Delphinus




Delphinus  is a small constellation in the Northern Celestial hemisphere, close to the celestial equator. 

Its name is the Latin version for the Greek word for dolphin.

Delphinus' five brightest stars form a distinctive asterism symbolizing a dolphin with four  diamond-shaped pattern stars representing the body known as Job’s Coffin because of its long, box-like shape  & one star showing the tail. 

It is bordered (clockwise from north) by Vulpecula, Sagitta, Aquila, Aquarius, Equuleus and Pegasus.

                                                                Delphinus myth

There are two myths associated with the constellation Delphinus. 

In one, the dolphin constellation represents Poseidon’s messenger. 

When the sea god courted the nymph Amphitrite, one of the Nereids, she resisted his advances and took refuge among her sisters. 

Poseidon sent messengers to find her and bring her to him, among them a dolphin. 

The dolphin found the nymph, soothed her and brought her back to the god. The two were later married. 

Poseidon decided to honour the dolphin and placed his image among the stars.

In the other myth, it was Apollo, the god of poetry and music, who placed the dolphin among the constellations for saving the life of Arion, a poet and musician born on the island of Lesbos, whose skill with the lyre made him famous in the 7th century BC.

Arion was sailing back to Greece after a concert tour of southern Italy when the sailors who were also on the ship started plotting to take the money he had earned.

 Surrounded, Arion asked them to let him sing one last song. 

The sailors allowed this, and Arion’s music drew several dolphins to the ship.

 As he played, the dolphins swam alongside the ship and Arion decided to take a leap of faith and he jumped overboard.

One of the dolphins saved him and carried him all the way back to Greece. 

 Apollo placed the dolphin next to the constellation Lyra in the sky and Lyra represents Arron's Lyre

In Hindu astrology the naksahtra is called Dhanistha meaning “The Most Famous”, “The Swiftest”, “The Most Heard of”, “The Wealthiest”, “The Most Benevolent”, alternatively it is also called as “Shravishta”

So how was that?

Do comment.

Next story of month Bhadrapada.

Till then good bye.

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