A faint planetary nebula known as the Skull Nebula can also be found here. These include a spiral galaxy known as NGC 247 and an oddly-shaped spiral galaxy called NGC 17. Many other dim galaxies are located here that can only be seen with large telescopes. It is one of the few that can be seen face-on. M77 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 47 million light years from Earth. It is an orange giant star located some 96.3 light years from us.Ĭetus contains several deep sky objects including one Messier object. Beta Ceti, also known as Diphda, is the brightest star in the constellation. Because of its unusual fluctuations, it was named Mira, the “wonderful star.” Another notable star is Menkar (Alpha Ceti), a red giant star located 220 lights years from Earth. ![]() But when it brightened again, it was assumed to be a star with variable luminosity. It was observed by German astronomer David Fabricuis, who noticed it changing in brightness over a period of weeks. The most famous is probably Mira, the first variable star to be discovered. To some, it represents the whale that swallowed Jonah in the famous Bible story.Ĭetus contains several well-known stars. Today, this constellation is also sometimes identified as a whale. Cetus was turned to stone when Perseus showed the monster the head of the gorgon Medusa. Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to the monster. It was named after the sea monster sent by the god Neptune to devour Andromeda in Greek mythology. Other water-related constellations in this area include Eridanus (the river), Aquarius (the water bearer), and Pisces (the fish).Ĭetus is one of the constellations cataloged by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century. It lies in a region of the sky called the Water. It is actually the 4th largest constellation in the night sky. It is a very large constellation, occupying a total area of 1,231 square degrees. It is visible at latitudes between 70 degrees and -90 degrees. Whether this accomplishes anything save confusing those trying to learn the name of the star is another matter, and is the reason Bayer created the designation "Beta Ceti".The constellation Cetus, the sea monster, can be seen in the northern hemisphere in the late fall and early winter. As a result, the old Arabic name of the star has come into use again. ![]() However, since the mid 20th century the constellation has often been drawn with its head to the west and its tail to the east, placing "the tail of the whale" in the whale's mouth. ![]() After Al Sufi translated ancient Greek texts into Arabic, Greek constellations replaced the Arabic ones, and this star, being on the western or "tail" side of the constellation (as shown in Bayer's map), became "the tail of the whale", or Deneb Kaitos. Big difference Second of all, there are no fish that can swallow a human being whole. ![]() Β Cet (Deneb Kaitos = Diphda) - In early Arabic times, this star and Fomalhaut (a first-magnitude star to its west) were called the frogs, which is the source of the name Diphda. First of all, the original Hebrew doesn’t say whale. Right ascension and declination are given in 2000.0 coordinates. Stars that have common names often have multiple names, so the common names shown (if any) cannot be considered authoritative. The horizontal bands at the top represent the Ecliptic (with degree markings) and the southern half of the Zodiacįrom Bode's 1801 Uranographia (Image Credit and © Tartu Observatory Virtual Museum used by permission)Īlthough labeled Cetus on the left, it is also labeled "Monstrum Marinum" (Sea Monster) on the right (See Andromeda for the rest of the story.) Note that although now usually called The Whale (whales being cetaceans), traditional pictures show the constellation not as a whale, but as a true monster of the sea.įrom Bayer's 1603 Uranometria (Image Credit and © Tartu Observatory Virtual Museum used by permission) Cetus represents a sea-monster sent to ravage the coast of Ethiopia (a much larger kingdom at that time than the current country), as a result of Cassiopeia, Queen of Ethiopia, angering the sea-god Poseidon by declaring herself more beautiful than any of the Nereids. Cetus is one of the 48 ancient constellations recorded by Ptolemy, and one of several constellations linked by a single mythology.
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