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Gemini



Gemini is a northern constellation, dominated by its two brightest stars, Castor and Pollux. It is visible throughout the northern winter months, culminating at midnight around New Year. It was one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd century AD astronomer Ptolemy.

Both the galactic plane and the line of the ecliptic pass through this area of the sky: the Sun crosses the border from Taurus shortly after the June solstice, and remains in Gemini until late July. Gemini is home to a number of open clusters, the brightest of which is M35.

The name ‘Gemini’ is Latin for twins, and refers to Castor and Pollux in classical mythology. Their mother was Leda, but they had different fathers. Castor was the son of Tyndareus, king of Sparta, while Pollux was the son of Zeus.

Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, the sons of Zeus and Leda, the wife of Tyndarus, king of Sparta. They sailed with Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. They were invincible fighters with unparalleled courage. Pollux distinguished himself as a great boxer or fighter and Castor as a great wrestler. Some stories say Castor was a great horseman. These two were inseparable companions and fought their best when they were near each other. Because of the help they gave their fellow Argonauts during a storm which threatened to sink their ship, the constellation Gemini was considered a favorable sign to sailors when they saw it. Today, Gemini can be seen between the constellations of Orion and Cancer, near Leo.

According to legend, Castor was killed in a family feud with his cousins, while Pollux was an immortal demigod. After his brother’s death, Zeus offered Pollux the choice of sharing his immortality with his brother, and to commemorate their great feats and the help they gave to the sailors, and because of their great love for each other, Zeus placed their constellation in the sky.

In Babylonian astronomy, the stars Castor and Pollux were known as the Great Twins. The Twins were regarded as minor gods and were called Meshlamtaea and Lugalirra, meaning respectively ‘The One who has arisen from the Underworld’ and the ‘Mighty King’. Both names can be understood as titles of Nergal, the major Babylonian god of plague and pestilence, who was king of the Underworld.

Gemini being a Zodiac sign has its own symbol and the emoji ♊.

In the Indian constellations naming system, Gemini is known as ಮಿಥುನ (Mithuna)

Gemini contains:

 


View Gemini in 3D


Source: Wikipedia, in-the-sky.org
Image Courtesy: Sky&Telescope & IAU, Illustration Images linked from Urania's Mirror on Wikmedia Commons by Sidney Hall

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