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Created page with ''''Cygnus''' is a constellation located in the northern celestial hemisphere. The constellation was one of the 48 constellations recorded by Ptolemy in his Almagest or Great...'
'''Cygnus''' is a constellation located in the northern [[celestial hemisphere]]. The constellation was one of the 48 constellations recorded by Ptolemy in his Almagest or Great Book, and is one of the 88 modern constellations. The name Cygnus itself is the Latin form of the original Greek word, Κύκνος (''Kuknos''), meaning swan.<ref>http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Topics/astronomy/_Texts/secondary/ALLSTA/Cygnus*.html</ref> The constellation also features the [[Northern Cross]], a well-known [[asterism]] of stars. The brightest star of the constellation, [[Deneb]], represents both the head of the Northern Cross and the tail of the swan.
==Mythological Background==
There are several stories in [[Greek mythology]] that involve the constellation Cygnus. One myth involved [[Zeus]] and the goddess [[Nemesis]]. Nemesis sought to escape from Zeus by disguising herself as various animals. According tot he legend, when she changed herself into a [[goose]], Zeus transformed himself into a beautiful [[swan]] and won her over. The constellation was then formed to celebrate the exquisite swan. Another version has Zeus becoming the swan in order to court the queen of [[Sparta]], [[Leda]].<ref>http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/cygnus.html</ref>
Another Greek legend has Cygnus as one of two birds (the other being the eagle [[Aquila]], also a constellation), that were hunted by [[Hercules]], but managed to escape. It is believed that the two birds, along with [[Lyra]] (the vulture) were the ''Stymphalian Birds'', whom Hercules were to slay as the sixth of the twelve labors.<ref name="seds">http://seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/cygnus.html</ref>
In [[Chinese]] mythology, the constellation is the once-a-year magpie bridge known as 鹊桥 (''Que Qiao'') from the story of ''the princess and the cowherd''.
==Stars and Other Features==
The binary star [[Albireo]] (Beta Cygni) represent the head of the swan. The tail is where the brightest star of the constellation, [[Deneb]], is located. Deneb is also the tip of the Northern Cross and the upper-left corner of the [[Summer Triangle]]. The dim binary star [[61 Cygni]] also lies within the constellation and is the closet star within it, only some 11.4 light years away, and is famous for being the first star to be measured using [[parallax]].
Cygnus is also the location of several notable deep sky objects, including numerous diffuse and [[planetary nebula|planetary nebulae]], and [open star cluster|open star clusters]]. The '''Fireworks Galaxy''' (NGC 6946) is also located here, known as the most active supernovae galaxy known. Another galaxy is '''Cygnus A''', one of the strongest astronomical [[radio]] source known in the cosmos. '''Cygnus X-1''' is another astronomical feature within the constellation and is famous for not only being one of the greatest known sources of [[x-ray|x-rays]], but the first discovered example of a black hole.<ref name="seds">http://seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/cygnus.html</ref>
===Named Stars===
*[[Deneb]] - Alpha Cygni (α Cyg)
*Albireo - Beta Cygni (β Cyg)
*Sadr - Gamma Cygni (γ Cyg)
*Ruc - Delta Cygni (δ Cyg)
*Gienah - Epsilon Cygni (ε Cyg)
[[Category:Astronomy]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Mythological Background==
There are several stories in [[Greek mythology]] that involve the constellation Cygnus. One myth involved [[Zeus]] and the goddess [[Nemesis]]. Nemesis sought to escape from Zeus by disguising herself as various animals. According tot he legend, when she changed herself into a [[goose]], Zeus transformed himself into a beautiful [[swan]] and won her over. The constellation was then formed to celebrate the exquisite swan. Another version has Zeus becoming the swan in order to court the queen of [[Sparta]], [[Leda]].<ref>http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/cygnus.html</ref>
Another Greek legend has Cygnus as one of two birds (the other being the eagle [[Aquila]], also a constellation), that were hunted by [[Hercules]], but managed to escape. It is believed that the two birds, along with [[Lyra]] (the vulture) were the ''Stymphalian Birds'', whom Hercules were to slay as the sixth of the twelve labors.<ref name="seds">http://seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/cygnus.html</ref>
In [[Chinese]] mythology, the constellation is the once-a-year magpie bridge known as 鹊桥 (''Que Qiao'') from the story of ''the princess and the cowherd''.
==Stars and Other Features==
The binary star [[Albireo]] (Beta Cygni) represent the head of the swan. The tail is where the brightest star of the constellation, [[Deneb]], is located. Deneb is also the tip of the Northern Cross and the upper-left corner of the [[Summer Triangle]]. The dim binary star [[61 Cygni]] also lies within the constellation and is the closet star within it, only some 11.4 light years away, and is famous for being the first star to be measured using [[parallax]].
Cygnus is also the location of several notable deep sky objects, including numerous diffuse and [[planetary nebula|planetary nebulae]], and [open star cluster|open star clusters]]. The '''Fireworks Galaxy''' (NGC 6946) is also located here, known as the most active supernovae galaxy known. Another galaxy is '''Cygnus A''', one of the strongest astronomical [[radio]] source known in the cosmos. '''Cygnus X-1''' is another astronomical feature within the constellation and is famous for not only being one of the greatest known sources of [[x-ray|x-rays]], but the first discovered example of a black hole.<ref name="seds">http://seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/cygnus.html</ref>
===Named Stars===
*[[Deneb]] - Alpha Cygni (α Cyg)
*Albireo - Beta Cygni (β Cyg)
*Sadr - Gamma Cygni (γ Cyg)
*Ruc - Delta Cygni (δ Cyg)
*Gienah - Epsilon Cygni (ε Cyg)
[[Category:Astronomy]]
==References==
{{reflist}}