"As for Pisces, the stars in the area of ​​the head of the southern fish have the influence of Mercury and, to some extent, Saturn; the stars on the body - the influence of Jupiter and Mercury; the stars on the tail and the southern part of the ligament - the influence of Saturn and, to some extent, Mercury: As for the northern fish, the stars on its body and spine act like Jupiter and, to some extent, Venus; the stars in the northern part of the ligament are like Saturn and Jupiter; and the bright star at the conjunction is like Mars and, in part, Mercury. .."

Claudius Ptolemy. About the influence of stars. "Tetrabiblos" 2nd century

“Astronomy is currently not a compulsory subject in school and is taught as an elective... Therefore, I hope someone will be interested in a description of the constellation Pisces in pictures and diagrams, its history and mythology.

Seosnews9, 2015

Constellation
Fish

Fig.1. Constellation Pisces, ♓, diagram

The constellation Pisces (♓ Pisces) ranks fourth among the constellations of the zodiacal group in terms of angular area. In the area ranking of the entire celestial sphere (nebosphere), Pisces is 14th, and among the constellations of the Northern Hemisphere it is seventh (889 sq. degrees) after the constellation Bootes.
The celestial equator line passes through the constellation Pisces near its southern border and in the western part of Pisces intersects with the ecliptic line at the vernal equinox. Since most of the constellation is in the northern hemisphere of the sky, Pisces is considered the northern equatorial constellation.
The constellation Pisces is bordered by six constellations - it is Aries, Triangle, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aquarius and Keith.
The Sun is currently passing through the constellation Pisces from March 12 to April 18(37 days), thus, Pisces (Pisces ♓) shares third and fourth place with the constellation Leo in terms of the length of the occupied segment of the ecliptic.
Pisces on the territory of Russia is a setting, fully visible constellation (declination from -7° to +33°). The constellation Pisces reaches its midnight climax from September 4 to October 23.
In Moscow, the Moscow region and generally at the latitude of Moscow, the constellation Pisces is fully accessible for observation from June to February.

Stars and diagram of the constellation Pisces

In the constellation Pisces there are neither bright nor navigational stars; worse, the three most noticeable stars are characterized by the brightness of only the fourth magnitude - this Alfarg(η Psc, 3.62 m), Symmachus(γ Psc, 3.70 m), Alrisha(α Psc, 3.82 m).
Despite the inconspicuousness of the stars of the constellation, everyone is eagerly waiting for the Sun to enter the constellation Pisces, because it contains vernal equinox point(point of intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator). After all, after the Sun passes the point of the vernal equinox, the astronomical spring!
Probably due to the iconic importance of the constellation, five of its twenty fifth magnitude stars were named: Jeneb Al Samkat(ω Psc, 4.03 m); Torcular(Torkularis Septentrionalis, ο Psc, 4.26 m); Lintheum(δ Psc, 4.44 m); Fum Al Samaka(β Psc, 4.48 m); Anunitum(τ Psc, 4.51 m) and even one located almost exactly on the ecliptic line, sixth magnitude Revati(ζ Psc, 5.21 m) .
The boundaries of the constellation and most of the visible stars are presented in Figure 2 - a view of the constellation Pisces at the moment of culmination (it is customary to represent constellations in astronomy from this perspective):

Sergey Ov

Rice. 2. Constellation Pisces. Historically established and approved by the IAU (IAU) names of the most notable stars.

You can see how difficult it is to discern the contours of the Pisces constellation if you move the cursor to Figure 2 - stars and only stars will be visible.
To enlarge the image of the constellation stars to full screen, click on the picture.

Until recently, the constellation Pisces, in addition to the point of the vernal equinox, had three more attractions: a star with one of the most ancient written names - Kullat Nunu(Alfarg, (η Psc, 3.62 m, Rice. 3); star with the longest name Torcularis Septentrionalis(ο Psc, 4.48 m, Rice. 2) and the star with the most ancient Vedic name Revati(ζ Psc, 5.21 m)
Since 2014, the International Astronomical Union (IAU/IAU - International Astronomical Union) began a program to unify the proper names of stars as a result of the star This Pisces, η Psc can now only be called as Alfarg, and the attribution of the name Kullat Nunu to this particular star remained unproven. Torcularis Septentrionalis became Torcular(ο Psc, 4.48 m) and the only named celebrity left Revati.
In total, in the constellation Pisces, within the framework of the European-Middle Eastern tradition, eight stars + one Vedic star were named.

A list of more than 160 Pisces stars, their attractions and features can be found by calling up the list:
.

Unfortunately, in the constellation Pisces there are no objects visible to the naked eye that deserve special consideration.

The star pattern of Pisces is as difficult to see as real fish in river water. The brightest star Alfarg corresponds to only the fourth magnitude. To construct schematic images of dim constellations, it is more convenient to use a map on which the stars are discretely ranked by brightness, so that their diameter is proportional to stellar magnitude (Fig. 3).

