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And
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Andromedae
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Andromeda , the Chained Maiden
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19th
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&alpha And (Alpheratz)
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Andromedids" class="copylinks">Andromedids <br />(Bielids)
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"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Triangulum" class="copylinks">Triangulum
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November
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is a
Constellation named for the princess
Andromeda (which is
Greek for ''
Ruler over
Men ''), a character in
Greek Mythology . The constellation is in the northern sky near the constellation
Pegasus . It is most notable for containing the
Andromeda Galaxy . It is sometimes called "The Chained Maiden" in English.
Corresponding
Chinese Constellation s in Andromeda are
Flying Serpent (螣蛇),
Celestial Stable (天廄),
Wall (壁),
Legs (奎),
Southern Military Gate (南軍門) and
Great General Of The Heaven (天大将軍).
The brightest
Star in the constellation, is
Alpheratz which marks her head,
Bayer Designation Alpha Andromedae. Formerly considered common to Andromeda and Pegasus, as confirmed by its name, "navel of the horse", it was also designated δ Pegasi. With α, β, and γ Pegasi it forms an
Asterism called the .
β Andromedae is called Mirach, the girdle. It is 88
Light Years distant and of magnitude 2.1.
γ Andromedae , or Almach, is found at the tip of the southern leg of the big "A". It is a beautiful
Multiple Star with contrasting colours.
υ Andromedae has a
Planetary System with three confirmed planets, 0.71 times, 2.11 times, and 4.61 times the mass of
Jupiter .
The most famous
Deep Sky Object in Andromeda is M31, the
Andromeda Galaxy , one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye (
M33 is slightly farther). It is an enormous spiral
Galaxy much like
Ours . To find the galaxy, draw a line between β and μ Andromedae, and extend the line approximately the same distance again from μ.
If fainter stars, visible to the naked eye, in the constellation are considered, then the constellation takes the form of a
Stick-figure woman, with a prominent belt (as has the constellation
Orion ), where one arm has something long attached to it, giving the appearance of a female warrior holding a sword. This, together with other stars in the
Zodiac sign of
Aries (part of
Pisces , and the
Pleiades ), may be the origin of the myth of the girdle of
Hippolyte , which forms part of
The Twelve Labours of
Herakles .
However, by including still fainter stars, the attachment extends in a different direction, giving the appearance of a maiden held by a chain.
{Link without Title} . Together with other constellations nearby (
Cassiopeia ,
Cepheus ,
Cetus ,
Pegasus , and
Perseus ), this may be the source of the myth of the
Boast Of Cassiopeia , with which it is usually identified.
The stars of the constellation Andromeda can be connected in an alternative way, which graphically shows a chained lady.
The lady's head is represented by the star
Alpha Andromedae . The lady's body is formed by the stars
Delta Andromedae ,
Pi Andromedae , and
Beta Andromedae . Both alpha Andromedae and beta Andromedae are of second magnitude. Stars delta Andromedae and pi Andromedae represent the lady's
Shoulder s, whereas star beta Andromedae represent's the lady's
Pelvis .
One of the lady's . The other leg is formed by stars beta Andromedae,
Mu Andromedae ,
Nu Andromedae ,
Phi Andromedae , and
51 Andromedae . Star 51 Andromedae represents one of the lady's feet, which is being yanked by the hand of neighboring constellation
Perseus , who is trying to liberate Andromeda.
One of the lady's
Arm s is formed by stars delta Andromedae,
Epsilon Andromedae ,
Zeta Andromedae , and
Eta Andromedae , with star eta Andromedae representing one of her
Hand s.
The other arm is formed by stars pi Andromedae, , the whale, to ravage the coast of Aethiopia. Cepheus, Cassiopeia's husband, had Andromeda bound by chain to a rock by the sea so that Cetus would devour Andromeda, appeasing Poseidon, thereby preventing any further ravaging of the coast of Aethiopia by Cetus. But the hero
Perseus took Andromeda out of her chains and then flew with her on his winged horse,
Pegasus , away from the scene of her sacrificial imprisonment. He subsequently married her. For more details on this myth, see the
Boast Of Cassiopeia .
- H. A. Rey, ''The Stars — A New Way To See Them''. Enlarged World-Wide Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1997. ISBN 0-395-24830-2.
Source:
The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed.,
The Hipparcos Catalogue, ESA SP-1200
