Unraveling the Mysteries of Constellation Cancer: Exploring the Cosmic Crab
Image source: Pixabay
Constellation Cancer, also known as the Cancer constellation, is one of the 12 constellations in the zodiac. It is located in the northern celestial hemisphere and is visible in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
The constellation takes its name from the Latin word “cancer,” which means crab. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the constellation resembled a crab, which is why it was named Cancer.
Exploring the Stars of Cancer
Constellation Cancer is home to several bright stars, including:
- Acubens (Alpha Cancri): Acubens is the brightest star in the constellation and is a binary star system. It is located around 174 light-years away from the Earth.
- Altarf (Beta Cancri): Altarf is a red giant star located around 290 light-years away from the Earth.
- Asellus Borealis (Gamma Cancri): Asellus Borealis is a binary star system located around 150 light-years away from the Earth.
Image source: Pixabay
The Messier Objects of Cancer
The Cancer constellation is also home to several famous deep-sky objects, including two Messier objects:
- M44 (The Beehive Cluster): The Beehive Cluster is an open cluster of stars located within the constellation Cancer. It is one of the nearest open clusters to our solar system and can be seen with the naked eye under dark skies.
- M67: M67 is another open cluster of stars located within the Cancer constellation. It is older than the Beehive Cluster and is thought to be around 4 billion years old.
Image source: Pixabay
The Mythology of Cancer
The symbolism of a crab represents the ancient mythology behind the constellation Cancer. The ancient Greeks believed that Cancer was a crab that was sent by Hera, the Greek goddess, to defeat Hercules during one of his battles. The crab latched onto Hercules’ foot, but he defeated it by crushing it under his foot.
In astrology, the Cancer zodiac sign is represented by a crab and is considered to be a water sign. People born under this sign (between June 21 and July 22) are said to be intuitive, emotional, and nurturing.
Final Thoughts
Constellation Cancer is an interesting and mysterious part of our night sky. From its famous deep-sky objects to its symbolism in mythology and astrology, there is much to explore and learn about the cosmic crab.