Pisces constellation chart by star
Sergey Ov

Rice. 3♓ Pisces - lat.), the brightest stars are signed.
Probably one of the most ancient variants of the contour drawing of Pisces.

In ancient constellations, simple figures were not enough to depict their characters; in those days, astrologers approached this issue in detail and in detail. To construct a graphic image of Pisces , almost all stars that are at least somewhat noticeable are used (Fig.4) :

Pisces constellation diagram by stars "Pisces" Sergey Ov

Rice. 4. Pisces constellation diagram. Diagram by stars (outline image), proposed by S. Ov as the main diagram of the constellation Pisces in the article "".
- To see the star symbols, move your cursor over the picture with JavaScript enabled.

Schematic visualization of Pisces by star, presented in Rice. 4, is already used to depict the constellation Pisces on the planetarium map: " ".

When a constellation contains a large number of stars of similar brightness, then, as a rule, it is possible to create many options for graphic designs from lines connecting the stars. (You can practice finding these options for the constellation Pisces by moving your cursor to Fig. 2 or on an even larger picture by clicking on the picture...).

At the latitude of Babylon and Alexandria, the zodiacal constellations pass near the zenith, and the ecliptic line is almost perpendicular to the horizon, the stars are so bright that it seems you can reach them with your hand. And on warm southern nights, looking at the constellations, ancient thinkers could give freedom to their imagination and draw the contours of the constellations for hours. In our northern regions, it is very difficult to see Pisces in the sky, since they do not rise high above the horizon, and the dim stars of Pisces are lost in the haze. Personally, in the remote Moscow region, at my dacha, I manage to see the constellation no more than once or twice a year. Therefore, the best way to study the constellation Pisces is to carefully view and remember the location of the stars on the star chart. The most interesting thing is that if children are given an image of the stars of the constellation and told that two fish are hidden here, then they will definitely find these fish (Fig. 5):

Constellation Pisces. Outline drawing of "Fish" - diagram. Author of the diagram Sergey Ov
Sergey Ov

Rice. 5. Diagram of the constellation Pisces from a set of the brightest stars. Outline drawing of exotic sea fish.
To see the star symbols, move your cursor over the picture with JavaScript enabled.

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But the visual possibilities of the stars of the constellation are by no means exhausted by these two diagrams; in the final drawing from alternating images of Pisces (Fig. 6) one more option can be found:

Rice. 6. Options for diagrams of the constellation Pisces - graphic images of lines connecting stars:
1. Fish and ribbon, diagram by Hans Augosto Rey
2. Pisces: Small and Large on kukan, scheme S. Ov;
3. Exotic Fish, drawing by children.

Pisces, H. Ray's diagram - Pisces, S. Ov's diagram - Pisces, children's diagram - Show all images - Bayer star designations - Hide star designations

Asterisms of Pisces

In the case of the constellation Pisces, its asterisms do not represent any new configuration, but only a fragmentation of various variants of its schematic drawings. As a result of fragmentation of H. Ray's drawing, we get the Northern Fish, the Western Fish (Fig. 7.1) and the Ribbon (Fig. 7.2) and instead of the Western Fish we can imagine the Ring (Fig. 7.4).
In the northernmost part of the constellation, a group of five relatively bright stars forms a contour reminiscent of a small but tailed fish - this is the “Small Fish” asterism, and in the southwestern part a group of 6 stars forms the “Big Fish” (Fig. 7.3).

Rice. 7. Asterisms of the constellation Pisces. Drawings of lines connecting stars:
7.1. Classic asterisms Northern Pisces and Western Pisces;
7.2. Classic asterism Ribbon binding Pisces;
7.3. Asterisms Small Fish and Big Fish from Sergey Ov;
7.4. Asterism Ring, preserved in France from the Romans
This image can be controlled using the buttons:

Pisces: Northern and Western - Asterism Ribbon - Pisces: Small and Large - Asterism Ring - Show all images - Bayer star designations - Hide star designations

After all the schematic contours, asterisms and more or less bright stars of Pisces have been studied to the point of complete visual memorization, you can begin to search for the constellation directly in the starry sky.

How to find the constellation Pisces

The constellation Pisces at the latitude of Moscow can be observed in whole or in part from May to February. The best time for a detailed examination of the constellation Pisces is the period from August to January inclusive.
The constellation Pisces is adjacent to the southeastern side of the constellation Cassiopeia. Unfortunately, none of the lines of sight through the bright stars of Cassiopeia lead to any bright stars in Pisces.

The best way to search for Pisces stars is to search using the Great Square asterism, which allows you to accurately find even not very bright stars of the Pisces constellation.
So, first we will learn to look for the Great Square, while we will use the stars of the constellation Cassiopeia as the main guides to determine the position of the star peaks of the Great Square, and then we will deal with the stars of Pisces.

Step 1. Determination of the position of the stars of the Great Square ( How to find the Big Square)
The stars of the constellation Cassiopeia provide an accurate hit on all four vertices of the Great Square, which are three stars of the constellation Pegasus and one of the constellation Andromeda: Alpha Andromeda Alpheratz; then Sheat (β Peg); Macrab (α Peg) and Algenib (γ Peg).

