A constellation called Hercules is named for the Roman mythological figure Hercules, who was based on the Greek hero Heracles. Hercules was one of the 48 constellations that the astronomer Claudius Ptolemy recorded in the second century, and it is still one of the 88 contemporary constellations. It is the largest of the 50 constellations with no stars brighter than apparent magnitude +2.5, and it is the fifth largest of the contemporary constellations.
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History
Gavin White claims that the Babylonian constellation known as the "Standing Gods" is warped into the Greek constellation of Hercules (MUL.DINGIR.GUB.BA.MESH). According to White, this figure was shown as a man with a serpent's body in place of legs, just as the similarly called "Sitting Gods" (the serpent element now being represented on the Greek star map by the figure of Draco that Hercules crushes beneath his feet). He further contends that the two Babylonian constellations of the Sitting and Standing Gods were combined to form Hercules' original moniker, the "Kneeler" (see below).
The constellation is not referred to as Hercules in the earliest Greek references. According to Aratus, it is as follows:
A Phantom figure, resembling a man working hard at a task, is present there in its [Draco's] orbit. Men simply refer to him as On His Knees [v] or "the Kneeler" even though no man can read that sign correctly or understand the purpose behind him.
Now the Phantom, who toils on his knees, appears to be sitting with his knees bent, his hands stretched a fathom's length from each of his shoulders. He has the toe of his right foot above the centre of the crooked Dragon's head. The beautiful Dionysus set the Crown [Corona], which rolls beneath the back of the labour-spent Phantom as a monument to the deceased Ariadne, in this location as well. The Crown is close by the Phantom's back, yet the head of Ophiuchus is nearby by his head. Additionally, there is the little tortoise that Hermes pierced for strings while it was still next to the baby's cradle and instructed to be dubbed the Lyre (Lyra). He then transported it into heaven and laid it in front of the unidentified Phantom. When the Croucher on His Knees approaches the Lyre with his left knee, the top of the Bird's head rotates to the opposite side, and the Lyre is starred between the Bird's head and the Phantom's knee.
Dionysius of Halicarnassus recounts the legend linking Hercules to the constellation: Heracles travelled from Iberia to Liguria in North-Western Italy on his route back to Mycenae, where he fought two giants named Albion and Bergion or Dercynus. Geryon's cattle served as Heracles' ninth labour. Hercules appealed to his father Zeus for assistance because the opponents were strong, and he was in a precarious situation. Heracles prevailed in the conflict under Zeus' protection. Heracles' knelt position during his prayers to his father Zeus is what gave him the nickname "the Kneeler." And Hyginus
Gilgamesh, a figure from Sumerian mythology, is also occasionally linked to Hercules. (Ridpath & Tirion 2001)
Gavin White claims that the Babylonian constellation known as the "Standing Gods" is warped into the Greek constellation of Hercules (MUL.DINGIR.GUB.BA.MESH). According to White, this figure was shown as a man with a serpent's body in place of legs, just as the similarly called "Sitting Gods" (the serpent element now being represented on the Greek star map by the figure of Draco that Hercules crushes beneath his feet). He further contends that the two Babylonian constellations of the Sitting and Standing Gods were combined to form Hercules' original moniker, the "Kneeler" (see below).
The constellation is not referred to as Hercules in the earliest Greek references. According to Aratus, it is as follows:
A Phantom figure, resembling a man working hard at a task, is present there in its [Draco's] orbit. Men simply refer to him as On His Knees [v] or "the Kneeler" even though no man can read that sign correctly or understand the purpose behind him.
Now the Phantom, who toils on his knees, appears to be sitting with his knees bent, his hands stretched a fathom's length from each of his shoulders. He has the toe of his right foot above the centre of the crooked Dragon's head. The beautiful Dionysus set the Crown [Corona], which rolls beneath the back of the labour-spent Phantom as a monument to the deceased Ariadne, in this location as well. The Crown is close by the Phantom's back, yet the head of Ophiuchus is nearby by his head. Additionally, there is the little tortoise that Hermes pierced for strings while it was still next to the baby's cradle and instructed to be dubbed the Lyre (Lyra). He then transported it into heaven and laid it in front of the unidentified Phantom. When the Croucher on His Knees approaches the Lyre with his left knee, the top of the Bird's head rotates to the opposite side, and the Lyre is starred between the Bird's head and the Phantom's knee.
Dionysius of Halicarnassus recounts the legend linking Hercules to the constellation: Heracles travelled from Iberia to Liguria in North-Western Italy on his route back to Mycenae, where he fought two giants named Albion and Bergion or Dercynus. Geryon's cattle served as Heracles' ninth labour. Hercules appealed to his father Zeus for assistance because the opponents were strong, and he was in a precarious situation. Heracles prevailed in the conflict under Zeus' protection. Heracles' knelt position during his prayers to his father Zeus is what gave him the nickname "the Kneeler." And Hyginus
Gilgamesh, a figure from Sumerian mythology, is also occasionally linked to Hercules. (Ridpath & Tirion 2001)
Non-western Astronomy
The Purple Forbidden enclosure (紫微垣, Zǐ Wēi Yuán) and the Heavenly Market enclosure (天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán) are where Chinese astronomers believe Hercules' stars to be placed.
It was given the name "the player" by Arab translators of Claudius Ptolemy in Arabic: الرقيس, Romanised as al-raqis. (Not to be confused with the Arabic name الراقص for the star Mu Draconis, romanized as al-rāqiṣ, meaning "the trotting (camel), the dancing one"). (Allen 1963) Hence, Rakisi in Swahili.
The Purple Forbidden enclosure (紫微垣, Zǐ Wēi Yuán) and the Heavenly Market enclosure (天市垣, Tiān Shì Yuán) are where Chinese astronomers believe Hercules' stars to be placed.
It was given the name "the player" by Arab translators of Claudius Ptolemy in Arabic: الرقيس, Romanised as al-raqis. (Not to be confused with the Arabic name الراقص for the star Mu Draconis, romanized as al-rāqiṣ, meaning "the trotting (camel), the dancing one"). (Allen 1963) Hence, Rakisi in Swahili.
Deep-sky Objects
Messier 13 (M13) – Globular cluster
Messier 92 (M92) - Globular Cluster
NGC 6229 – Globular Cluster
NGC 6210 – Planetary Nebula
Abell 2151 – Hercules Cluster – Cluster of galaxies
Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall – Largest known structure
Meteor showers - Tau Herculids – Late May
Main stars - 22
Bayer stars - 106
Stars with planets - 15
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 2
Stars within 32 Ly - 9
Bordering
constellations
Messier 13 (M13) – Globular cluster
Messier 92 (M92) - Globular Cluster
NGC 6229 – Globular Cluster
NGC 6210 – Planetary Nebula
Abell 2151 – Hercules Cluster – Cluster of galaxies
Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall – Largest known structure
Meteor showers - Tau Herculids – Late May
Main stars - 22
Bayer stars - 106
Stars with planets - 15
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 2
Stars within 32 Ly - 9
Bordering
constellations
- Draco
- Boötes
- Corona Borealis
- Serpens Caput
- Ophiuchus
- Aquila
- Sagitta
- Vulpecula
- Lyra