Centaurus
One of the 88 IAU constellations. The ancient Greek constellation of the Centaur forms a super-constellation with Lupus and Ara. It is unknown whether or not Centaurus had a Babylonian predecessor: The Mesopotamian uranologies in this area mention a god (Numushda) whose appearance and exact location in the sky are not preserved, and the constellation UR.IDIM which is commonly translated as "Mad Dog" (or rabid dog) but also associated with a benevolent door keeper daemon who is a lion-man. Such a lion-man may possibly be depicted in seal imprints and mythologically named Urmahlullu.
Etymology and History
The Greek constellation is possibly derived from a Babylonian one. There were several centaur-like creatures and other mixed man-animal beings in Mesopotamian culture; seal imprints and reliefs witness them.
Origin of Constellation
Babylonian
Greco-Roman
Aratos
[400] This cluster as a whole men call The Water. But others low beneath the forefeet of the Archer (Centaur) [Centaurus], a tuned in a circled ring, go wheeling round the sky.
[436] The constellation of Centaur [Centaurus] thou wilt find beneath two others. For part in human form lies beneath Scorpio, but the rest, a horse’s trunk and tail, are beneath the Claws. He ever seems to stretch his right hand towards the round Altar, but though his hand is drawn and firmly grasped another sign – the Beast [Fera], for so men of old have named it.
[660?] So she is borne towards the West, but other signs in the East the vault of heaven brings from below, the remaining half of the Crown and the tail of the Hydra, and uplifts the body and head of the Centaur and the Beast that the Centaur holds in his right hand. But the fore-feet of the Centaur-Knight await the rising of the Bow.
[694] But opposite the Horse starry Night draws the Centaur, tail-first, beneath the horizon, but cannot yet engulf his head and his broad shoulders, breast and all. (Kidd 1997)
Eratosthenes
Hipparchus
Hyginus, Astronomica
He is said to be Chiron, son of Saturn and Philyra, who surpassed not only the other Centaurs but also men in justice, and is thought to have reared Aesculapius and Achilles. By his conscientiousness and diligence, therefore, he won inclusion among the stars.
When Hercules was once visiting Chiron, and while sitting with him was examining his arrows, one of them is said to have fallen on the foot of Chiron, and thus brought about his death. Others say that when the Centaur wondered at his being able to kill such huge creatures as Centaurs with such slight arrows, he himself tried to draw the bow, and the arrow, slipping from his hand, fell on his foot. For this reason Jupiter, pitying him, put him among the constellations with a victim which he seems to hold above the altar for sacrifice.
Others have said that he is Pholus the Centaurus, who was more skilled in augury that the rest. Consequently, by the will of Jove, he was represented coming to the altar with a victim. (Mary Ward 1960)
Geminos
Almagest Κένταυρος
| id | Greek
(Heiberg 1898) |
English
(Toomer 1984) |
ident. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Κευταύρου ἀστερισμός | |||
| 1 | τῶν ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ δ ὁ φοτιώτατος. | The southernmost of the 4 stars in the head | 2 Cen |
| 2 | ὁ βορειότατος αὐτῶν | The northernmost of them | 4 Cen |
| 3 | τῶν λοιπῶν καὶ μέσων β ὁ ἠγούμενος | The more advanced of the other, middle 2 | 1 Cen |
| 4 | ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν καὶ λοιπὸς τῶν δ | The rearmost of these, the last of the 4 | 3 Cen |
| 5 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ καὶ ἠγουμένου ὅμου | The star on the left, advanced shoulder | iot Cen |
| 6 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ ὅμου | The star on the right shoulder | tet Cen |
| 7 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀριστερᾶς ὡμοπλάτης. | The star on the left shoulder-blade | HR 5089 |
| 8 | τῶν ἐν τῷ θύρσῳ ὁ τῶν ἠγουμένωυ β’ ὁ βορειότερος. | The 4 stars in the thyrsus: the northcrnmost of thc advance 2 | psi Cen |
| 9 | ὁ σοτιώτερορ αὐτῶ | The 4 stars in the thyrsus: the southernmost of these | HR 5378 |
