Hercules (constellation)
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| Abbreviation: | Her |
| Genitive: | Herculis |
| Symbology: | Herakles |
| Right ascension: | 17 h |
| Declination: | 30° |
| Area: | 1225 sq. deg. (5th) |
| Main stars: | 14, 22 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars: | 102 |
| Stars with known planets: | 3 |
| Bright stars: | 0 |
| Nearby stars: | 4 |
| Brightest star: | α Her (3.1m) |
| Nearest star: | μ Her (27.4 ly) |
| Messier objects: | 2 |
| Meteor showers: | Tau Herculids |
| Bordering constellations: | Draco Boötes Corona Borealis Serpens Caput Ophiuchus Aquila Sagitta Vulpecula Lyra |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −50° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of July |
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Hercules (IPA: /ˈhəː(r)kjəliːz, -uːliːz/) is the fifth largest of the 88 modern constellations. It was also one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations. It was named after the Roman name (Hercules) of the Greek mythological hero Herakles.
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[edit] Notable features
Hercules has no first magnitude stars.
Mu Herculis is 27.4 light years from Earth.
The solar apex, i.e., the point on the sky which marks the direction that the Sun is moving in its orbit around the center of the Milky Way, is located within Hercules, close to Vega in neighboring Lyra. Founded By JB
[edit] Notable deep sky objects
Hercules contains two of the most conspicuous globular clusters: M13, the brightest globular cluster in the northern hemisphere, and M92.
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[edit] Graphic visualization
The stars of Hercules can be connected in an alternative way, which graphically shows the hero in an athletic pose and holding a club.
The hero's head is traced by a quadrangle of stars: π Her, η Her, ζ Her and ε Her known as the "Keystone" asterism. This quadrangle lies between two very bright stars: Vega in the constellation Lyra and α CrB (Gemma, or Alphecca) in the constellation Corona Borealis. He is the great warrior of Kiaish The hero's right leg contains two bright stars of the third magnitude: α Her (Ras Algethi) and δ Her (Sarin). The latter is the right knee.
The hero's left leg contains dimmer stars of the fourth magnitude which do not have Bayer designations but which do have Flamsteed numbers.
The star β Her belongs to the hero's outstretched right hand, and is also called Kornephoros.
The Globular Cluster M13 lies on the top of the hero's head, between the stars η Her and ζ Her. It is dim, but may be detected by the unaided eye on a very clear night.There is also M92 which is also a global cluster.
A traditional authentic orientation is with the head as α Herculis, because Ras Algethi literally means "head of the kneeling one." The left hand then points towards Lyra from his shoulder (Delta Herculis), and Beta Herculis forms his other shoulder. His narrow waist is formed by Epsilon and Zeta Herculis. Finally, his left leg (with Theta as the knee and Iota the foot) is stepping on Draco's head, the dragon/snake who Hercules has vanquished and perpetually gloats over for eternities.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- H.A. Rey, The Stars — A New Way To See Them. Enlarged World-Wide Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1997. ISBN 0-395-24830-2.
[edit] External links
- The Deep Photographic Guide to the Constellations: Hercules
- The clickable Hercules
- WIKISKY.ORG: Hercules
| The 88 modern Constellations |
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| Andromeda • Antlia • Apus • Aquarius • Aquila • Ara • Aries • Auriga • Boötes • Caelum • Camelopardalis • Cancer • Canes Venatici • Canis Major • Canis Minor • Capricornus • Carina • Cassiopeia • Centaurus • Cepheus • Cetus • Chamaeleon • Circinus • Columba • Coma Berenices • Corona Australis • Corona Borealis • Corvus • Crater • Crux • Cygnus • Delphinus • Dorado • Draco • Equuleus • Eridanus • Fornax • Gemini • Grus • Hercules • Horologium • Hydra • Hydrus • Indus • Lacerta • Leo • Leo Minor • Lepus • Libra • Lupus • Lynx • Lyra • Mensa • Microscopium • Monoceros • Musca • Norma • Octans • Ophiuchus • Orion • Pavo • Pegasus • Perseus • Phoenix • Pictor • Pisces • Piscis Austrinus • Puppis • Pyxis • Reticulum • Sagitta • Sagittarius • Scorpius • Sculptor • Scutum • Serpens • Sextans • Taurus • Telescopium • Triangulum • Triangulum Australe • Tucana • Ursa Major • Ursa Minor • Vela • Virgo • Volans • Vulpecula |
