Constellation Corona Borealis (Northern Crown)

Corona Borealis
Corona Borealis: IAU Constellation Map [150]

Properties

The constellation is east of the boat's 'cornet'. It contains an arc of seven stars, open to the north, all of which, with the exception of one, belong to the 4th magnitude; the exception is the main star 2nd magnitude, Gemma, which appears like a special gem. The constellation area is 179 square degrees and the center of the constellation culminates around midnight on May 20th. [9, 15]

Stars with Proper Names [154]
α CrB Alphekka, Alphecca, Alphacca, Gemma, Gnosia, The Jewel, Gnosia Stella Coronae, Ashtaroth
β CrB Nusakan
HR 5958 Blaze Star
Data for constellation Corona Borealis [150]
IAU NameCorona Borealis
IAU GenitiveCoronae Borealis
IAU Abbr.CrB
English NameNorthern Crown
Opposition21 May
Season (47° N)January … September
Right Ascension15h 16m 04s … 16h 25m 07s
Declination+25° 32' 17" … +39° 42' 42"
Area179 deg2
Neighbours (N↻)Her, Boo, Ser

Catalogues

Constellation Corona Borealis
Constellation Corona Borealis: Illustration from «Uranometria» by Johann Bayer, copper engraving by Alexander Mair, 1603 [28]

Mythology and History

Corona Borealis is an ancient constellation that represents the gem-studded tiara that Dionysus bequeathed to Ariadne as a wedding gift and hurled it into the sky after her death. Another interpretation sees in it the crown with which Theseus thanked Ariadne for her rescue operation from the labyrinth. Still others suspected it was a wreath of honor. [7]

The natives of Australia call the constellation Woomera and see it as the weapon that we call boomerang. The Indians in the Rio Negro river basin in northern Brazil see an armadillo in Corona Borealis because of the semicircular arrangement that appears to be open at the bottom. [20]

References

  • [7] «Der grosse Kosmos-Himmelsführer» von Ian Ridpath und Wil Tirion; Kosmos Verlag; ISBN 3-440-05787-9
  • [9] «Drehbare Sternkarte SIRIUS» von H. Suter-Haug; Hallwag-Verlag, Bern
  • [15] «Hartung's Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes» by David Malin and David J. Frew; Melbourne University Press 1995; ISBN 0-522-84553-3
  • [20] «Sternbilder und ihre Mythen» von Gerhard Fasching; Zweite, verbesserte Auflage; Springer Verlag Wien, New York; ISBN 3-211-82552-5 (Wien); ISBN 0-387-82552-5 (New York)
  • [28] «Uranometria omnium asterismorum continens schemata, nova methodo delineata aereis laminis expressa» Johann Bayer, Augsburg, 1603; DOI:10.3931/e-rara-309
  • [150] IAU: The Constellations, 11. Oktober 2020; iau.org/public/themes/constellations
  • [154] Yale Bright Star Catalog, 15. Oktober 2020; tdc-www.harvard.edu/catalogs/bsc5.html