Skat is part of a moving group of luminaries in the constellation.

If we compare this star with the Sun, it should be said that the mass of Stingray is approximately twice that of the Sun. The star's surface temperature is 9000 K, and its radius is about two and a half solar radii. Today, there are spectroscopic studies that suggest the presence of a companion star near Delta Aquarius. The circulation period of the latter can take about 490 days.

Meteor showers in the constellation Aquarius

Unfortunately, there are not many stars in the constellation that can be seen with an ordinary telescope. However, with its help, anyone can view the whole five radiants of different meteor showers. Let's tell you more about them.

First in line is a radiant called . This radiant of a strong meteor shower is located near Beta Aquarius. This star formation can be seen even with binoculars between May 1 and May 8. Its maximum falls somewhere on the fifth day of May: then about 36 meteors can be seen per hour. This stream is quite often associated with the brightest comet of the 20th century -. As the latter approached the Sun, an increase in the flow was noted; therefore, systematic observation of this phenomenon for its more detailed study is of particular interest.

Near Delta Aquarii you can see another radiant - . His observation falls on the 15th of July - 15th of August. The maximum of this flow is considered to be July 29. Then about 14 meteors can be seen simultaneously every hour.

Northern Delta Aquarids, long exposure shot

Still in the same place, near the Aquarius delta, the second meteor shower is located - the Northern Delta Aquarids. Its observation period, like its maximum, falls on dates similar to the Southern Delta Aquarid. However, the hourly fall of Nord Stream meteors is much weaker. From a scientific point of view, the simultaneous contemplation of these two meteor showers is very significant. Indeed, thanks to this, it is possible to reveal as many structural characteristics of both flows as possible.

Near the celestial body Iot Aquarius you can find another interesting radiant of the Southern Iot Aquarids. It is usually observed between 15.07 and 25.08. The shower reaches its maximum on the 5th of August, when everyone can see about 10 meteors every hour.

In the interval from August 11 to September 10, one more radiant can be observed in the constellation Aquarius - the Northern Yota Aquarids. It is located near another star - Theta Aquarius. These two meteor showers should also be studied in combination, then the structural features of each radiant can be revealed as best as possible separately.

Interesting and unusual constellation objects

Helix Nebula

In addition to stars and meteor showers, globular clusters and nebulae can be recognized in Aquarius. For example, the planetary Helix Nebula, commonly referred to as NGC 7293.

It is the largest and closest nebula to Earth. The integral magnitude of the Snail is 6.5m, so it can be easily seen with binoculars. NGC 7293 has an angular size that is only half the apparent size of the Moon. The distance from Earth to this planetary nebula is six hundred light years. In the center of the Helix there is a star with a temperature of 60,000 K, which illuminates the nebula.

Gallery shot of the Helix Nebula

Another notable object in the constellation Aquarius is the globular cluster M2 (Messier 2 or NGC 7089). It is noteworthy that this cluster can be seen from Earth without the help of any optical instruments. Despite its great “saturation” - there are 150 thousand stars in the globular cluster, it is considered quite compact: its diameter is some 175 light years. It is interesting that in 1746 the M2 cluster was discovered a second time, in parallel by two scientists Zh.D. Miraldi and C. Messier. The latter listed it in the star catalog as a nebula in which there are no stars. The stars in it were discovered only 11 years later, and W. Herschel saw them.

In addition to M2, there are several other interesting nebulae in Aquarius, for example, the M72 cluster or NGC 6981. This cluster is the weakest and dimmest in the constellation, and even if you have high-aperture optics on hand, it will be quite difficult to see it in the sky. The star cluster M72 is located behind the center of our galaxy. The distance from Earth to M72 is 53 thousand light years.

The sign of Aquarius is generally cold and watery; however, the leading part is wet, the middle part is moderate, and the last part is windy. Its northern parts give rise to hot weather, its southern parts - clouds...

