TYPES OF CONSTELLATIONS

CANIS MAJOR THE BIG DOG

Genitive: Canis Majoris
Canis Minor is one of the Greek constellations.
represents the bigger dog following the
mythical hunter Orion in pursuit of a hare,
represented by Lepus constellation. The
constellation is also sometimes associated
with Laelaps, the fastest dog in the world,
given to Europa by Zeus as a present.

It

BOTES THE HERDSMAN

Genitive: Botis
Botes is one of the ancient Greek constellations. The constellations name means the
oxen-driver and Botes is usually identified as the ploughman who drove the oxen
represented by Ursa Major. The constellation is also sometimes associated with
Arctophylax, or the Bear Keeper, also referring
to Ursa Major, the Big Bear.
In another myth, Botes represents Arcas, the
son of Zeus and Callisto. In the myth, Callistos
father King Lycaon decides to test Zeus to see
if the god is really who he says he is and serves
him his son Arcas for dinner. Seeing what
Lycaon has done, Zeus kills the kings sons and
turns Lycaon into a wolf, then collects the parts
of his own son and makes him whole again.
Arcas mother Callisto, in the meantime, gets
turned into a bear, either by Zeus to disguise
her and protect her from Heras revenge, or by
the jealous Hera herself. When Arcas grows up,
he comes face to face with his mother in the
woods and does not recognize her. He starts to
chase the bear and Zeus intervenes to prevent
bloodshed and turns them into the constellations Ursa Major (Callisto) and Botes
(Arcas).
Botes constellation is also sometimes associated with another mythical figure: Icarius,
the wine maker. Icarius was taught by the god Dionysus how to make wine and, when he
invited his friends over for dinner, they got so drunk that they thought Icarius had
poisoned them and they killed him. Zeus placed him in the sky as the constellation
Botes.
ASSIOPEIA THE QUEEN
Genitive: Cassiopeiae
Cassiopeia constellation represents the
boastful queen Cassiopeia, wife of Cepheus
and mother of Andromeda in Greek
mythology. Cassiopeia claimed that she was
more beautiful than the Nereids, and the
nymphs asked the sea god Poseidon to
punish the queen for her vanity. Poseidon
sent the sea monster Cetus to ravage the
queens land. King Cepheus asked an oracle
for help and was told that he had to
sacrifice his daughter Andromeda to
appease Poseidon. The king and queen left
their daughter chained to a rock, but

Andromeda was saved from the monster by Perseus. Cassiopeia and Cepheus were
placed into the sky by Poseidon. It is said that Cassiopeia spends six months every year
upside down in the sky as punishment for her boastfulness.
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