Dragons: Religion, History, & Science

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

Dragons are mythical beasts found throughout history in many societies around the world.  Dragons have been featured in nearly all religions at some point in time.  Some dragons are serpentine, some have wings, some have bodies like dinosaurs, and some have all three of these characteristics.  Many believe that dragon myths are based on the last dinosaurs that roamed the earth.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Dragon in the Sky

Photo courtesy 123rf.com

In Chinese astrology this is the year of the Water Dragon.  In thinking about that, I wondered if there was a dragon constellation, and indeed there is:  Draco.  One of the Greek myths about Draco is that when Minerva was fighting the Giants, they threw this dragon at her, and she caught it and slung it into the heavens.  For more information about the myths and the  words "dragon" and "slung", click here.

Christmas Night Sky

Photo of constellation Perseus courtesy 123rf.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see the constellations Horologium and Perseus.  What a great way to spend a beautiful Christmas evening.  For more information click here.

What will you and your family do on Christmas evening?

Tonight: Fornax!

Hubble photo of Ultra Deep Field in Fornax Constellation courtesy SOS.NOAA.gov













Photo of the constellation Fornax courtesy Chandra.Harvard.edu

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you may be able to see the three-star constellation Fornax--unfortunately it will be an overcast, rainy night where I live, so I won't be able to see it.

The fornax is a chemical furnace, or combustion furnace, created by French chemist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794).  He named the furnace after Fornax, the Ancient Roman goddess of bread and baking.  French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1713-1762) created the three-star constellation in 1752, and named it Fornax in honor of his friend, Lavoisier.

Did you see Fornax tonight?  Have you seen it before?  What was it like seeing it tonight?

Aries and Hydrus Tonight

Photo courtesy FreeImagesLive.co.uk


Photo courtesy ClipArtPal.com

Tonight in the northern hemisphere you can see two constellations:  Aries and Hydrus.  Aries was known as the Ram not only in Greek mythology, but also to the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians.  Hydrus was created by Dutch astronomers in the 16th century.  For more information click here and click here.

Did you see either or both of these constellations tonight?