Claudius Ptolemy - On the weather - "Mathematical treatise in four parts"

Fig.1
Aquarius symbol ♒

Zodiac sign Aquarius ♒ - denotes the eleventh 30-degree segment, when measured from the point of the vernal equinox (Fig. 2 and 3), with ecliptic coordinates 300°, ±5°19"; 330°, ±5°19".
In 2019, the Sun is in the sign of Aquarius from January 20, 2019 11:59 By February 19, 2019 02:04 MSK (Moscow time). The average dates when the Sun is in this zodiac sector are January 21 - February 19.
This sign received its name in connection with a climatic phenomenon that manifested itself annually in Ancient Mesopotamia. During the passage of the Sun through the eleventh sign of the zodiac, there were heavy rains, often accompanied by floods - the water was “at least flooded” and both the sign and the constellation were named Aquarius (Fig. 4), located at that time in the 11th zodiac sector.
In our time, due to precession - a cyclical change in the direction of the earth's axis relative to the stars, the Sun is simultaneously in both the sign of Aquarius for only 4 days: from February 16 to 19 (Fig. 2):

Rice. 2 Zodiac sign Aquarius, constellation Aquarius and their relative position in spherical projection (in the ancient view, the heavens consisted of several nested spheres surrounding the Earth).

Thus, the “happiest” days for those born under the Sun in the sign of Aquarius in 2019 are coming February 16, 2019 at 01:35 pm(The Sun enters the constellation Aquarius) and ends February 19, 2019 02:04 MSK.
The area of the sky corresponding to the zodiac sign Aquarius in our astronomical era looks like this:

Rice. 3. Zodiac sign Aquarius - a section of the starry sky corresponding to the sign of Aquarius
Some of the brightest stars in the constellation Capricorn fall into the area of the sign of Aquarius.

The philosophers of antiquity endowed the sign of Aquarius with the following properties:

The zodiac sign Aquarius, (Latin Aquarius), which received its name from the constellation Aquarius, is a masculine sign (according to the rules of alternation, as well as in accordance with the most ancient legend of the constellation), and Aquarius is also the second, “airy” abode of Saturn.

The sign of Aquarius - personifies the maturity, perfection of the element (element) Air and, accordingly, gravitates towards the essences that make up Air - humidity and heat. The embodiment of the properties of these primary elements in a person born under this sign is from time to time a clearly manifested sanguine type of temperament (as the dominant one among other components).

In ancient times, Aquarius was distinguished by the following characteristics and properties: based on the location of the constellation Aquarius relative to the plane of the celestial equator - southern; according to seasonality - winter; The following metals are in harmony with the sign of Aquarius: lead (from Saturn) and the most precious metal in ancient times - ; precious stones - sapphire, amethyst, other transparent and blue stones are also suitable.
And also at the sign Aquarius there is one important feature - in this sign The fateful influence of the Sun on earthly processes is close to a minimum, and cannot play a decisive role in shaping the temperament of people born during the period when the daylight star is in this sign, and the leading role is taken by Saturn and the “combination games” of other planets (according to the beliefs of ancient philosophers).

Aquarius sign, Sun and planets

According to the ideas of ancient philosophers, the Sun, Moon and other planets in the zodiac sector of Aquarius acquired approximately the following possibilities of influence on earthly processes:

☉ Sun. Aquarius is a winter sign and the strength of the Sun’s influence on the course of earthly life in this sign is close to a minimum (from 1/3 of a conventional point - 1 point is the strength of influence on earthly processes at the moment of exaltation or fall), but in Aquarius the influence of the Sun begins to grow;

☽ Moon. In Aquarius, the influence of the Moon on earthly processes is minimal, its conditional “strength” is 0 points);

♀ Venus in the sign of Aquarius it increases its influence (from 1/3 to 2/3 points);

♃ Jupiter- In Aquarius, the influence of Jupiter continues to decline (strength from 1 to 2/3 points);

☿ Mercury in the sign of Aquarius it is still among the three most influential planets (strength from 1 1/3 to 1 point);

♂ Mars. In Aquarius - the “influence of Mars” is greater than one, its influence is noticeable (from 1 to 1 1/3 points);

♄ Saturn in Aquarius at home, his influence is indeed weaker than in Capricorn, but very strong, and he continues to show his cold essence (from 3 to 2 2/3 points).

The most influential planet in the winter of 2018-2019, Saturn, is in the sign of Capricorn and will remain there until December 17, 2020, thereby creating the prerequisites (according to Ptolemy) for winters to be cold, and “winter children” (children born in winter) to For the most part, they were “Capricorns” and not “Aquarians”.

