Gemini spreads out for over 514 square degrees. The zodiacal constellation of Gemini is the 30 th largest constellation in the sky. Gemini is the northernmost of the zodiacal constellations and among the brightest. The two brightest stars in Gemini, Pollux, and Castor are often associated with many tales of brothers. When Castor, the mortal brother, died, Pollux begged his father Zeus to give his brother immortality, and Zeus did so, uniting them in the heavens. Pollux was the son of Zeus, who seduced Leda, while Castor was the son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta and Leda’s husband. The mythological twins were the children of Leda, a Spartan queen, and they are also associated with the Argonauts. In Greek mythology, the constellation of Gemini was associated with the twin's Castor and Pollux.Įven the name, Gemini, translates to twins, from Latin. The zodiacal constellation of Gemini is among the first constellations listed by the Greco-Roman astronomer, Ptolemy. Several interesting deep-sky objects are present in Gemini, such as the Eskimo Nebula, the Medusa Nebula, the Jellyfish Nebula, or the open cluster NGC 2158, and neutron star Geminga.Other noteworthy stars in Gemini are Alhena, Wasat, Mebsuta, Mekbuda, Propus, Kappa Geminorum, Nu Geminorum, 38 Geminorum, U Geminorum, or Tejat.Two meteor showers are associated with Gemini, the Geminids, and the Rho Geminids.There is only one Messier object in the constellation of Gemini, the open cluster Messier 35.Currently, around 8 stars have been confirmed to host planets in Gemini.Castor is the 23 rd brightest star in the night sky, and it is actually a star system comprised out of two A-class main-sequence stars, an Am star, and three other stars.Pollux is also the 18 th brightest star in the night sky. Pollux is the closest giant star to us, situated at only 34 light-years away, and it also has an exoplanet orbiting around it.
The zodiacal constellation of Gemini remains one of the 88 modern constellations, being the 30 th largest in the sky, occupying an area of 514 square degrees.Gemini was among the 48 ancient constellations first listed by astronomer Ptolemy, in his 2 nd century Almagest.
0 kommentar(er)
