Pisces, the Fish, lives in a part of the sky once known as "the Sea".
Pisces makes a great V in the sky and is imagined to be two fish tied
together at their tails by the brightest star in Pisces (Alrisha).
Like many of the stars in our sky, Alrisha is actually two stars so close together that our eyes see only one star. Pisces is also the current location of the vernal equinox. This is the point which defines the beginning of the astronomical year, and is where the ecliptic and the celestial equator cross. At this point, the Sun is heading northward of the equator.
Many people around the world have names for this constellation, all
meaning "fish" in their own language. The Greek story surrounding
Pisces tells how Aphrodite and her son, Eros, turned themselves into
fish to flee the giant Typhon. Fearing they would be separated,
Aphrodite tied their tails together, giving Pisces it's shape.
Pisces, the Fish, is one of many aquatic constellations associated
with that part of the sky known in ancient times as "the Sea". Pisces
makes a great V in the sky and is imagined to be two fish tied
together by the brightest star in Pisces, the knot (Alrisha).
Alrisha is actually a system of two stars in which the two stars are approaching the time when they are nearest to each other, making it more and more difficult to see both stars. Pisces is the also home of the vernal equinox. This is the point which defines the beginning of the astronomical year, and is where the ecliptic and the celestial equator cross. At this point, the Sun is heading northward of the equator.
This constellation has a long history as a fish. The Babylonians,
Persians, Turks and Syrians all had names for this constellation which
meant "fish" in their language. The Greek story surrounding Pisces
tells how Aphrodite and her son, Eros, turned themselves into fish to
flee the giant Typhon. Fearing they would be separated, Aphrodite
tied their tails together, giving Pisces it's shape.
Pisces, the Fish, is one of many aquatic constellations associated
with that part of the sky known in ancient times as "the Sea". Pisces
makes a great V in the sky and is imagined to be two fish tied
together by the brightest star in Pisces, the knot (Alrisha).
Alrisha is a double star in which the stars are nearing periastron - the closest approach of the two stars. So it is getting more and more difficult to resolve the two stars as they get closer together. Pisces is the also home of the vernal equinox. This is the point which defines the beginning of the astronomical year, and is where the ecliptic and the celestial equator cross. At this point, the Sun is heading northward of the equator.
This constellation has a long history as a fish. The Babylonians,
Persians, Turks and Syrians all had names for this constellation which
meant "fish" in their language. The Greek story surrounding Pisces
tells how Aphrodite and her son, Eros, turned themselves into fish to
flee the giant Typhon. Fearing they would be separated, Aphrodite
tied their tails together, giving Pisces it's shape.
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