Aquarius sign, nature, weather and plants

In the second millennium BC in ancient Mesopotamia (later in Babylon), the most accurate calculation of time was associated with the signs of the zodiac. In winter, when the Sun entered the eleventh sign in Northern Mesopotamia, a period of rain began, the Tigris and Euphrates filled with water. Therefore, the eleventh zodiac sector was considered the sign of “heavenly water”, and the constellation then located in this sector was dedicated to the deity of the water elements.
The ancient Greeks, who inherited the zodiac system of Babylon, expanded the properties of the zodiac signs based on their perception of the world, and named the eleventh of them Aquarius. Already in ancient times, Ptolemy attributed weather properties to the sign of Aquarius typical for February in Ancient Alexandria (page epigraph).
The correct choice of timing of work with plants was vitally important for ancient farmers, since their well-being, and indeed life itself, depended on the harvest. When drawing up recommendations for farmers on favorable timing of work, in addition to the Sun, great importance was attached to the Moon, its phases and the “interaction” of the Moon with the signs of the zodiac. The ancient Greeks knew quite a lot about this - observations had been accumulating for thousands of years even before them, and a separate article will be devoted to this topic:. For those who currently have no desire to delve into agricultural issues related to this sign, I will tell you the main thing: Aquarius is the most infertile sign from the point of view of crop yields.

Aquarius sign and people

“Aquarians are characterized by high plasticity of interests and moods, they quickly get used to new surroundings, easily meet new people and have a wide circle of acquaintances.”

Nowadays, a person born under the Sun in the sign of Aquarius is called “Aquarius” and is endowed with character traits traditionally attributed to this sign. But in reality, everything may not be like that. The ancient Greeks believed that the Sun was “not yet strong” in this sign, and other planets, most often Saturn, pointed to the patron sign of the newborn.
Ancient philosophers for the most part believed that a person’s character is formed under the influence of his life experience, and the zodiac sign determines, for those born under it, only the dominant temperament and fortitude (according to Ptolemy: “resistance to fate”):
The dominant type of temperament of those born under the sign of Aquarius is sanguine, the strength of spirit is high, but the dictates of the mind are in harmony with emotions, as a result of which most of them succeed in many achievements in life, especially in the field of science and art. Aquarius is the most ambitious sign. Ancient Greek medicine recommended that people under the sign of Aquarius take special care of the musculoskeletal system and protect the nervous system from overload. A sedentary lifestyle is simply contraindicated for Aquarius.
The question of compatibility of Aquarius in relationships with each other and with people born under other zodiac signs, which interests many, is discussed in an article specially dedicated to this issue:.

Zodiac sign Aquarius and Russia

Significant events that unfolded in Russian history when the Sun was under the sign of Aquarius

February 7, 1238- the siege and capture of Vladimir by Batu’s troops;
January 22, 1440- Ivan III Vasilyevich, Grand Duke of Moscow, was born;
19 February 1651- The Church Council of 1651 approved the mandatory “unanimity”, the beginning of a schism in the church;
7 February 1693- Anna I Ioannovna, Russian Empress (1730-1740) was born;
February 8, 1724- by decree of Peter I the St. Petersburg University and the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences were founded;
January 23, 1755- Elizabeth I signed a decree establishing Moscow University;
February 13, 1769- Ivan Andreevich Krylov, Russian poet and fabulist, was born;
February 8, 1834- Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev, an outstanding Russian chemist who discovered the periodic law of chemical elements, was born;
February 13, 1842- Nicholas I signed a decree on the construction of the St. Petersburg - Moscow railway;
January 29, 1860- Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, Russian writer and playwright, was born;
February 9, 1887- Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev, hero of the Civil War, was born;
February 2, 1904- Valery Chkalov, Soviet test pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union, was born;
February 8, 1904- Japan's treacherous attack on Russian ships near Port Arthur. Beginning of the Russo-Japanese War;
January 22, 1905- “Bloody Sunday” in St. Petersburg;
January 22, 1908- Lev Landau, Soviet physicist, academician, was born;
February 1, 1931- B.N. Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation, was born;
January 25, 1938- Vladimir Vysotsky, Soviet poet, bard and actor, was born;
February 2, 1943- defeat of fascist troops at Stalingrad. End of the Battle of Stalingrad;
January 27, 1944- complete lifting of the fascist blockade of Leningrad;
February 15, 1957- Andrei Andreevich Gromyko was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR.