Rice. 8. How to find the Great Square asterism using the stars of Cassiopeia
If the sight line pattern seems a little confusing, move the cursor - there will be fewer lines

The most prominent line of sight in Figure 10 is the red line. Seguin (εCas) - Rukba (δCas) - Makrab (α Peg). The next line using the brightest stars of Cassiopeia is emerald arrow Navi(γ Cas) - Akhird (ηCas) - Algenib (γ Peg) - actually, the base of the square has been found, the remaining vertices can be found based on the properties of the square...
To determine the position of the stars closest to Cassiopeia Alferats(α And) and Sheat(β Peg) a not very well known and not very bright star is used Fulu(ζ Cas), respectively, lines of sight: golden, Shedar - Fulu - Alferats; lilac, Rukba - Fulu - Sheat.

Step 2. Determining the position of the stars of the constellation Pisces using the Great Square asterism

The very dim stars of Pisces are clearly visible only in clear water and in an absolutely clear sky. In order to unambiguously identify dim Pisces stars among the surrounding many of almost the same ones, it is necessary to develop a search algorithm that allows them to accurately determine their position. To do this, you need to find such options for sighting on the stars of Pisces so that not only an accurate hit on the star is possible, but also the possibility of more or less accurately estimating the distance to it. The Big Square asterism allows for three such options (Fig. 9).

Rice. 9. How to find the constellation Pisces using the Great Square asterism

If you mentally continue the segment Sheat(β Peg) - Makrab (α Peg), then the Pisces star will be at an equal distance Fum Al Samaka(β Psc, 4.48 m), this is shown in Figure 9 using the golden arrow.
Line of sight through the diagonal of the Great Square Sheat(β Peg) - Algenib (γ Peg) will lead to a star Lintheum(δ Psc, 4.44 m) and the distance to will not be equal to half the length of the diagonal (green line Fig. 9).
Unfortunately the sight is along the top side of the Great Square. Sheat(β Peg) - Alferats(α And) does not lead to an exact hit on the northernmost “famous” star Anunitum(τ Psc, 4.51 m), but brings it close enough to it, a point located at a distance equal to the length of the side turns out to be a degree south of Anunitum (red line), despite the inaccuracy, this method must be known, since the northern part of the constellation is accessible to observations over a longer period of time than the southern one.

Now all that remains is to correctly determine the angular dimensions of the constellation Pisces. In Figure 10, the constellation is presented in the position it can be seen overhead on a summer or autumn evening, facing south or southeast.

Rice. 10. Estimating the angular size of the constellation Pisces using an outstretched arm.

The angular size of the Big Fish almost coincides with the angular size of the base of the Big Square: Algenib (γ Peg) - Sheat (β Peg) and is 16°. The angular distance between the thumb and index finger of the outstretched hand of a person of normal build is 16-18° (regardless of gender and age from 7 years, by the way, using the base of the Big Square you can calibrate the angular size of your own hand). The Pisces star against the background of an outstretched hand will look approximately as shown in Figure 10.