| 10 | τῶν λοιπῶν β ὁ ἐπ’ ἄκρου τοῦ θύρσου | The 4 stars in the thyrsus: that one of the other two which is at the tip of the thyrsus | HR 5485+5489 |
| 11 | ὁ λοιπὸς καὶ τούτου νοτιώτερος | The 4 stars in the thyrsus: the last one, south of the latter | HR 5471 |
| 12 | τῶν ἐν τῷ δεξιῷ πλευρῷ ἡ ὁ ἠρούμενος | The most advanced of the 3 stars in the right side | nu Cen |
| 13 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν | Tbe middle one | mu Cen |
| 14 | ὁ ἐπόμενος τῶν τριῶν | The rearmost of the three | phi Cen |
| 15 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ βραχίουος | The star on the right upper arm | chi Cen |
| 16 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ πήχεως | The star on the right forearm | eta Cen |
| 17 | ὁ ἐν ἄκρᾳ τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρύ | The star in the right hand | kap Cen |
| 18 | ὁ ἐν τῇ ἐκφύσει τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου σώματος λαμπρός | The bright star in the place where the human body joins [the horse's] | zet Cen |
| 19 | τῶν βορειοτέρωυ αὐτοῦ β’ ἀμαυρῶν ὁ ἑπόμενος | The rearmost of the 2 faint stars to the north of this | ups2 Cen |
| 20 | ὁ προηγούμενος αὐτῶν | The more advanced of them | ups1 Cen |
| 21 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ νώτου ἐκφύσεως | The star on the place where the back joins [the horse's body] | omega Cen |
| 22 | ὁ τούτου προηγούμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ νώτου τοῦ ἴππου | The star in advance of this, on the horse's back | HR 4940 |
| 23 | τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς ὀσφύος τ ὁ ἐπόμενος | The rearmost of the stars on the rump | gam Cen |
| 24 | ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν | The middle one | tau Cen |
| 25 | ὁ προηγούμενος τῶν τριῶν | The most advanced of the three | sig Cen |
| 26 | τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ μηροῦ β συνεχῶν ὁ ἠγούμενος | The more advanced of the 2 stars close tagether on the right thigh | del Cen |
| 27 | ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν | The rearmost of them | rho Cen |
| 28 | ὁ ἐη τῷ στήθει ὑπὸ τὴν μασχάληη τοῦ ἴππου | The star in the chest, under the horse's armpit | HR 5172 |
| 29 | τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν κοιλίαυ β’ ὁ ἠγούμενος | The more advanced of the 2 stars under the belly | eps Cen |
| 30 | ὁ ἐπόμενος αὐτῶν | The rearmost of them | Q Cen |
| 31 | ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγκύλης τοῦ δεξιοῦ ποδός | The star on the knee-bend of the right [bind] leg | gam Cru |
| 32 | ὁ ἐν τῷ σφυρῷ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ποδός | The star in the hock of the same leg | bet Cru |
| 33 | ὁ ὑπὸ τὴν ἀγκύληη τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ποδός | The star under the knee-bend of the left [hind] leg | del Cru |
| 34 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ βατραχίου τοῦ αὐτοῦ ποδός | The star on the frag of the hoof an the same leg | alf Cru |
| 35 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἄκρου τοῦ ἐμπροσθίου δεξιοῦ ποδός ἡ | The star on the end of the right front leg | alf Cen |
| 36 | ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ γόνατος τοῦ ἀριστεροῦ ποδός | The star on the knee of the left [front] leg | bet Cen |
| 37 | ὁ ἐκτὸς ὑπὸ τὸν δεξιὸν ὀπισθόποδα | The star outside, under the right hind leg | mu Cru |
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
Centaurus et Lupus on the ancient Greek Kugel Globe, drawing by SMH 2021.
Centaurus et Lupus on the ancient Greco-Roman Farnese Globe, drawing by SMH 2017.
Centaurus et Lupus on the ancient Roman Mainz Globe, drawing by SMH 2021.
Centaurus & Lupus on Dürer's map.
Centaurus and Lupus constellations from the Mercator celestial globe 1551 (CC0).
Centaurus et Lupus on Mercator's 1551 globe gores.
Centaurus et Lupus on Plancius's globe, first time with Crux
Centaurus as drawn by Joh. Bayer (1603) and Lupus drawn by the user of this exemplar of the atlas (extra map for Bayer).
Cen+Lup, Crux, Habrecht's map 1621
Cen + Lup, Royer's map (1679)
Centaurus et Lupus at Planisferio celeste (Carlos Simón 1894)
Greek Mythology
Weblinks
- Ridpath, Ian, “Star Tales: online edition”.