Next to the sign of Aquarius, the twelfth zodiac sector is called.

Sergey Ov(Seosnews9)

Work on the article “Zodiac Sign Aquarius” will continue.
Abstracts: Zodiac sign Aquarius and people: Zodiac sign Aquarius, temperament. Compatibility issues... - are now covered in a separate article

"The stars on the shoulders of Aquarius act like Saturn and Mercury, the same applies to the stars on the left arm and cloak; the stars on the hips - like Mercury and Saturn, respectively, to a greater and lesser extent; the stars on the stream of water - Saturn and, to some extent, Jupiter..."(Fig.9)

Claudius Ptolemy - On the influence of the stars - "Mathematical treatise in four parts"

Currently, the Sun passes through the constellation Aquarius for 24-25 days (25 days sometimes due to an annual shift of a quarter of a day): from February 16 to March 12. Due to the precession of the earth's axis, the constellations shift over time relative to the vernal equinox and the apparent movement of the Sun through them occurs with increasing delay. The constellations, gradually shifting counterclockwise, going around the entire zodiac circle, return to their original places after 25,776 years.

Aquarius constellation chart by star
Sergey Ov

Rice. 4♒ Aquarius - lat.), the brightest stars.
Asterism "Jug" (lilac lines). One of the options for the contour drawing of Aquarius.

The constellation Aquarius is most convenient to observe from the second half of August until the beginning of January. Aquarius culminates at midnight throughout August and most of September. The constellation does not sparkle with bright stars - the brightest star β Aqr, Sadalsuud, has a visible brightness only slightly above the third magnitude (2.9).
Stars that have their own name are arranged in descending order of brightness (apparent magnitude) as follows: Sadalsuud (β Aqr, 2.9); Sadalmelik (α Aqr, 2.95); Skat (δ Aqr, 3.27); Ghidorah (λ Aqr); Albali (ε Aqr); Sadakhbiya (γ Aqr); Hydria (η Aqr, 4.04).
Since the constellation Aquarius contains a large number of stars of similar brightness, they allow you to create many options for visualization schemes. (You can practice finding these options by moving your cursor to Fig. 4 or on an even larger picture by clicking on the picture...)
In the northernmost part of the constellation, a group of five relatively bright stars form a contour that creates the “Jug” asterism; however, instead of a jug, the Sumerians saw a duck in this place, which is an attribute of the ancient god Enki (Fig. 8). It was the Sumerians who confirmed that the constellation belonged to the element of “heavenly water”. By the way, the “Jug” asterism in our time has a very useful feature: its axial stars trace the line of the celestial equator.
The most interesting Ancient Greek myth associated with the constellation Aquarius dates back to the time of Homer and tells how Zeus, admiring the cheerful disposition and beauty of the young Ganymede, the son of the Trojan king, succumbing to an impulse, took him with him to Olympus, turning into an eagle. But it is no longer possible for a mortal to return “just like that” from Olympus. And Zeus had to negotiate with Ganymede’s father and promise him his son’s immortality, and look for eternal work for Ganymede himself. Such a thing was found on Olympus - Ganymede became the most cheerful cupbearer and water-carrier of Olympus... Vessels with liquids in those days were worn on the shoulder, a variant of visualization of the constellation c is presented in Fig. 5: Ganymede tripped and spilled water...

Aquarius constellation diagram by stars "Ganymede"
Sergey Ov

Rice. 5 Another way to visualize the constellation Aquarius is a man (Ganymede), carrying a container of water on his shoulder, stumbles, falls and spills water... Children can be told a story about the Tin Woodman (exactly the same hat)

But the ancient Egyptians, who connected the constellation Aquarius with the Nile, probably imagined the outline of the constellation as shown in Fig. 6., thanks to him the Aquarius icon appeared ♒ .

