Sea (astronomy)
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The Sea or the Water is an area of the sky in which many water-related, and few land-related, constellations occur. This may be because the Sun passed through this part of the sky during the rainy season.[1]
Most of these constellations are named by Ptolemy:
- Aquarius the Water-bearer
- Capricornus the Sea-goat
- Cetus the Whale
- Delphinus the Dolphin
- Eridanus the Great River
- Hydra the Water serpent
- Pisces the Fishes
- Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish (not named by Ptolemy)
Sometimes included are the Argo Ship and Crater the Water Cup.
Some water-themed constellations are newer, so are not in this region. They include Hydrus, the lesser water snake; Volans, the flying fish; and Dorado, the swordfish.
[edit] See also
- Celestial ocean, a mythological concept, not specific to astronomy
[edit] References
- ^ Olcott, William T. (1911). Star lore of all ages: a collection of myths, legends, and facts concerning the constellations of the Northern hemisphere. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons. p. 31. http://books.google.com/books?id=eDsPAAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
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