Centaurus (the Centaur) is a southern constellation, which is visible chiefly south of the equator. The brightest star in this constellation, Alpha Centauri, is also the third brightest star in the sky. It is about 4.3 light-years from the earth and is the closest visible star to the earth's solar system. The star is actually a double star, with a third star, Proxima Centauri, revolving around the others. Research Centaurus
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero. He is the chief character in Homer's Iliad. His father was Peleus, ruler of Phthia in Thessaly, his mother the sea-goddess Thetis. When only six years of age he was able to overcome lions and bears. His guardian, Cheiron the Centaur, having declared that Troy could not be taken without his aid, his mother, fearing for his safety, disguised him as a girl, and introduced him among the daughters of Lycomedes of Scyros. Her desire for his safety made her also try to make him invulnerable when a child by anointing him with ambrosia, and again by dipping him in the river Styx, from which he came out proof against wounds, all but the heel, by which she held him.
His place of concealment was discovered by Odysseus (Ulysses), and he promised his assistance to the Greeks against Troy. Accompanied by his close friend, Patroclus, he joined the expedition with a body of followers (Myrmidons) in fifty ships, and occupied nine years in raids upon the towns neighbouring to Troy, after which the siege proper commenced. On being deprived of his prize, the maiden Briseis, by Agamemnon, he refused to take any further part in the war, and
disaster attended the Greeks.
Patroclus now persuaded Achilles to allow him to lead the Myrmidons to battle dressed in his armour, and he having been slain by Hector, Achilles vowed revenge on the Trojans, and forgot his anger against the Greeks. He attacked the Trojans and drove them back to their walls, slaying them in great numbers, chased Hector, who fled before him three times round the walls of Troy, slew him, and dragged his body at his chariot-wheels, but afterwards gave it up to Priam, who came in person to beg for it. He then performed the funeral rites of Patroclus, with which the Iliad closes. He was killed in a battle at the Scasan Gate of Troy by an arrow from the bow of Paris which struck his vulnerable heel. In discussions on the origin of the Homeric poems the term Achilleid is often applied to those books (i. viii. and xi.-xxii.) of the Iliad in which Achilles is prominent, and which some suppose to have formed the original nucleus of the poem. Research Achilles
In Greek mythology, Dexames was a king of Olenus and the father of Deianeira, who married Hercules after having been saved by him from a forced marriage to the Centaur, Eurytion. Research Dexames
In Greek and Roman mythology, Hercules (called by the Greeks Heracles) was the most celebrated hero or semi-divine personage, he was the son of Zeus (Jupiter) by Alcmena, the wife of Amphitryon and was brought up at Thebes, and before he was eight months old he had strangled two snakes sent by the jealous Hera (Juno) to devour him.
In his youth he had several distinguished instructors, among them the CentaurCheiron. Early in life he had, at the command of Zeus, to subject himself for twelve years to the will of Eurystheus, on the understanding that after he had acquitted himself of this duty he should be reckoned in the number of the gods. He, therefore, went to Mycenae, and performed at the bidding of Eurystheus the tasks known as the twelve labours of Hercules. These were
Bring from the infernal regions Cerberus the three headed dog of Hades.
Besides these labours, he also achieved of his own accord others equally celebrated. Thus, he assisted the gods in their wars against the giants, and it was through him alone that Zeus obtained the victory.
Having attempted to plunder the temple at Delphi, he became engaged in conflict with Apollo, and was punished by being sold to Omphale, queen of Lydia, as a slave, who restored him to liberty and married him. Having latterly returned to Greece, he became the husband of Dejanira, who unwittingly brought about his death by giving him a tunic poisoned with the blood of the Centaur Neasus, which she innocently believed would retain for her Hercules' love. The poison took effect whenever the garment was put on, and as the distemper was incurable, Hercules placed himself on a burning pile on the top of Mount OEta, was received up into heaven, and being there reconciled to Hera, received her daughter Hebe in marriage. At the death of Hercules Deianira killed her self also through grief.
In ancient works of art Hercules is generally represented naked, with strong and well-proportioned limbs; he is sometimes covered with the skin of the Nemaean lion, and holds a knotted club in his hand, on which he often leans. The principal ancient statue of him which remains is the Farnese Hercules at Naples, a work of the Athenian Griycon, The myth of Hercules is believed by many writers to represent the course of the sun through the twelve signs of the zodiac. His marriage with Hebe was explained even by the ancients as symbolic of the renewing of the sun's course after its completion. Research Hercules
In Greek mythology, the Nessus was a centaur. Having attempted to carry off Deinaira, the wife of Hercules, Hercules shot Nessus with a poisoned arrow. While dying, Nessus gave Deinaira his cloak, infected by his blood, and told her it would win Hercules back should he prove unfaithful. The jealous Deinaira gave the cloak to Hercules, who was subsequently poisoned by it and died in agony. Research Nessus
Constellations are the groups into which astronomers have divided the fixed stars, and which have received names for the convenience of description and reference. It is plain that the union of several stars into a constellation, to which the name of some animal, person, or inanimate object is given, must be entirely arbitrary, since the several points (the stars) may be united in a hundred different ways, just as imagination directs.
The grouping adopted by the Egyptians was accordingly modified by the Greeks, though they retained the Ram, the Bull, the Dog, etc; and the Greek constellations were again modified by the Romans, and again by the Arabians. At various times, also, Christianity has endeavoured to supplant the pagan system, the VenerableBede having given the names of the twelve apostles to the signs of the zodiac, and Judas Schillerius having, in 1627, applied Scripture names to all the constellations. Weigelius, a professor of Jena, even grouped the stars upon a heraldic basis, introducing the arms of all the princes of Europe among the constellations. The old constellations have, however, been for the most part retained.
Ptolemy enumerated forty-eight constellations, which are still called the Ptolemaean. They are the following: 1. The twelve signs of the zodiac. 2. Twenty-one constellations found in the northern hemisphere - the Great Bear (Ursa Major), the Little Bear (Ursa Minor), Perseus, the Dragon, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, Equulus (Horse's Head), the Triangle, the Waggoner (Auriga), Bootes, the Northern Crown (Corona Boredlis), Ophiuchus, the Serpent (Serpentarius), Hercules, the Arrow (Sagitta), the Lyre, the Swan (Cygnus), the Dolphin, the Eagle (Aquila). 3. Fifteen constellations in the southern hemisphere - Orion, the Whale (Cetus), Eridanus, the Hare (Lepus), the Great Dog (Canis Major), the Little Dog (Canis Minor), Hydra, the Cup (Crater), the Crow (Corvus), the Centaur, the Wolf (Lupus), the Altar (Ara), the Southern Fish (Piscis Australia), the Argo, the Southern Crown (Corona Australia). Others were subsequently added, this being especially rendered necessary by the increased navigation of the southern hemisphere, and now the different groups of stars have come to be associated with all sorts of animals and objects, including the Giraffe, the Fly, the Air-pump, the Compasses, etc.
The different stars of a constellation are marked by Greek letters, alpha denoting those of the first magnitude, beta,those of the second and so on. Stars of the sixth magnitude are the smallest visible to the naked eye. Several stars also have particular names. Research Constellation
Centaur was an American space rocket first developed in 1958 and the first American space vehicle to utilise liquid hydrogen as a propellant. Centaur was 3414 cm long and 305 cm in diameter. Centaur was first launched in 1962, the vehicle being destroyed 54 seconds after launch after an insulation shield failed and a fuel tank ruptured. Centaur was finally declared operational in 1965 after the second test flight in 1963 had been successful. Research Centaur
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
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