Constellation Aquarius. Contour "Sign of Aquarius" - diagram. Author of the diagram Sergey Ov Fig.6 Constellation Aquarius. Circuit ♒ "Sign of Aquarius" - diagram (diagrams by stars)

Sergey Ov"

Astronomers of ancient civilizations, who passed on to us the modern contours of the constellations, observed the stars of the zodiac belt in a completely different way from how we see them in our mid-latitudes. At the latitude of Babylon, Athens and especially Alexandria, they pass close to the zenith, and the ecliptic line is almost perpendicular to the horizon and the stars are so bright that it seems you can reach them with your hand. And on warm southern nights, looking at the constellations, ancient thinkers could give freedom to their imagination:

Constellation Aquarius. Outline drawing "Aquarius" - diagram. Author of the diagram Sergey Ov

Fig.7 Constellation Aquarius (East above). The contours of one of the incarnations of Aquarius or an alien - diagram (diagram by stars).

Sergey Ov"

Rice. 8 Sumerian god of the water elements Enki (Ea).

Ptolemy's epigraph to the section on the constellation is well illustrated by a collage created on the basis of a picture from the atlas of Jan Hevelius; probably, ancient and medieval astronomers could literally perceive the starry sky as a living panorama of legends:

Rice. 9 The constellation Aquarius is a collage based on a drawing in the atlas of John Hevelius (only those stars that were included in the atlas by Hevelius himself are highlighted.

A more detailed description of the constellation Aquarius is given on the page: " ".

** Currently, several similar definitions of the sanguine type of temperament and the behavioral characteristics of its owner are common:

"Sanguine (from the Latin sanguis, genus sanguinis [sanguinis] - blood, vitality), dating back to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, the designation of one of the four types of temperament (along with melancholic, phlegmatic, choleric), characterized by liveliness, rapid excitability and easy changeability of emotions."

Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. 1969 - 1978

“Sanguine is a temperament in the HIPPOCRATES classification. A person of sanguine temperament can be described as lively, active, quickly responding to surrounding events, and relatively easily experiencing failures and troubles.”

Glossary of psychological terms. Under. ed. N. Gubina.

"A sanguine person is a subject with one of the four main types of temperament (in the Hippocratic classification). A person of sanguine temperament can be characterized as lively, active, quickly responding to surrounding events, experiencing failures and troubles relatively easily and quickly. He is marked by high mental activity and energy ", efficiency, speed and vivacity of movements, variety and richness of facial expressions, fast pace of speech. Strives for frequent changes of impressions, easily and quickly responds to external events, is sociable. Emotions - mostly positive - quickly arise and quickly change."

S.Yu. Golovin. Dictionary of a practical psychologist.

Generalizing and somewhat “revitalizing” these definitions, in accordance with our topic, we get:
A sanguine person, as a bearer of the temperament associated with air signs, is, in general, an active, sociable, efficient person, he quickly responds to everything that attracts his attention. Sanguine Aquarius people are characterized by high plasticity of interests and moods; they quickly get used to new surroundings, easily meet new people and have a wide circle of acquaintances. They easily fit into any company and adapt to any changes in life.
In any life situation, a sanguine person strives to maintain an active and efficient state and can work for a long time without getting tired. First of all, he is active in the field of contacts and communication.
Sanguine people do not strive for a creative transformation of the world around them, do not bring anything of their own and, as a rule, are highly dependent on the psychological environment and behavioral stereotypes of the environment.

*** Precession of the earth's axis- another very slow rotation of the Earth, caused by the influence of the moments of gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon, expressed in a gradual change in the direction of the axis of the Earth’s daily rotation.

**** Asterism- an easily distinguishable group of stars that has an established independent name.

Character, lifestyle, career, love of Aquarius

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Character of Aquarius Aquarius is a true artist, he is able not only to see the world in all its amazing diversity and completeness, but also to carefully notice the smallest details.

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If you want to marry an Aquarius man, you can only sympathize with him: alas, marriage, as a rule, is not included in his plans. Life is too varied and multifaceted for its broad horizons to be limited to family.

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“With my dear, heaven and in lavash!” - she can tell you in all seriousness. Why in pita bread, you ask? Yes, because she is an Aquarius. Accept that her logic is inaccessible to you.

