I spent some time mapping the
constellation of Gemini. This is a very popular constellation as it is a member of the zodiac and most people associate it with twins. It is the astrological symbol for our youngest child.
The mythological background of Gemini is typically quite well known, however, with many interpretations. The interpretation I follow is Zeus, in the disguise of a swan seeking protection from an Eagle fell into the lap of a Spartan Queen named Leda. She became pregnant with two eggs, one from Zeus and the other from her husband King Tyndareus. She later gave birth to Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra. Helen and Pollux were progeny of Zeus, while Castor and Clytemnestra were progeny of Tyndareus. Helen went on to become abducted by a Trojan Prince named Paris to start the infamous Trojan War. Castor, being mortal, died. His brother Pollux was heartbroken and asked Zeus if he could share his own immortality with his brother. Zeus then transformed them into the constellation Gemini. They are regarded as the patron of sailors as they visit them as St. Elmo's Fire. An artistic interpretation of the twin constellation is shown below.
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| Gemini (Artist Interpretation) |
Gemini is a fascinating constellation to observe with any level of optical equipment. The twin stars, Castor and Pollux are together in the sky forming the heads of twins holding hands in brotherly love. If you want to grab the
binoculars you may have the opportunity to see
M35, an
open cluster right at the bottom of the northern twin's foot. I also believe I caught a glimpse of the tenth magnitude
NGC object known as the Eskimo Nebula just to the left of Delta Geminorum. There are several other NGC objects scattered around the constellation. The Medusa Nebula is at the very southern portion of Gemini, residing several degrees South of Lambda Geminorum. This may only be available in very large scopes with a high exposure rate imaging device. I mapped out most of the bright stars using 15x70 binoculars and my map is provided below.
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| Gemini Observing Record |
Take the opportunity to see the sights in the sky, starting with Gemini!
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