Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Naming Stars in dissimilar Cultures

While modern astronomers refer to most stars solely by catalog numbers and astronomy coordinates, many citizen informally name stars using name a star services. In fact, throughout history citizen from discrete cultures have used star names of their own choosing: Many civilizations explained their existence straight through mythological stories passed from generation to generation, and often connected these stories with the stars in the night sky. As we'll see, even a major car enterprise is named after the stars.

To illustrate, let's start with a constellation (an area of the night sky) modern astronomers have named after a character from Greek and Roman mythology - "Orion," the Great Hunter. Orion is one of the most well known and easily-identifiable constellations, and can be seen from just about anywhere on Earth: The best time to view Orion is while the evening hours in the middle of practically December and March. Many classical mythology stories are told about Orion and how he came to be settled in the heavens. One such story is that Orion had no fear of any animal and therefore threatened to exterminate all of the animals of the earth. When Gaia, the goddess of the earth, heard this she became enraged and sent a scorpion to kill Orion. When Orion encountered the scorpion he was unable to kill it, and the scorpion stung Orion and sent him falling to the earth, fatally wounded. In honor of this story, Orion was settled in the night sky as a constellation, as was the scorpion - known as the constellation "Scorpius."

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While 21st century astronomers refer to the constellation "Orion" after a hunter from classical mythology, other cultures have had distinct interpretations of these same stars. One of the distinguishing features of Orion is a line of three, sharp stars that form what is called "The Belt of Orion." The antique Egyptians understanding these three sharp stars were the resting place of the god Osiris. The Dogon citizen of West Africa viewed the three stars as the stairway to heaven. These same three stars have been connected with Christmas, viewed as representing the Magi - "The Three Wise Men" (The Three Kings) from the Bible. The citizen of the Marshall Islands viewed Orion's stars as an octopus and a fisherman: The story told was of a fisherman who was attacked by an octopus. The fisherman defended himself by using a stone to stab the head of the octopus. Although the octopus was wounded he was able to spray his ink, behind which he hid and was able to escape. The Chimu Indians of Peru believed that the middle star of Orion's belt represented a thief or mischief maker that the Moon Goddess punished. The Moon Goddess punished the wrongdoer by sending two stars to capture him and send him to four vultures that would eat him. This mythological story served as a warning for those who would commit crimes.

Naming Stars in dissimilar Cultures

Another sharp example from classical mythology is connected to a gorgeous group of stars in the constellation Taurus called "The Pleiades," or "The Seven Sisters." These stars are illustrated in the evening sky from practically November straight through April, and are often confused with "The itsybitsy Dipper" (which is in someone else constellation) as the sharp stars of the Pleiades together resemble a very small dipper, or ladle. The story from classical mythology is that Orion, the hunter, became enamored of these seven gorgeous ladies, and relentlessly pursued them throughout the world. Taking pity on the young women, Zeus settled them in the heavens where Orion continues to pursue them in the night sky.

Many cultures have also connected the Pleiades with females or femininity. The Australian Aborigines saw this group of stars as a heap of girls who were musicians. These girls play their instruments for a group of young boys who are represented by the stars seen in Orion's belt. Some Native American tribes viewed the Pleiades as seven mothers who were seeing for their seven lost sons: according to the Chumash Indians of California, these seven sons had come to be the stars of the Big Dipper. The Kiowa Indians saw these stars as young women who were settled in the heavens by the Great Spirit so as to save them from attacking bears. In Norse mythology, they were the hens of Freya, the goddess of love, attractiveness and fertility. In Japan the Pleiades were known as "Subaru," after which a Japanese car enterprise is named.

Naming stars, then, is an age-old custom that has been practiced by distinct civilizations around the world.

Naming Stars in dissimilar CulturesComic Book Prices - Geek Show Podcast 5 April 2009 Tube. Duration : 8.17 Mins.


Geek Show Podcast panel shows the prices of comics and the future of digital comics. Visit for more www.geekshowpodcast.com. Subscribe to our videos, if you dig! A show about all things comic book geek, movies, TV, toys, recorded role play, games, etc. The podcast is full of spirits, and new episodes every Monday afternoon. Hosted by Radio From Hell, Kerry Jackson. Along with a group of equally passionate geek, each experts in their field. Jeff Vice, FilmCritics and Scott Pierce TV critic from the Deseret News. Leigh George Kade, RPG expert and artist. Shannon Barnson learning, professional bartender and Jackson's boyfriend. And geek Zack Shutt, the producer of the show, technology, and Wesley Crusher of the podcast (in a voice a bit 'deeper).

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