History and mythology of the constellation Pisces

It is very likely that the constellation Pisces appeared somewhat later than most of the zodiacal constellations, since the need to place an independent constellation in such a dark area arose only after the division of the zodiacal belt into twelve sectors was finally established.
The fact is that from the very discovery of the zodiacal calculation, the zodiac was divided into 36 ten-degree sectors. Later, for the convenience of calculating large periods of time, the sectors, depending on the task, began to be combined in twos and threes, that is, there were times when dividing the zodiac into 36, 18 and 12 sectors was simultaneously used. It was then that the ancient Egyptians adopted the 36th sector zodiac from the Babylonians, appointing their own god - a dean - for each sector.
Since in the calendar calculation of ancient Babylon there were 12 months in a year, and the Sun passes through the 30° sector in about a month, the zodiac of twelve sectors turned out to be the most convenient. After each sector received its own name and symbolic icon, the zodiac sectors began to be called zodiac signs.
The world-famous cuneiform star catalog MUL.APIN, dating from the beginning of the first millennium BC, includes descriptions of 66 astronomical objects (constellations, stars and planets), with special attention to the ecliptic constellations and stars, but among them there are no Pisces, only Southern Fish. However, MUL.APIN does not exclude the possibility of the existence of northern Pisces, which includes the star A-nu-ni-tu - Anunitum ( identified as β And, Mirach). It is important to note that the sectoral division of the ecliptic on the path of the deities Anu, Enki and Enlil is in no way connected by the zodiacal calculation of the positions of the stars - the zodiac was invented later.
It is reliably known that in the seventh century BC, the twelve-digit zodiac among the Babylonians became the only used method of zodiacal division of the ecliptic. The celestial pantheon is being redrawn to suit the needs of the zodiac and the configuration of many archaic constellations is changing. It is most likely that it was at this time that the appearance of the modern constellation Pisces was formed. In the Babylonian Astronomical Diaries dating back to the 7th century BC, a certain fragment of the constellation is mentioned as DU.NU.NU, probably the name of the western part of the ribbon connecting Pisces, since the name referring to the northern Pisces ribbon KULLAT.NU.NU, found in earlier sources
Probably, many have already noticed that the brightest star of the constellation in our Figure 2 has two names Alfarg and Kullat Nunu. Kullat Nunu- this is one of the most ancient names that have reached us; it is assumed that this star was called this way more than three thousand years ago by the Sumerians, who created the first city-states in Mesopotamia. Literally translated it means “rope for fish”, that is, kukan. This suggests that the mysterious Sumerians perceived the northern part of the constellation Pisces almost the same as we do now ( The Fish itself was larger). According to their beliefs, Pisces is an attribute of the ancient god Enki (cm. ). In a literal sense, it is the Enki Fish swimming on a kukan, and in a symbolic sense, it is the fish wealth of the Tigris and Euphrates.
Before the ancient Greeks, through Babylon, the constellation Pisces arrived in a ready-made form (Fig. 5), but the Mesopotamian legend did not fit into the Greek epic...
But as they say, “if there is a desire, there will be a reason,” and the Greeks found several myths for the constellation. True, most of them are somewhat tautological - in all of them the gods turn into fish, and the thread connecting the fish is not mentioned in any way.
Therefore, presented here, only one myth, in my opinion, the most interesting:
Aphrodite with her son Eros (Venus and Cupid in the Roman version) walked along the bank of a big river (perhaps it was the Euphrates, or maybe the Nile). Aphrodite admired the flowers, Eros practiced archery. And they were secretly watched by the immortal but aging demigod Triton, who was in love with Aphrodite. Eros accidentally hit the hiding old man with an arrow. This made him inflamed with such love that he chased Aphrodite and her son (another option was that they were pursued by a monster - Typhon). They ran along the river bank, calling for help... And, oh Miracle, two huge fish swam and transported Aphrodite and Eros to the other side of the river. In gratitude, Aphrodite gave Pisces her waist ribbon. Zeus, who learned this story, immortalized the responsive fish in heaven (Fig. 5, 11 and 12,).
The constellation is included in the catalog of “Almagest” of Claudius Ptolemy; he gives the coordinates and brightness of 33 stars “on the figure” and 4 “outside the figure”.
Persian astronomer al-Sufi (Abu-l-Hussein Abdurrahman ibn Umar al-Sufi) in his “Book of Fixed Stars” he presents a prototype of Pisces that is no different from the Ptolemaic description (Fig. 11).

Rice. eleven. The constellation Pisces in the Book of Fixed Stars by al-Sufi (Al Sufi. Book of the constellations, or fixed stars. - Library of Congress. World Digital Library - informationally not the best, but the most beautiful list of the 15th century, commissioned by Ulugbek)

Jan Hevelius, in his atlas "Uranography" (published 1690), creating an image of Pisces, tries to quite accurately fit their contours into the field outlined by the stars listed in Ptolemy’s catalogue, adding at least eight more to them. The star diagram of the constellation and the myth of Aphrodite and Eros are well illustrated by a collage created on the basis of a painting from the atlas of John Hevelius; probably, ancient and medieval astronomers could literally perceive the starry sky as a living panorama of legends:

Rice. 12. The constellation Pisces - a collage based on a drawing in the atlas of Jan Hevelius (only those stars that were included in the atlas by Hevelius himself are highlighted)

Sergey Ov(Seosnews9)

List of notable and visible stars in the constellation Pisces

Notes:
1. To designate stars, Bayer's signs (ε Leo), as well as Flamsteed's numbering (54 Leo) and Draper's catalog (HD 94402) are used.
2. Remarkable stars include even those that are not visible without the help of optics, but in which planets or other features have been discovered.

1. To the zodiac group include the constellations after which they are named Zodiac signs, with the exception of the constellation Libra, which, on the contrary, was created in accordance with the zodiac sign, mainly due to the stars of the constellation Scorpio.

2. Equatorial constellations- these are the constellations through which the celestial equator passes, there are 14 of them in total, in order from the point of the vernal equinox the list will look like this: Pisces, Whale, Eridanus, Orion, Unicorn, Canis Minor, Hydra, Sextant, Leo, Virgo, Snake, Ophiuchus , Eagle, Aquarius.

3. Navigation stars- these are stars used in navigation and aviation to determine the location of ships and aircraft in the event of failure of technical means. Currently, the stars listed in the “Nautical Astronomical Yearbook” are classified as navigation stars.

The brightest stars are 3.6; 3.7 and 3.8 visual magnitudes. The star Alrish (α Pisces), which means "string" in Arabic, is located in the southeastern corner of the constellation and is a visual double; its rather bright components are separated by a distance of 2.6?. 2° south of δ Pisces lies van Maanen's Star, probably our closest single white dwarf, 13.8 light years away. Also located in the constellation spiral galaxy M74, the largest observable face (magnitude 9.4 mag., angular diameter 10"). In the western part of the constellation there is one of the brightest carbon stars TX Pisces (19 Pisces), which has a dark red color.

