Follow the arc to Arcturus and drive a spike to Spica! Grab your star map from starmaps.com for this journey through the sky, as it will come in handy!
Let's take a look at the late evening sky together. This fun statement is a handy way to find the bright stars within the constellations of Virgo the Virgin and Bootes the Herdsman. But first, I would like to give Leo the Lion his time in the spotlight, as he has crept further above the horizon without our stopping to enjoy his story.
Leo can be found just above Corvus the Crow. He is currently heading towards being vertical in the night sky. Look for the two asterisms of Leo: 1) the triangle and 2) the sickle or question mark. The brightest star in Leo is Regulus, or the little king. It is also said to be the lion's heart.
Leo has a few stories connected to him. The first story involves the labors of Hercules. Hercules first labor was to hunt and destroy the Nemean lion. This lion was known for its furiousness and toughness. It would leave the two mouthed cave it lived in and head down and attack the city of Nemea, bringing its lunch back to its den. Hercules engaged the lion from a distance first, striking with arrows. The lion's tough skin did not allow for penetration, so Hercules tracked the lion to the den and had to use his massive and superhumanly strong arms to strangle the lion, and used the lion's razor sharp claws to take the hide for his own.
The Bible also has a mention of Daniel and his trial in the Lion's Den. Daniel's story is about being able to trust in God's protection during dangerous situations. Daniel was put into a den of lions and protected by God as a testament of his faith and commitment to his belief in God. This constellation can remind us to be unafraid to stand up for what we believe in, to be proud and courageous of our convictions. It can also be a reminder of the protection and security afforded us amidst life's challenges by the universe/Higher Power/God.
Lastly, Leo can be seen as perhaps the celestial inspiration of the Great Sphinx of Egypt. You can see the triangle as the hind legs and the sickle as the head dress and head of the Sphinx.
Next, we visit the story of Virgo the Virgin, the second largest constellation other than Hydra. Virgo is seen as an angel with wings holding a sheath of wheat, standing next to the constellation of Libra the scales. She is thought to represent two goddesses. The first is Dike, the goddess of Justice. She was the part of the Earth when Zeus' father Cronus ruled Golden Age; her presence could be considered the symbol "divine, spiritual, and higher intelligence" being a great part of humankind's prosperity. This changed as Zeus took over and overthrew his father. The Silver Age was born and in it Zeus introduced the seasons. Dike pined for a time when humankind was of a higher order and look for the common and higher good, but the humans were becoming more quarrelsome, and Dike warned them they would further fall if they continued their ways and did not honor their spirit. She retreated to the mountains and sadly watched as the Bronze and Iron Ages were ushered in and mankind continued to fall into war, theft, and violence. Dike could not bear seeing humankind fall to this blinding ignorance any longer, and headed into the heavens to sit next to the scales of justice, patiently awaiting a time for humankind to tip the scales back in favor of the pursuit of goodness and morality.
The constellation could also be seen as Demeter, the harvest goddess and sister to Zeus. It is important to note that the brightest star of Virgo is Spica, which means leaf of wheat. Being the harvest goddess, this is a fitting symbol. Demeter leads the way for one of the stories of Bootes, the Herdsman. Bootes has been seen to represent Demeter's son, the inventor of the plow. His plow is the constellation of the Big Dipper, and continues to plow the barren Earth after Winter to prepare for the appearance of Demeter in the Spring.
Bootes is also known as the guardian of the bear. Remember the story of Callisto, who was turned into a bear by Hera? Bootes is known as Arcas, the son of Callisto. He was placed in the night sky to continue to be a protector and guide his mother along her course around the north star Polaris. The brightest star of Bootes is Arcturus, which means guardian of the bear, most fitting for Arcas.
Lastly, take a look at the small bowl-shaped or U-shaped grouping of stars to the upper left of Bootes. This is the constellation of the Celestial Crown, or Corona Borealis. This heavenly crown is known as the property of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos of Crete, and the wife of the Greek hero Theseus. She gave Theseus a ball of string to navigate the labyrinth in his attempt to slay the Minotaur and release the city from the sacrificial ceremony made every year to appease the beast. He bested the beast and followed the string out. In their marriage, the God of the blacksmiths, Hephaestus, gave Ariadne a tiara forged with beautiful and rare gems that glowed with a light of their own for the ceremony. In celebration, Theseus threw the crown into the sky after the marriage to honor the commitment.
I'll catch you all soon with a few more star stories! Be Well!
