The Northern Celestial Hemisphere's Corona Borealis is a tiny constellation. Claudius Ptolemy, a 2nd-century astronomer, listed forty-eight constellations, and it is still one among the eighty-eight contemporary constellations. It has a semicircular arc formed by its brightest stars. Its Latin term, "northern crown," is derived from its shape. Corona Borealis was the name given to the crown given by the deity Dionysus to the Cretan princess Ariadne and placed in the heavens by her. The pattern was compared to a circle of elders, an eagle's nest, a bear's cave, or even a smoke hole by other cultures. Corona Australis, a southern counterpart with a similar pattern, was also listed by Ptolemy.
Alpha Coronae Borealis, magnitude 2.2, is the brightest star. The yellow supergiant R Coronae Borealis is the prototype of a rare class of hydrogen-poor giant stars known as the R Coronae Borealis variables, which are hypothesised to be the consequence of the merging of two white dwarfs. T Coronae Borealis, also known as the Blaze Star, is a recurrent nova, which is a unique form of variable star. It last flashed up to magnitude 2 in 1946, when it was normally magnitude ten. Multiple star systems ADS 9731 and Sigma Coronae Borealis have six and five components, respectively. Jupiter-sized exoplanets have been discovered in five-star systems. Abell 2065 is a galaxy cluster one billion light-years from Earth with over four hundred members that are part of the larger Corona Borealis Supercluster. |
Characteristics
Corona Borealis is the 73rd largest constellation in the sky, covering 179 square degrees and so 0.433 percent of the sky. Because of its location in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere, observers north of 50 degrees South can see the entire constellation. It is bordered to the north and west by Boötes, to the south by Serpens Caput, and to the east by Hercules. The International Astronomical Union chose the three-letter acronym "CrB" for the constellation in 1922. (Russell 1922) A polygon of eight segments defines the official constellation limits, which were established by Belgian astronomer Eugène Delporte in 1930. The right ascension coordinates of these borders are between 15h 16.0m and 16h 25.1m in the equatorial coordinate system, while the declination values are between 15h 16.0m and 16h 25.1m. |
Mythology
Corona Borealis was associated with the narrative of Theseus and the Minotaur in Greek mythology. It was widely assumed that it represented Dionysus bestowing a crown on Ariadne, the daughter of Minos of Crete after the Athenian ruler Theseus had abandoned her. He set the crown in the sky to mark their wedding when she wore it at her marriage to Dionysus. (Ridpath & Tirion 2001) In another account, Dionysus gives the crown to Ariadne, who subsequently offers it to Theseus when he arrives in Crete to kill the minotaur for which the Cretans have demanded tribute from Athens. After disposing of the beast, the hero uses the crown's light to escape the labyrinth, and Dionysus later places it in the sky. It was related to a crown or wreath worn by Bacchus (Dionysus) to mask his appearance when first climbing Mount Olympus and exposing himself to the gods, having been previously hidden yet another child of Jupiter's trysts with a mortal, in this case, Semele, by the Latin author Hyginus. Corona Borealis was one of the forty-eight constellations recorded in Ptolemy's Almagest, a book of ancient astronomy. (Wagman 2003) Corona Borealis was associated with the deity Nanaya in Mesopotamia. It was known in Welsh mythology as Caer Arianrhod, or "the Silver Circle Castle," and was the heavenly home of Lady Arianrhod. (Squire 2000) Corona Borealis was known to the ancient Balts as Darelis, meaning "flower garden." (Straižys 1997) |
The Arabs named the constellation Alphecca (later changed to Alpha Coronae Borealis), which means "separated" or "broken apart" (الفكة al-Fakkah), referring to the constellation's stars resembling a loose string of pearls. (Kunitzch & Smart 2006) This could also be construed as a shattered dish. (Raymo 1982) The constellation was known among the Bedouins as qaṣʿat al-masākīn (قصعة المساكين), or "the dish/bowl of the destitute people." (Rapoport & Savage-Smith 2013)
