Aquarius (constellation)

Aquarius ( /əˈkwɛəriəs/) is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name is Latin for "water-bearer" or "cup-bearer", and its symbol is (Unicode ♒), a representation of water.

Aquarius is one of the oldest of the recognized constellations along the zodiac (the sun's apparent path). It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is found in a region often called the Sea due to its profusion of constellations with watery associations such as Cetus the whale, Pisces the fish and Eridanus the river.

Notable features

Planetary systems

• Gliese 876 was the first red dwarf star to be found to possess a planetary system. It is orbited by four planets, including one terrestrial planet 6.6 times the mass of Earth.
• The orange giant star 91 Aquarii is orbited by a planet, 91 Aquarii b. The planet's mass is 2.9 times Jupiter and the semimajor axis of its orbit is 0.3 AU.
• Gliese 849 is orbited by the first known long-period Jupiter-like planet, Gliese 849 b. The planet's mass is 0.82 times that of Jupiter and the semimajor axis of its orbit is 2.35 AU.

Deep sky objects

Aquarius contains three deep sky objects that are in the Messier catalog: the globular clusters Messier 2, Messier 72, and the open cluster Messier 73. Two well-known planetary nebulae are located in Aquarius: the Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009), to the eastwest of μ Aquarii; and the famous Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), southwest of δ Aquarii.

Illustrations

In illustrations, the brightest stars of Aquarius are represented as the figure of a man, while the fainter naked eye stars are represented as a vessel from which is pouring a stream of water. The water flows southwards into the mouth of the southern fish, Piscis Austrinus.

Mythology

Aquarius is identified as GU.LA "The Great One" in the Babylonian star catalogues and represents the god Ea himself, who is commonly depicted holding an overflowing vase. The Babylonian star-figure appears on entitlement stones and cylinder seals from the second millennium. It contained the winter solstice in the Early Bronze Age.^[1] In Old Babylonian astronomy, Ea was the ruler of the southernmost quarter of the Sun's path, the "Way of Ea", corresponding to the period of 45 days on either side of winter solstice. In the Greek tradition, the constellation became represented as simply a single vase from which a stream poured down to Piscis Austrinus. The name in the Hindu zodiac is likewise kumbha "water-pitcher", showing that the zodiac reached India via Greek intermediaries.^[2]

Aquarius is sometimes identified with Ganymede, a beautiful youth in Greek mythology with whom Zeus fell in love and, in the disguise of an eagle (represented by the constellation Aquila) carried off to Olympus to be cup-bearer to the gods.

Equivalents

In Chinese astronomy, the stars of the constellation Aquarius are part of the The Black Tortoise of the North (北方玄武, Běi Fāng Xuán Wǔ).

Namesakes

USS Aquarius (AKA-16), was a United States Navy ship named after the constellation.

Astrology

As of 2002^[update], the Sun appears in the constellation Aquarius from February 16 to March 11. In tropical astrology, the Sun is considered to be in the sign Aquarius from January 21 to February 19, and in sidereal astrology, from February 15 to March 14.

Notes

References

• Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Stars and Planets Guide, Collins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209. Princeton University Press, Princeton. ISBN 978-0691135564.
• H. A. Rey, The Stars—A New Way To See Them. Enlarged World-Wide Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1997. ISBN 0-395-24830-2.

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Aquarius". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. http://www.1911encyclopedia.com/Aquarius. 

External links

• The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Aquarius
• NightSkyInfo.com: Constellation Aquarius
• WIKISKY.ORG: Aquarius constellation
• Star Tales – Aquarius

Coordinates: 23^h 00^m 00^s, −15° 00′ 00″