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Aquarius in love remains freedom-loving and a passionate explorer of life. In relationships he is often unpredictable, because he does not follow the beaten path and does not accept templates - he is full of his own original ideas. Aquarius's thoughts are immersed in tomorrow, and therefore he needs personal space where he can be himself and breathe freely. Aquarius has good compatibility with zodiac signs, who also do not tolerate strict boundaries and restrictions. Aquarius will never control or limit their partner, and in return expects the same attitude. Intuitively, Aquarius can understand the deepest desires of a partner and fulfill them. However, he himself remains a closed book and does not like to be frank. Aquarius impresses his chosen one with unexpected actions and surprises, eloquence and broad outlook. Wanting to attract attention, an Aquarius in love can surprise, provoke, even shock with his unusual behavior. In a loved one, this friendly and open Air sign is looking, first of all, for a friend and like-minded person with whom he can have an interesting conversation and go in search of adventure.

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An unpredictable, independent, extremely sensitive Aquarius child experiences an urgent need for personal freedom from an early age! He is full of original ideas, endowed with a penetrating mind and is in constant search of himself. Despite the shocking antics and hot temper that representatives of this zodiac sign are prone to, the Aquarius child is the most peaceful, sociable and sympathetic creature in the world.

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It is not difficult for Aquarius to talk; he is very willing to communicate. Yes, he is drawn to everything non-standard and original, but if you don’t have this in you, it doesn’t matter. Aquarius is able to discern what is unique in every person or event; you just need to slightly catch his attention. But you shouldn’t delude yourself. His delight usually does not last long, which means you will need to try to keep his interest.

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Aquarius is the sign of geniuses. Among them there are often people with superpowers, but it is very important that the talents of Aquarius are understood by management. Indeed, despite the fact that Aquarius is smart, has an unconventional approach, and is capable of literally gushing with new ideas at work, he may have many difficulties in relations with his superiors. Freedom-loving Aquarius does not recognize punctuality and painstaking daily work. His style is a flight of fantasy and inspiration, which is difficult to put on an assembly line. In this regard, the amazing talents of Aquarius can be realized only when he is given complete freedom of action in his work. In this case, he is able to reach enormous, unattainable heights.

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The love of Aquarius is like an auteur movie, unique and not always understandable to others. This person is so unpredictable and amazing that sometimes you have to wonder whether he has fallen in love or this is how his high spirits manifest themselves.

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The creative nature of Aquarius is very complexly organized - it is not for nothing that they say that from genius to madness there is only one step. Sensitive Aquarius is more susceptible than other signs to mental and nervous diseases, as well as all kinds of diseases of the blood vessels. To avoid this, Aquarius needs to be outdoors more often, and ideally lead a more athletic lifestyle, which, unfortunately, he is not very inclined to. This will strengthen not only his muscles and blood vessels, but also his nervous system. By playing sports, he will gain sound sleep, proper rest and, as a result, a much healthier life.

Around Aquarius are the constellations Cetus, Southern Pisces, Capricorn, Eagle, Pegasus and the Lesser Horse.
In the vast area occupied by the constellation Aquarius on the celestial sphere, about 90 stars can be seen with the naked eye on a clear and moonless night, but only seven of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. They are located in the form of a strongly curved arc. In the middle
parts of the five brightest stars form some semblance of a vessel from which a stream of water flows. Still, it is very difficult in this configuration of stars that make up the constellation Aquarius to see a young man holding a large jug from which water flows. This is exactly how this constellation was depicted on ancient star maps and star atlases. This image is a reflection of one natural phenomenon that repeats itself every year. After a period of invisibility, the constellation Aquarius becomes clearly visible above the southern horizon with the onset of autumn, when the autumn rains begin. Noticing this phenomenon, the ancient Greeks, who had a rich imagination, saw in this constellation a man kneeling, holding a jug from which a stream of water was pouring out.
The constellation Aquarius has few objects that can be observed with a regular telescope, but the constellation contains the radiants of five intense meteor showers.