On a clear and moonless night, about 75 faint stars can be discerned with the naked eye in the constellation Pisces. Only three of them are brighter than fourth magnitude. If the brightest stars are connected by lines, they form a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation Pisces: an acute angle with its apex at the point where the star α Pisces is located. One side of the angle faces north and ends in a small triangle created by three faint stars. The other side faces west and ends in an elongated pentagon of five relatively bright stars. Just to the west of the western apex of the pentagon is the star β Pisces, the second brightest in the constellation. You need to have a vivid imagination to see in such a geometric figure two fish, distant from each other and connected by a wide ribbon. This is how they are depicted on ancient star maps and star atlases.

There are no remarkable objects in the constellation Pisces that can be observed with the naked eye. Of interest is α Pisces, which is a double star with bright components: the main star has a magnitude of 4m.3, and its companion has a magnitude of 5m.3. But due to the small angular distance between them (only 2"), the components can only be seen separately using a telescope.
With a regular telescope you can observe the double star ψ" Pisces. This is a bright and beautiful star. The main star has a magnitude of 5m.6. At an angular distance of 30" from it there is a satellite whose magnitude is 5m.8. In the visual field of the telescope, this pair presents an amazing sight.

Asterisms

The constellation is often distinguished two asterisms: Northern fish(three stars - τ, υ and φ) and Western fish(seven stars - γ, κ, λ, 19, ι, θ and 7). The last asterism in the Arab tradition also called Crown.

Observation

Located in Pisces vernal equinox point. The Sun is in the constellation from March 12 to April 18. The best conditions for observations are in September-October.

Story

Ancient constellation. Included in the starry sky catalogue.

Greek mythology mentions the flight of the Olympian gods to Egypt, frightened by the monstrous Typhon. There, fleeing, they turned into various (usually attributive) animals, and, in particular, Aphrodite - into a fish. In later poetic interpretations, her son Eros turned into a fish along with her, which was reflected in the sky in the form of a constellation.

click on the image to enlarge it

constellation Pisces from the Atlas "Uranographia" of John Hevelius (1690)

constellation Pisces from the Atlas "Uranographia" by J. E. Bode (Berlin 1801)

click on the image to enlarge it

constellation Pisces from the Atlas "Urania's Mirror" (London, 1825)

Mythology

One legend that has come down to us from time immemorial tells that when the Sun, in its apparent movement along the ecliptic, passed through the constellation Pisces, heavy spring rains began to fall. Then two fish appeared in the sky. But the legend does not explain why they are connected with a long and wide ribbon.

The ancient Greeks often mentioned the constellation Pisces in mythological stories that captivate with their poetry.

Every morning, when the rays of Helios began to gild the high mountain peaks and drops of dew still sparkled like diamonds in the green grass and on the leaves of flowers, the Nereids emerged from the depths of the sea, holding hands, fifty daughters of the sea god - the soothsayer Nereus. They danced merrily and had fun on the seashore. Their songs and laughter calmed the stormy waves of the sea, their singing even tamed wild animals. One of the Nereids - the beautiful Galatea - once chased a motley butterfly and fell behind her sisters. At this time, Akid, the son of Semetis, was passing there, tall, slender and handsome, like the god Apollo. Galatea saw him, forgot about the butterfly and fixed her deep blue eyes on him. But Akid, enchanted by her divine beauty, forgot where and why he was going, and headed towards her...

The young people fell in love with each other and were inseparable from that day on. Every day, as soon as Galatea appeared on the seashore, Akid took her hand, and the two of them went into a small grotto located not far from the rocky peak...

But not only Akid loved the beautiful Galatea. The one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus, huge as a mountain, noticed her one day on the seashore, radiant with youth and beauty, and mad love flared up in the heart of the terrible Cyclops, whom no one dared to approach for fear of being torn to shreds and eaten. Galatea was afraid of the terrible Polyphemus and always avoided him. Polyphemus's love for Galatea grew more and more intense. Every day he drove his numerous flocks of sheep to a high mountain peak, sat on it and began to play the pipe, which he himself made from hundreds of thick stalks of reeds. The sounds of his pipe could be heard far away and the trees swayed. They also reached the ears of Galatea and Acidas, who were sitting in their favorite place near the grotto, far from the gaze of the terrible Cyclops Polyphemus. But one day he saw them and, maddened by love for Galatea, rushed down from the mountain peak and rushed towards them. The earth trembled from the tramp of his feet, the sea became agitated... Galatea and Akid were frightened and rushed into the stormy sea. There, turning into fish, they rushed into the depths of the sea, connected by a long and wide ribbon - the personification of the love that binds them.

The gods pulled two fish from the sea and took them to heaven. There they left them in the form of the constellation Pisces, attracting the attention of people and reminding them of the strong and sincere love of Galatea and Akida, who in the sky in the form of fish are connected to each other with a long and wide ribbon - love.

