 Click for larger image |
|
| List of stars in Pisces | |
| Abbreviation: | Psc |
| Genitive: | Piscium |
| Symbology: | the Fish (plural) |
| Right ascension: | 1 h |
| Declination: | +15° |
| Area: | 889 sq. deg. (14th) |
| Main stars: | 21 |
| Bayer/Flamsteed stars: | 78 |
| Stars known to have planets: | 5 |
| Bright stars: | 0 |
| Nearby stars: | 5 |
| Brightest star: | η Psc (3.6m) |
| Nearest star: | Van Maanen's Star (14.1 ly) |
| Messier objects: | 1 |
| Meteor showers: | Piscids |
| Bordering constellations: | Triangulum Andromeda Aquarius Cetus Aries |
| Visible at latitudes between +90° and −65° Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of November |
|
Pisces (IPA: /ˈpʌɪsiːz/, Latin: fish
(plural), symbol 
, Unicode ♓) is a
zodiac constellation which lies between Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east.
The Vernal equinox is currently located in Pisces, due south of ω Psc, and, due to precession, slowly drifting below the western fish towards Aquarius.
Mythology
The constellation resembles two roundish objects, each of which is tied to the same point by a long length of string. Generally the objects have been considered as fish, although since by including fainter stars visible to the naked eye, the strings themself take on the appearance of stick-figure bodies (with the roundish objects thus becoming heads). Some forms of early Greek mythology viewed it as men bound to a point. It is generally thought that in earlier depictions, only the constellation Piscis Austrinus was considered to be a fish.
According to one version[citation needed] in Greek mythology, this constellation represents fish into which Aphrodite and her son Eros transformed in order to escape the monstrous Typhon. The two fish are often depicted tied together with a cord (or their tails), to make sure they do not lose one another.
According to another version[citation needed], since the binding point is below the ecliptic, and thus considered to represent being in the underworld, and that one of the figures (the one on the left) appears to escape, but the other (on the right) seems to head back toward the ecliptic, then, together with Cetus (another constellation in the Zodiac sign of Pisces), this may have formed the basis of the myth of the capture of Cerberus, one of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.
Astrology
The Western astrological sign Pisces of the tropical zodiac (February 19 - March 21) differs from the astronomical constellation and the Hindu astrological sign of the sidereal zodiac (March 12 - April 18).
Notable deep sky objects
Pisces contains one galaxy that is listed in Charles Messier's catalog, namely the spiral galaxy Messier 74.
References
- Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion (2007). Collins Stars and Planets Guide, HarperCollins, London. ISBN 978-0007251209.
External links
| The 88 modern constellations |
|---|
| 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 • |
|
Astronomy | Constellations of the Zodiac | Astrology |
||||||||||||
| Aquarius | Pisces | Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
