Perseus constellation lies in the northern sky, next to Andromeda. It was named after the hero Perseus in Greek mythology.
Perseus is one of the larger northern constellations. It was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The constellation is best known for its annual Perseid meteor shower.
It is also home to the famous variable star Algol, Beta Persei. Perseus also contains a number of famous deep sky objects, among them Messier 34, the Double Cluster, the California Nebula (NGC 1499) and the Little Dumbbell Nebula (Messier 76).
FACTS, LOCATION & MAP
Perseus is the 24th largest constellation in the sky, occupying an area of 615 square degrees. It is located in the first quadrant of the northern hemisphere (NQ1) and can be seen at latitudes between +90° and -35°. The neighboring constellations are Andromeda, Aries, Auriga, Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia, Taurus and Triangulum.
Perseus belongs to the Perseus family of constellations, along with Andromeda, Auriga, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Cetus, Lacerta, Pegasus, and Triangulum.
Perseus contains two Messier objects – Messier 34 (M34, NGC 1039) and Messier 76 (M76, Little Dumbbell Nebula, NGC 650 & NGC 651) – and has six stars with confirmed planets. The brightest star in the constellation is Mirfak, Alpha Persei, with an apparent magnitude of 1.79. There are two meteor showers associated with the constellation; the Perseids and the September Perseids.
MYTH
The constellation Perseus represents the Greek hero Perseus in the sky and is one of the six constellations associated with the myth of Perseus. Perseus was the son of Danaë, daughter of King Acrisius. Acrisius ruled Argos and after an oracle foretold him that he would die at the hand of his own grandson, he had locked away Danaë in a dungeon. Zeus fell in love with her and took the form of golden rain to visit her. When the rain fell into her lap, Danaë got pregnant. Acrisius found out about the pregnancy and, once Perseus was born, the king locked both his daughter and grandson into a wooden chest and cast them out to sea.
Danaë prayed to Zeus and the god heard her. The chest washed ashore within a few days, and Perseus and his mother found themselves on the island of Seriphos. A fisherman called Dictys found them and took them home with him. He raised Perseus as his own son.
However, their troubles did not end there. Dictys had a brother, King Polydectes, who wanted Danaë for himself. Perseus defended her from the king’s advances and Polydectes came up with a plan that would put Perseus out of the picture. He made up a story about being engaged to another woman, Hippodameia, who was the daughter of King Oenomaus of Elis. He asked everyone to give him and his bride horses as a wedding present. Since Perseus did not have any horses and could not afford to buy one, the king sent the youngster to bring him the head of the Gorgon Medusa.
Medusa was one of the three hideous sisters, who had tusks, hands of brass, golden wings, and faces covered with dragon scales. They were daughters of the sea god Phorcys and his sister Ceto. Their gaze could turn anyone who looked at them into stone.
Medusa was the only mortal sister. She had been condemned to a life of ugliness by the goddess Athena after Poseidon had ravished Medusa in the goddess’ temple. Before the curse, she was known for her beauty, especially of her hair. Once cursed, she had snakes for hair, which made her distinguishable from the other two Gorgons.
Polydectes expected Perseus to die in the attempt to kill the Gorgon, but he underestimated Perseus’ allies on Olympus. Athena gave the hero a bronze shield and Hephaestus made him a sword of diamond. Hades gave him a helmet that made him invisible, and Hermes gifted him with winged sandals.
Helped by Athena, Perseus found the Gorgon sisters on Mount Atlas. The Gorgons’ sisters, called the Graeae, were standing guard. The three of them had only one eye and shared it among themselves. Perseus took the eye and threw it away.
Following the trail of people turned to stone by Medusa and her sisters, Perseus found the Gorgons. He was wearing his helmet which made him invisible and he was able to sneak up on the sisters. Once they had fallen asleep, Perseus decapitated Medusa using his shield to see her reflection, as he could not look at her directly without turning into stone. The myth goes, when Medusa died the winged horse Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor, fully armed, sprang fully grown from her body. They were the offspring of the Gorgon and the sea god Poseidon.
On the way home, Perseus stopped to rest in Atlas’ kingdom. Atlas refused him hospitality and Perseus used Medusa’s head to turn him into stone, or into the mountain range that bears his name. Later, Perseus came across the princess Andromeda, chained to a rock and left to die by her parents, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, to appease the sea monster Cetus. Perseus rescued Andromeda and took her home with him.
Once home in Seriphos, Perseus found his mother and foster father Dictys hiding from Polydectes in a temple. Perseus went to see the king and, greeted with hostility, he used the Gorgon’s head to turn Polydectes and his followers to stone. He appointed Dictys king of Seriphos.
The old prophecy about King Acrisius being killed by his grandson came true eventually, but the king’s death came as an accident. At an athletics contest, Perseus threw a discus that accidentally hit Acrisius and killed him
Andromeda and Perseus were married and had many children, among them Perses, who was said to be an ancestor to the kings of Persia.
Perseus and Andromeda lie next to each other in the sky, with her parents Cepheus and Cassiopeia nearby. Cetus, the sea monster, also lies in the vicinity, as does Pegasus, the winged horse.
Perseus is usually depicted holding the head of Medusa in one hand and the jewelled sword in the other. The Gorgon’s head is represented by the famous variable star Algol, Beta Persei.
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