Of interest is the star R Aquarius, which is a long-period variable such as the Mira Ceti star. Its magnitude varies from 5m.8 to 11m.5. The period of change in its brightness is on average 386.92 days, but there are many irregularities in it that have not yet been well studied. This is why the star R Aquarii is an interesting object to observe.
In the constellation Aquarius there is the closest and largest planetary nebula NGC 7293, which is called the Helix. 87 Its integral magnitude is 6m.5 (it can be clearly observed with binoculars), and its angular dimensions are 15"x12", i.e. only half the apparent size of the Moon. The distance from us to this planetary nebula is 660 light years.
The radiant of the η Aquarid meteor shower passes near the star η Aquarii, which is observed from May 1 to May 8. The maximum of this shower occurs on May 5, when up to 36 meteors per hour are observed. The η Aquarid meteor shower is associated with Halley's Comet, the brightest comet of the 20th century, which is now approaching the Sun and will appear in 1985. In this regard, the η Aquarid meteor shower can be expected to intensify in the coming years. Therefore, regular observations of this interesting meteor shower are highly desirable, on the basis of which it will be possible to study its structure in more depth.
Not far from the star δ Aquarius is the radiant of the Southern δ Aquarid meteor shower, observed from July 15 to August 15. The maximum of this shower occurs on July 29, when up to 14 meteors per hour are observed.
Near the star δ Aquarius is the radiant of the Northern meteor shower δ Aquarids, observed from July 15 to August 15. Its maximum occurs on July 29, but it is weaker than the maximum of the Southern δ Aquarids.
As can be seen, the Southern and Northern δ Aquarids are observed simultaneously, and even their maxima occur on the same date. That is why regular, ongoing observations of these showers are of great importance for meteor astronomy, since on the basis of these observations it is possible to reveal the characteristic features of the structure of each of the meteor showers.
Not far from the star ι Aquarius is the radiant of the Southern ι Aquarid meteor shower, observed from July 15 to August 25. The maximum of this shower occurs on August 5, when up to 10 meteors per hour are observed.
Near the star θ Aquarii there is the radiant of the Northern meteor shower ι Aquarids, which can be observed from July 15 to August 25. The maximum occurs on August 5, when up to 10 meteors per hour are observed.
Both meteor showers of the Northern and Southern ι Aquarids are observed simultaneously, and their maxima occur on the same date. Therefore, regular observations of these flows are desirable in order to more accurately reveal the characteristic features of the structure of each of them.

Mythology connects the constellation Aquarius with the global flood. When there was a Copper Age on Earth, people were very bad and evil. They constantly fought with each other, did not raise livestock, did not make sacrifices to the gods and did not worship them. Therefore, almighty Zeus hated them and decided to destroy the entire human race. Unaware of Zeus's intention, people continued to kill each other, day by day they became more and more evil and became like wild animals. Only two people knew about Zeus's decision and were waiting for the day when he would carry it out. These were the son of Prometheus Leucalion and his wife Pyrrha.
Every year Deucalion went to the distant Caucasus and with pain in his heart looked at his father chained to a huge rock. But Prometheus calmly talked to him, gave him advice and guidance. He foresaw that Zeus was going to destroy people, and advised his son to build a ship and put food in it in anticipation of an ominous day.
Deucalion listened to his father's advice. As soon as he managed to build a ship and stock up on food, the thunderer Zeus sent continuous torrential rain to Earth. He forbade all winds to blow except the humid southern wind Not, which brought fog and rain. Day and night black rainy clouds and clouds overtook Not, day and night it rained. Rivers and seas overflowed, the Earth began to flood with water, and the water rose higher and higher. Many fields and forests, villages and cities were under water, and some mountains had already begun to disappear under water. Only here and there the highest mountain peaks could be seen above the water. There was water and water everywhere... And on the boundless waves, driven by the wind, sailed only one ship, on which were Deucalion and Pyrrha. The ship was tossed around the sea for nine days until it reached the peak of Mount Parnassus rising above the water. Here, on a small piece of land, Deucalion and Pyrrha sat down and began to wait. The rain finally stopped, but all the people drowned. Deucalion and Pyrrha realized that they were the only ones left alive, and they were overcome by the fear that they would remain alone among these endless waters. They then made a sacrifice to Zeus, who saved them from this flood.
Gradually, the water began to subside, and the piece of land on which Deucalion and Pyrrha were located began to increase. And after a while all the water disappeared. The land appeared - deserted, without fields and meadows, without flowers and trees, it resembled an endless cracked desert. Deucalion and Pyrrha felt even more lonely in the midst of this dead desert, where not even the sound of a living creature could be heard.
One day, the messenger of the gods, Hermes, appeared to Deucalion and Pyrrha. He was sent by Zeus to find out what Deucalion wished, for because of Deucalion's kindness, Zeus decided to fulfill his every wish. Deucalion thought briefly and answered Hermes: “I have only one desire. I pray to almighty Zeus, if he wants to fulfill my desire, let him populate the Earth with people again!”
Hermes rushed to Olympus and conveyed the words of Deucalion to Zeus. Zeus agreed. Again he sent Hermes to Deucalion and Pyrrha to tell them what they should do. In an instant, Hermes rushed up to them and told Deucalion: “Go down the mountain into the valley and throw back the bones of your mother!”
Deucalion realized that the “bones” were stones. He and Pyrrha picked up stones and, going down the mountainside, without looking back, threw stones behind them. When the stones ran out, they looked around and saw many people. The stones that Deucalion threw turned into tall, slender men, and Pyrrha's stones turned into beautiful women.
The gods turned Deucalion into the constellation Aquarius and raised him to heaven. This constellation recalls the son of Prometheus, who inherited from his father a passionate love for people.