Native Americans believed that the stars of Corona Borealis represented a council of stars, with Polaris as its leader. (Hall 2005) The constellation also represented the smoke hole over a fireplace, through which the gods received their messages, as well as how chiefs should gather to discuss important topics. (Chamberlain 1982) The Shawnee saw the stars as the Heavenly Sisters, who came down from the sky every night to dance on Earth. Alphecca represents the youngest and most attractive sister, who was kidnapped by a hunter who disguised himself as a field mouse to get closer to her. They married, but she later returned to the sky, followed by her grieving husband and son. (Raymo 1982) Corona Borealis was known to the Mi'kmaq of eastern Canada as Mskegwǒm, the den. (Hagar 1900)
Corona Borealis was frequently noticed by Polynesian peoples; the Tuamotus dubbed it Na Kaua-ki-tokerau and most likely Te Hetu. The constellation was most likely known in Hawaii as Kaua-mea, New Zealand as Rangawhenua, and the Cook Islands atoll of Pukapuka as Te Wale-o-Awitu. Its name in Tonga was Ao-o-Uvea or Kau-kupenga, depending on who you asked. (Makemson 1941)
The constellation womera ("the boomerang") is named from the shape of the stars in Australian Aboriginal astronomy. (Olcott 2004) The Wailwun people of northwestern New South Wales referred to Corona Borealis as mullion wollai, or "eagle's nest," with Altair and Vega, the pair of eagles following it. (Ridley 1875)
In the 1730 Atlas Mercurii Philosophicii Firmamentum Firminianum Descriptionem by Corbinianus Thomas, Corona Borealis was renamed Corona Firmiana in honour of the Archbishop of Salzburg, although this was not adopted by future cartographers. (Kanas 2007) The constellation was included as a significant plot element in H. P. Lovecraft's short story "Hypnos," published in 1923; it is the source of anxiety for one of the protagonists. (Smith 2005) Cadacross, a Finnish band, released the album Corona Borealis in 2002.
Native Americans believed that the stars of Corona Borealis represented a council of stars, with Polaris as its leader. (Hall 2005) The constellation also represented the smoke hole over a fireplace, through which the gods received their messages, as well as how chiefs should gather to discuss important topics. (Chamberlain 1982) The Shawnee saw the stars as the Heavenly Sisters, who came down from the sky every night to dance on Earth. Alphecca represents the youngest and most attractive sister, who was kidnapped by a hunter who disguised himself as a field mouse to get closer to her. They married, but she later returned to the sky, followed by her grieving husband and son. (Raymo 1982) Corona Borealis was known to the Mi'kmaq of eastern Canada as Mskegwǒm, the den. (Hagar 1900)
Corona Borealis was frequently noticed by Polynesian peoples; the Tuamotus dubbed it Na Kaua-ki-tokerau and most likely Te Hetu. The constellation was most likely known in Hawaii as Kaua-mea, New Zealand as Rangawhenua, and the Cook Islands atoll of Pukapuka as Te Wale-o-Awitu. Its name in Tonga was Ao-o-Uvea or Kau-kupenga, depending on who you asked. (Makemson 1941)
The constellation womera ("the boomerang") is named from the shape of the stars in Australian Aboriginal astronomy. (Olcott 2004) The Wailwun people of northwestern New South Wales referred to Corona Borealis as mullion wollai, or "eagle's nest," with Altair and Vega, the pair of eagles following it. (Ridley 1875)
In the 1730 Atlas Mercurii Philosophicii Firmamentum Firminianum Descriptionem by Corbinianus Thomas, Corona Borealis was renamed Corona Firmiana in honour of the Archbishop of Salzburg, although this was not adopted by future cartographers. (Kanas 2007) The constellation was included as a significant plot element in H. P. Lovecraft's short story "Hypnos," published in 1923; it is the source of anxiety for one of the protagonists. (Smith 2005) Cadacross, a Finnish band, released the album Corona Borealis in 2002.
Deep-sky Objects
NGC 6085 – Spiral Galaxy
NGC 6086 – Elliptical Galaxy
Corona Borealis Supercluster – consisting of Abel 2061, 2067, 2079, 2089 and 2092 Galaxy clusters
Main stars - 8
Bayer stars - 24
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 1
Stars within 32 ly - 0
Bordering
constellations
NGC 6085 – Spiral Galaxy
NGC 6086 – Elliptical Galaxy
Corona Borealis Supercluster – consisting of Abel 2061, 2067, 2079, 2089 and 2092 Galaxy clusters
Main stars - 8
Bayer stars - 24
Stars with planets - 5
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 1
Stars within 32 ly - 0
Bordering
constellations
- Hercules
- Boötes
- Serpens Caput