Another story is no less tragic. King Priam had a brother Titon, who charmed the winged goddess of dawn Eos with his beauty, who kidnapped Titon and took him to her place on the edge of Earth and Heaven. The gods gave him immortality, but did not give him eternal youth. Days and years passed and left merciless marks on his face.

Once Titon noticed in the distance the goddess of love Aphrodite, walking with her son Eros, who was ready at any moment to shoot a love arrow from a drawn bow into the heart of a god or a mortal. Dressed in gold-woven clothes, with a wreath of fragrant flowers on her head, Aphrodite walked holding her son’s hand. And where the beautiful goddess walked, wonderful flowers grew and the air smelled of freshness and youth. Fascinated by her beauty, Tithon rushed after Aphrodite, who began to run away with her son. A little more, and Tithon should have overtaken them. To escape his pursuit, Aphrodite and Eros threw themselves into the Euphrates River and turned into fish. The gods placed two fish in the sky among the constellations, connected by a wide and long ribbon, personifying great maternal love.

One day Aphrodite and her son Eros were sitting in idleness on the banks of the Nile. (Well, of course, we could speculate about the origin of Eros, whose son he is and when he was born. But in this fable he is the son of Aphrodite.) Suddenly Typhon, a chthonic [?] teratomorph [?] (nicely wrapped, right?) attacked them. ): a hundred dragon heads on a human body, and instead of legs there are two snakes!

Aphrodite and Eros jumped into the water at once, and Zeus temporarily turned them into fish so that they could escape unhindered. (Or they swam away on two fish, which, you see, is funny.)

Perhaps, instead of Eros, Adonis, a Cypriot youth with whom Aphrodite was at one time infatuated, took part in this chase story.

(By the way, we can’t help but remember the constellation here.)

Sometimes this myth is attributed to the Southern Fish, and Pisces is considered its offspring.

I note that Ovid in “Metamorphoses” gives a hint that fish is an attributive animal of Aphrodite, born in the sea.

In co-territorial cultures, local gods were associated with the Greek gods and, in general, the mixing of myths from different religions in the Hellenistic era was a widespread phenomenon. In particular, a certain Syrian goddess was identified with Aphrodite. The following myth is told about her birth (completely different from the Greek one, but reminiscent of the apocrypha of another story - about Leda!).

A huge egg fell from the sky into the Euphrates River. The river fish pushed him ashore, and the pigeons sat there. Aphrodite emerged from the egg... well, or rather, that same Syrian goddess. At her request, Zeus placed the constellation Pisces in the sky.

But here is a completely different story - about Galatea, the daughter of Nereus, and the beautiful young man Akidas, the son of Pan. They went on a date on the island of Sicily, where the ferocious Cyclops Polyphemus lived. Polyphemus was inflamed with passion for Galatea and waylaid the couple on the seashore. The canonical version says that he crushed Akida with a huge rock, and Galatea turned the blood flowing from under the rock into a transparent, clean river.

But there is another ending that is relevant to us. Akid and Galatea managed to throw themselves into the sea when they heard the stomping of an approaching giant, turned into two fish and swam away - in order to fly up into the sky.

The zodiac constellation Pisces is located between Aquarius and Aries in the northern hemisphere. Despite the ancient discovery (its name appears in the catalog of Claudius Ptolemy), there are not many myths of origin about it. The Greeks believed that these were the fish that saved Aphrodite and her son from Tithon. In gratitude for their salvation, Aphrodite gave them her belt, and the main god Zeus took them to heaven.

According to another version, Galatea and Akid loved each other, but their happiness was not destined to come true. The Cyclops Polyphemus pursued Galatea, considering her his beloved. The loving couple had no choice but to throw themselves into the water, they drowned, but the gods took them to heaven in the form of fish.

37 days a year from March 12 to April 18, the Sun passes through the constellation Pisces. The best time to see the constellation is in September-October, when the stars are closest to the earth. Finding a constellation is quite difficult, since the stars included in it do not have bright light. It can be identified by the neighboring constellations Pegasus and Andromeda. If you look at Perseus, his leg on the right side points to the constellation Aries, and behind him you can see Pisces.

The constellation consists of 75 cold-blooded and little visible stars. The group of stars itself is divided into two parts, one of which is popularly called Northern Fish, the other - Western Fish. They are clearly visible through a regular telescope. In terms of brightness, the third position in the constellation is occupied by the star Alrisha, which gives rise to Pisces. Behind it is a small star, more than 100 years distant from the sun, called Omega. The constellation TX Pisces continues its dark red flickering; the color of the flickering is explained by its hydrocarbon origin. Closest to planet Earth is the Van Maanen Dwarf Star, which is the closest single dwarf to the sun. It received its name in honor of the Dutch scientist who discovered the star in 1917. The farthest star from Earth in the constellation is Beta.

