Enter the Hero

Rising at dusk tonight is the hero Perseus. The second stroke of the "W" of Cassiopeia points directly to the heart of Perseus, Mirfak, the brightest star in Perseus.

Between Mirfak and Cassiopeia (about a third of the way along the line you just followed) is the famous Double Cluster, a pair of open star clusters that are among the real gems of the sky. Without optical aid, they appear as only a single hazy patch of light, but in binoculars or a small telescope, they resolve into hundreds of twinkling stars with a stunning color contrast.

Below Mirfak shines the "demon star," Algol. Algol represents the head of Medusa, whose gaze, according to classical mythology, would turn men to stone. She was slain by Perseus who avoided her murderous glance by using his shield as a mirror. He now carries her head in his upraised hand.

Tonight we can see all of the characters of the Andromeda legend: the vain queen, Cassiopeia, who, boasting of her beauty so enraged Neptune that he sent the sea monster Cetus (on the eastern horizon) to ravage the coast of her land. Between Cassiopeia and Polaris is Cepheus the king, bearing the terrible news from the oracle that he must sacrifice his only daughter Andromeda to the monster Cetus.

And there is the hero Perseus. Gazing at the fearful head held by Perseus, the monster turned to stone (so never got to kill Andromeda.) Finally, the winged horse Pegasus waits nearby.

Later, the head of Medusa was given to the goddess Athena as the centerpiece for her shield. That must have discouraged her enemies!

(09/12/07)