Corona Borealis

From All Skies Encyclopaedia
star chart
CrB star chart (IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine, Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)

One of the 88 IAU constellations.

Etymology and History

The Greek constellation ...


Origin of Constellation

Babylonian

Greco-Roman

Aratos
Eratosthenes

Var. 1: It is said to be Ariadne's crown. Dionysus placed it among the constellations on the occasion of her wedding, which the gods were celebrating on the island called Dia. The bride had previously received it from the hands of the Seasons and Aphrodite, and had crowned herself with it. It was said to be the work of Hephaestus, and was made of flaming gold and precious stones from India. It is also said to have been used by Theseus to escape from the labyrinth, as it emitted light. It is also said that the hair visible under the Lion's tail is Ariadne's. The Crown has nine stars arranged in a circle. Among three of them are bright; these are the ones opposite the head the head of the Serpent that separates the two Bears.

Var. 2: It is said to be Ariadne's crown. Dionysus placed it among the constellations on the occasion of her wedding, which the gods were celebrating on the island called Dia, to show them her glory. The bride had previously received it from the hands of the Seasons and Aphrodite, and had crowned herself with it. The author of the History of Crete states that when Dionysus came to the house of Minos with the intention of seducing Ariadne, he gave her to him as a gift, and so she was enticed. It was said to be the work of Hephaestus, and was made of flaming gold and precious stones from India. It is said to have been used by Theseus to escape from the labyrinth, as it emitted light. It was then placed among the constellations as a sign of their engagement when he and Ariadne arrived in Naxos, with the consent of the gods. It is also said that the hair visible under the tail of the Lion is Ariadne's. The Crown has nine stars arranged in a circle. Among three of them are bright; these are the ones opposite the head the head of the Serpent that separates the two Bears. (Pamias and Zucker 2013)

Hipparchus
Geminos

Almagest Στέφανος

id Greek

(Heiberg 1898)

English

(Toomer 1984)

ident.
Στεφάνου βορείου ἀστερισμός Constellation of Corona Borealis
1 ὁ λαμπρὸς ὁ ἐν τῷ Στεφάνῳ The bright star in the crown alf CrB
2 ὁ προηγούμευος πάντων. The star most in advance of all bet CrB
3 ὁ τούτῳ ἐπόμενος καὶ βορειότερος. The one to the rear and to the· north of this tet CrB
4 ὁ ἔτι τούτῳ ἑπόμενος καὶ βορειότερος The one to the rear and north again of this pi CrB
5 ὁ τῷ λαμπρῶ ἀπὸ μεσημβρίας ἑπόμενος. The one to the rear of the bright star from the south gam CrB
6 ὁ ἔτι τούτῳ ἐγγὺς ἐπόμενος The one to the rear again of the latter, close by del CrB
7 ὁ μετὰ τούτους πάλιν ἐπόμενος. The one to the rear again of these eps CrB
8 ὁ πᾶσι τοῦς ἐν τῷ Στεφάνῳ ἑπόμενος The ,1 ar to the rear of all [the others) in the crown iot CrB
ἀστέρες ἢ, ὥν β’ μεγέθουςα, δ’ ε, εα, ξ’ ἂ. 8 star, 1 of the second magnitude, 5 of the fourth, 1 of the filth, I of the sixth

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

Mythology

Weblinks

References