The constellation is interesting because it contains the spiral galactic object Messier 74. The beautiful galaxy contains a black hole emitting powerful X-rays. Its structure is similar to planet Earth. The galaxy is located at a distance of up to 40 million light years from the Solar System. One was discovered by astronauts Charles Messier, after whom it was named.

In total, up to 8 galactic objects have been discovered at different times in the constellation Pisces.

The constellation is not particularly beautiful, but people are waiting for the Sun to enter it. With its passage comes astrological spring, called the vernal equinox.

Option 2

In the sky you can see many celestial bodies, quite bright and having a huge mass. Such bodies are called stars. The sun is a specific example. Several stars are combined into one small group, and if you mentally connect them with lines, you can get a constellation.

In scientific terms, a constellation is a section of the sky in which the stars are located in a certain order. Each constellation has its own name and there are enough of them in the sky. One of these constellations is called Pisces.

General characteristics of the constellation Pisces.

Belongs to a group called the animal circle. Pisces is usually seen in the fall. Located on both sides of the Pegasus square. It is in this constellation that the vernal equinox point is located. Will explain. In the period from March 12 to April 188, our native star called the Sun falls on the constellation.

There are no particularly bright stars in this constellation. By the way, Pisces is two constellations, not one. Fish can be northern or western. The location of one is below Andromeda, and the other is next to two other constellations - Pegasus and Andromeda. The neighbors of Pisces include such constellations as Aries, Triangle, Whale, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aquarius. One of the older constellations. Pisces includes about 75 stars of varying brightness.

Mention in Greek mythology.

Anyone who knows the myths of Ancient Greece by heart will remember the story of Typhon. This formidable monster put all the gods of Olympus to flight, with the exception of Zeus, who killed the beast. But this is not the point, but the fact that when escaping, the gods were reincarnated into various animals. Aphrodite and several other gods chose the appearance of a fish.

Appearance of the constellation and its search.

Due to its low brightness, few people have seen the constellation Pisces. Accordingly, few people know what the constellation roughly looks like. If you subconsciously connect all the lines, you get the figure of an acute triangle. But this is not the only problem. It has already been said that Pisces is difficult to see, which means it is also difficult to find. But somehow, people are looking for them, right? There is only one way out of the situation: you need to focus on neighboring stars or constellations. As mentioned earlier, Andromeda and Pegasus are neighbors of Pisces. They form a certain square, from which a certain figure resembling a hand extends. This "hand" covers Pisces.

Character, lifestyle, career, love of Pisces

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Character of Pisces Perhaps, in the entire Zodiac circle there is no sign more mysterious than Pisces. The depths in which they swim are truly bottomless, leaving little chance for mere mortals to look into them.

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The Pisces man has a rare talent in this world: he knows how to be happy. Moreover, he is capable of this not only in the Sultan’s palace, but also in the notorious hut. His serenity, talent, compassion, kindness can attract you like a magnet, but know that the Pisces man is not a leader by nature, but rather a follower. Before your appearance, he was led through life by Fate, parents, friends, but now it’s your turn. It just so happens that the success of Pisces in life largely depends on how circumstances develop. Or on how decisively those around him will act. It’s just that he himself often confuses his inner world with the outer one. By and large, he’s already happy with everything, but don’t give in to his relaxation. Remember: Pisces has enormous potential, which, with your help, he can successfully realize.

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Every man secretly dreams of someone like a Pisces woman. She is so fragile, tender, pure and defenseless that it seems that it would have been much better for her to have been born in the century before last! The Pisces woman seems to have stepped out of the pages of one of the novels of that time. Looking at it, the word “emancipation” will immediately fly out of your head, but you will immediately understand what Tolstoy had in mind when he wrote about “fluttering eyelashes”, “languid gaze” and other similar things that are incredible today. Pisces is a clear illustration to the saying that a woman’s strength is in her weakness. And this power is truly enormous.

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Pisces need love just like they need air, sunlight and food. Charming and sweet Pisces are dual in love - on the one hand, they strive for intimacy and relationships, on the other, they need privacy and personal space where they can be alone with their thoughts and dreams. Pisces have the best compatibility with people who can give them stability and protection - as a rule, these are all representatives of the elements Earth and Water. Pisces in love are ready to devote themselves completely to their chosen one, live by his ideas and desires, often forgetting about their aspirations and needs. They are gentle, compassionate, immensely romantic and sublime. They tend to wear rose-colored glasses, forgive endlessly, be the first to take a step towards reconciliation and see perfection in their loved one, which is why they often allow themselves to be used and suffer disappointment. But if Pisces meet a worthy and compatible life partner who can appreciate the pure diamond of their soul, they will be completely happy.

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A dreamy, impressionable, emotional Pisces child is endowed with enormous creative potential and a rich imagination! Like no one else, he needs an affectionate, delicate attitude. By surrounding your baby with care and understanding, you will help him realize and reveal the unique abilities with which he is generously endowed by nature. Pisces baby

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Do you need Pisces' consent on some issue? It's simple: relieve them of the need to make decisions, prepare answers to all the questions you want to ask, clearly and confidently voice your position.

