Cetus

star chart of Cetus by IAU and Sky & Telescope magazine (Roger Sinnott & Rick Fienberg)

One of the 88 IAU constellations. It is related to the group of constellations around the constellation Andromeda and highly likely originates from the Mediterranean coast, definitely not from Mesopotamia (as this region was covered by the constellation SIM.MAH). There is a comprehensive paper on this constellation.

Etymology and History

The Greek name κῆτος (ketos) does not in any case refer to a real animal, but only to a mythological creature. Its Latinized version "cetus", however, may also designate a whale. "Though archaeological findings of whale remains are uncommon in Greece, there exist few examples of ancient whalebones in the Aegean Sea, probably originating from stranded whales. ... Combined with archaeological artifacts as the bones of prehistorical giant sea creatures in the Wādī al-Ḥītān (Valley of Whales) in today's Egypt, this might have triggered traveller's imagination and have led to further stories (and cock-and-bull story)."

Origin of Constellation

The Greek constellation probably originates from the east coast of the Mediterranean as the mythology of this seamonster either includes it in the tale of princess Andromeda threatened by a seamoster and rescued by the hero Perseus, or princess Hesione exposed to another seamonster and rescued by Hercules. The Andromeda saga is related to a rock in the ancient habour of Old Jaffa (Tel Aviv) while Hesione is a princess of Troy (Anatolia). In both cases, the seamonster is home to the Mediterranean.

As this constellation does not have a Babylonian equivalent, we suspect that it was taken from another culture in order to diversify the sky culture in Alexander's new empire.

Greco-Roman

Aratus

Although she lies no small distance away, Andromeda is threatened by the approach of the great Sea-monster. [355] For in her course she lies exposed to the blast of the north wind from Thrace, while the southerly brings against her the hostile Monster, below the Ram and the two Fishes, and positioned a little above the starry River. For under the gods’ feet that too moves as a separate group, [360] a remnant of Eridanus, river of much weeping. It extends below the left foot of Orion. The tail-chains, by which the extremities of the Fishes are held, both come together as they descend from the tail-parts, and behind the Monster’s back-fin move jointly [365] as they converge, and terminate in a single star that lies close to the top of the Monster’s spine. (Kidd 1997)

Almagest Κῆτος

id	Greek (Heiberg 1898)	English (Toomer 1984)	ident.
	Κήτους ἀστερισμόρ
1	ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ μυκτῆρος	The star on the tip of the nostrils	lam Cet
2	τῶν ἐν τῷ ῥύγχει ἢ ὁ ἑπόμενος ἐπ’ ἄκρας τῆς σιαγόνος	The three stars in the snout: the rearmost, on the end of the jaw	alf Cet
3	ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τῷ στόματι	The three stars in the snout: the middle ane, in the middie of the mouth	gam Cet
4	ὁ προηγούμενος τῶν ν’ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γένυος	The three stars in the snout: the most advanced of the 3, on the cheek	del Cet
5	ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀφρόος καὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ	The star on the eyebrow and the eye	nu Cet
6	ὁ τούτου βορειότερος ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς τριχός	The one to the north of this, about on the hair	xi2 Cet
7	ὁ τούτων προηγούμευος ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς χαίτης	The one in advance of this, about on the mane	xi1 Cet
8	τοῦ ἐῃ τῷ στήθει τετραπλεύρου τῆς ἠγουμένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος	The quadrilateral in the chest: the northernmost star on thc advance side	rho Cet
9	ὁ νότιος τῆς ἠγουμένης πλευρᾶς	The quadrilateral in the chest: the southernmost one on the advance side	sig Cet
10	τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος	The quadrilateral in the chest: the northernmost one on the rear side	eps Cet
11	ὁ νότιος τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς	The quadrilateral in the chest: the southernmost one on the rear side	pi Cet
12	τῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι ἢ’ ὁ μέσος	The midmost of the 3 stars in the body	tau Cet
13	ὁ νότιος αὐτῶν	The southernmost of them	ups Cet
14	ὁ βόρειος τῶν τριῶν	The northernmost of the three	zet Cet
15	τῶν πρὸς τῷ παρούρῳ β ὁ ἐπόμενος	The rearmost of the 2 stars by the section next to the tail	tet Cet
16	ὁ προηγούμευος αὐτῶν	The more advanced of them	eta Cet
17	τοῦ ἐν τῷ παρούρῳ τετραπλεύρου τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος	The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the northernmost star on the rear side	phi2 Cet
18	ὁ νότιος τῆς ἐπομένης πλευρᾶς.	The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the southernmost one on thc rear side	HR 227
19	τῆς προηγουμένης πλευρᾶς ὁ βόρειος	The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the northernmost one on thc advance side	phi Cet
20	ὁ νότιος τῆς προηγουμένης πλευρᾶς	The quadrilateral in the section next to the tail: the southernmost one on the advance side	HR 190
21	τῶν ἐν ἄκροις τοῦς οὐραίοις ᾑ ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ βορείου.	The 2 stars at the ends of the tail-fins: the one on the northern [tail-fin]	iot Cet
22	ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ φοτίου οὐραέου	The 2 stars at the ends of the tail-fins: the one on the end of the southern tail-fin	bet Cet
	ἀστέρες πβ, ὥν γ’ μεγέδους ἰ, δ’ ἢ, εἱ δ.	{22 Stars, 10 of the third magnitude, 8 of the fourth, 4 of the fifth}

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

• 

  an apparent vessel for Cetus on the Kugel-Globe (drawing SMH 2024), 2nd or 1st century BCE

• 

  map of the Kugel Globe, Cetus in the center of two lines with rings, drawing by SMH 2024, 2nd or 1st century BCE

• 

  Some lines forming a stream of water in which Cetus is centered on the Farnese Globe (drawing by SMH 2021), 2nd or 1st century CE with Hellenistic predecessor

• 

  Figures of the Farnese Globe mapped to the Stellarium star chart (drawing and implementing by SMH 2021). Cetus-region.

• 

  map of the Mainz Globe with Cetus in the center, surrounded by many dots (star symbols), perhaps representing The Water (drawing by SMH 2023), 2nd century CE

• 

  Cetus at Planisferio celeste (Carlos Simón 1894)

Weblinks

• Ridpath, Ian, “Star Tales: online edition”.

References

• References (general)
• References (Babylonian)
• References (ancient Greco-Roman)
• References (medieval)