Another myth connects the constellation Aquarius with Ganymede.
The son of the Dardanian king Troy, Ganymede, was a tall and slender young man. He was so handsome that he was almost indistinguishable from the god of sunlight, golden-haired Apollo. One day, when Ganymede was tending his father's flocks and cheerfully humming a song, Zeus saw him from the heights of Olympus and immediately ordered the eagle to deliver Ganymede to him. The eagle of Zeus flew in like a dark cloud, grabbed Ganymede and carried him up to the bright expanses of Olympus. There, Zeus awarded him immortality for the youth’s beauty and made him his cupbearer, entrusting him with the duty of offering ambrosia and nectar to the gods during their feasts. The nectar flowed like water, which Ganymede offered to Zeus and the gods. Therefore, on some star maps, the constellation Aquarius is depicted as a man with a jug (Ganymede), from which a stream of water flows.

AND . A famous asterism in Aquarius is the "Jug", a small Y-shaped group of five stars straddling the celestial equator. The central one of these stars, ζ Aquarii, is a double star. Also interesting are the globular cluster M2 and the planetary nebulae Saturn and Helix (NGC 7009 and NGC 7293). Aquarius is home to the radiant of the Delta Aquarids meteor shower, active in late July.

The symbol of the constellation Aquarius is ♒︎

The Sun is in Aquarius from February 16 to March 11, and the best conditions for observing the constellation occur in August-September. If you are lucky enough to live in the central and southern regions of Russia, at this time you will be able to observe this constellation in all its glory without any problems. An observer will easily be able to see approximately 90 stars from the constellation Aquarius. It is worth noting that only seven of these ninety have a magnitude greater than four. These stars form a kind of curved arc, in the middle of which the five brightest stars are concentrated. This five forms a kind of prototype of a jug with a stream of water flowing from it. In this arrangement of stars it is not easy to see a young guy with a jug of water, but this is exactly how the constellation Aquarius was depicted on ancient star atlases.

The Legend of the Constellation Aquarius

There is a mythical legend that this young man is none other than the son of the ruler of Troy - Ganymede. The young man was known as a handsome man, and one day, while he was tending sheep, Zeus saw him from the top of Olympus and ordered his Eagle to bring Ganymede up. On Olympus he was granted immortality, and Zeus appointed him heavenly cupbearer. During the festivals, Ganymede offered nectar, pouring out of a jug like water, to the Olympian deities. This is how the image of a young man with a jug appeared in ancient atlases.

Among the ancient Sumerians, Aquarius was one of the most important constellations, since it personified the sky god An, who gives life-giving water to the earth. According to the Greeks, Aquarius depicts several mythical characters at once, for example, Ganymede, the Trojan youth who became a cupbearer on Olympus; Deucalion - the hero of the global flood and Cecrops - the ancient king of Attica. Aquarius is included in the catalog of the starry sky of Claudius Ptolemy “Almagest”.

In the form of Aquarius, they depicted a young guy pouring water (nectar) from an amphora into the mouth of the Southern Pisces. Usually, Ganymede, the child of King Tros in Greek myths, appeared in his image. He was very handsome and caught the eye of Zeus. He decided to disguise himself as an eagle and kidnap him so that he would serve the other gods on Olympus. There is another version. This guy was the son of Prometheus Deucalion, who managed to save the lives of himself and his wife during the great flood.

In Babylonian mythology he was called GU.LA (great). For the Egyptians it was the god of the Nile.