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Pisces are very talented, but impractical: in life they can achieve everything or nothing. They are completely devoid of ambition; fame, money and power are practically an empty phrase for them. It is not surprising that they themselves find it difficult to find their way in life, and often they hope to meet a person who would take on all organizational issues. If there is an impresario or literary agent who knows how to turn their talent into money, Pisces can get rich. However, sometimes they can spend their whole lives waiting for such a “genie in a bottle.” That is why for Pisces, more than for anyone else, it is important to learn how to persevere and at least sometimes swim against the flow, despite the circumstances. In this case, they are able to reach enormous heights. The subtle nature of Pisces best finds application in professions that are in one way or another connected with creativity. In addition to the traditional professions of an artist, singer or musician, Pisces can be excellent makeup artists, stylists, designers, hairdressers, and teachers at an art school. The compassion of Pisces makes them indispensable workers in areas related to medicine and charity. In addition, the innate connection of Pisces with the subtle world can be used in a magic salon: many Pisces know how to guess and predict the future.

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The love of Pisces is a real net, and Pisces themselves usually get entangled in them. In love, sometimes they themselves do not understand where they are going and what they want. It is typical for them to choose an unattainable object of admiration, ignoring a good match that is going straight into their hands. In addition, they may be mistaken in their feelings, mistaking falling in love for love to the grave or real feelings for simple friendship. What their love certainly lacks is calculation. Well, logic.

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Pisces have fragile health, and, being carefree creatures, they do not care much about it. Their subtle, emotional nature is the cause of nervous disorders, insomnia, headaches, and gastrointestinal disorders. In addition, they are susceptible to frequent colds and lung diseases. However, Pisces have a powerful weapon against all diseases - this is their bright, surprisingly harmonious view of the world. In difficult moments, he gives them the strength to withstand illness and troubles.

The zodiac group, which includes the constellation Pisces, is one of the points through which the Sun makes its annual circle. For many years, people have known that it is located in the northern hemisphere and cannot be observed from all continents of the Earth and not at any time.

What does the constellation Pisces look like?

Many people do not know what the constellation Pisces looks like in the sky, all due to the fact that its stars lack brightness. By itself, it is weak and cannot be seen at all times of the year. If you mentally connect the most noticeable stars, you will get an acute angle with a triangular top. On a horizontal line, the zodiac sign appears as three dim dots, although quite visible to the human eye.

How to find the constellation Pisces in the sky?

It is difficult to see the constellation Pisces in the sky, especially on cloudy days. During periods of clear skies it appears, but due to the dimness of the celestial bodies it is overshadowed by other zodiac signs. On the territory of Russia you can see it in September and October; in the autumn the stars are closer. The sun passes through it on March 11 and at these moments it is practically invisible in the sky.

Neighboring celestial bodies can help in the search. The constellation Pisces stands not far from Andromeda and Pegasus, which form a characteristic square from which chain stars extend to the northeast. Some depict this figure in the form of a hand that covers Pisces. You can focus on Perseus, which is clearly visible from all continents. His right foot points to , just behind which is Pisces.

Constellation Pisces - names of stars

All stars in the constellation Pisces are cold-blooded and inconspicuous, just like people with this zodiac sign. There are 75 of them in total and you can view them with a simple amateur telescope on a clear night. The main thing that sets them apart is the exact moment of the spring equinox, passing through which the Sun begins to increase daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere and decrease them in the Southern Hemisphere.

The beginning was made by the star Alrisha, which is in third position in brightness. It is interesting because it consists of two small dwarfs. Next comes Omega Pisces, a dwarf star 106 years distant from the sun. It contains the carbon star TX Pisces, which has a dark red shimmer. Van Maanen is a yellow dwarf, located closest to us, Beta - the mouth of a fish, is furthest from us. In addition, there are the following stars:

• Iota;
• Etta Pisces;
• Alpha Aries.

The constellation Pisces is a legend

The inhabitants of Ancient Greece saw their gods in the sky. The history of the constellation Pisces, in their opinion, is the goddess Aphrodite and her son reincarnated from their appearance. They took this appearance in order to hide from the dangerous pursuit of a monster with hundreds of heads - Typhon. Another story says that fish came to the aid of the gods and carried them to the sky in order to hide them.

Other nations talked about the version of the drowning of Galatea with her lover. The huge Cyclops had a great passion for her and wanted her to choose him. The girl did not listen and chose a handsome young man, and one day the Cyclops found them together. The chase lasted a very long time and the lovers tried to hide in the sea, but died. After this, this constellation appeared in the sky.

Constellation Pisces - interesting facts

Oddly enough, the brightest star in the constellation Pisces is practically invisible from Earth, but this does not prevent them from standing out among others. Its main feature is considered to be the small galaxy located in it - Messier 74. There is a constant process of star formation in it and two new stars were born within ten years. It was discovered in 1780, but only modern astronomers were able to discern a black hole in it. In addition, it contains a white dwarf, which is considered the closest to Earth.