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Monoceros: Difference between revisions
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Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers and Ludwig Ideler indicate (according to Richard Hinkley Allen's allegations) that the constellation may be older, quoting an astrological work[10] from 1564 that mentioned "the second horse between the Twins and the Crab has many stars, but not very bright"; these references may ultimately be due to Michael Scot of the 13th century, but refer to a horse and not a unicorn, and its position does not quite match. Joseph Scaliger is reported to have found Monoceros on an ancient Persian sphere. [Camille Flammarion] believed that a former constellation, Neper (the "Auger"), occupied the area of the sky now home to Monoceros and [[Microscopium]], but this is disputed. | Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers and Ludwig Ideler indicate (according to Richard Hinkley Allen's allegations) that the constellation may be older, quoting an astrological work[10] from 1564 that mentioned "the second horse between the Twins and the Crab has many stars, but not very bright"; these references may ultimately be due to Michael Scot of the 13th century, but refer to a horse and not a unicorn, and its position does not quite match. Joseph Scaliger is reported to have found Monoceros on an ancient Persian sphere. [Camille Flammarion] believed that a former constellation, Neper (the "Auger"), occupied the area of the sky now home to Monoceros and [[Microscopium]], but this is disputed. | ||
[[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Monoceros, Canis Minor, and Atelier Typographique.jpg|thumb|File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Monoceros, Canis Minor, and Atelier Typographique.jpg]] | [[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Monoceros, Canis Minor, and Atelier Typographique.jpg|thumb|File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Monoceros, Canis Minor, and Atelier Typographique.jpg]] | ||
==Mythology== | |||
The unicorn (Latin unus 'one' and cornus 'horn') is a mythical beast depicted with the body of a horse and a spiral horn on its forehead. The unicorn's horn was said to have the property of being able to neutralize poisons. The picture of a Unicorn was the apothecaries' symbol. The powdered root of the 'unicorn horn' was believed to be a panacea for just about all illnesses. | |||
Ancient Greek writers associated the unicorn with the Hippoi Monokerata, One Horned Asses, in which it is said "the fabulous unicorn of Medieval bestiaries was derived from this creature of Greek legend." <ref>[http://www.constellationsofwords.com/Constellations/Monoceros.htm Constealltions of Words]]</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||