Cygnus (constellation)

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For the software company, see Cygnus Solutions.

Cygnus (from the Latin for "swan") is a northern constellation. It was one of Ptolemy's 48 constellations, and is also one of the 88 modern constellations. Because of the pattern of its main stars, it is sometimes known as the Northern Cross (in contrast to the Southern Cross).

The bird extends over the Milky Way, appearing to fly south.

1 Notable features
2 Notable deep sky objects
3 History and mythology
4 Stars
5 In Art and Literature
6 See also
7 External links

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Notable features

Cygnus contains several bright stars.

Deneb, α Cygni, is an extremely brilliant star, very prominent despite its distance (1 800 light years). The blue supergiant forms the swan's tail, the upper end of the Northern Cross, and one of the vertices of the Summer Triangle asterism.

Albireo, β Cygni, is at the swan's beak. It is one of the most beautiful double stars of the sky, a golden star easily distinguishable in a small telescope from its blue companion.

Another interesting star is 61 Cygni. In 1838, this star had the highest known proper motion of any star in the sky; this was taken as evidence that it was relatively nearby and it was accordingly chosen as the first star (other than the Sun) to have its distance measured. It is 11.4 light years away, one of the closest stars to our solar system.

The star 16 Cygni B is an extrasolar planetary system with one confirmed planet 1.5 times the mass of Jupiter.

Cygnus also contains the X-ray source Cygnus X-1, which is considered to be one of the most likely black hole candidates.

In addition, Cygnus has a variety of variable stars, including XX Cyg and V508 Cyg.

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Notable deep sky objects

Several star clusters and nebulae are found in Cygnus due to its position on the Milky Way. NGC 7000, the North America Nebula, is found a bit to the east of Deneb. Its resemblance to the continent is best appreciated in photographs. The Pelican Nebula (IC 5070) is nearby.

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History and mythology

Image:Cygnus constellation drawing.jpg The constellation bears a resemblance to a wide winged, long necked bird, in graceful flight [1]. In Greek mythology, the constellation represents several different legendary swans. Zeus disguised himself as a swan to rape Leda, who gave birth to the Gemini, Helen of Troy, and Clytemnestra.

Orpheus was transformed into a swan after his murder, and was said to have been placed in the sky next to his lyre (Lyra).

Finally, it is said that a youth named Cygnus was the boyfriend of the ill-fated Phaethon. After Phaethon was killed trying to drive the chariot of the sun, Cygnus searched desperately for his body in the river Eridanus where it had fallen. He dove so many times into the river that Zeus took pity on him and changed him into the waterbird that has since borne his name.

Cygnus, together with other constellations in the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius (specifically Lyra and Aquila, together with Sagittarius itself), may be a significant part of the origin of the myth of the Stymphalian Birds, one of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.

In Chinese mythology, the constellation Cygnus is the site of the once-a-year magpie bridge which connects the lovers Niu Lang and Zhi Nu (see Qi Xi).

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Stars

Stars with proper names:

(50/α Cyg) 1.25 Deneb [Deneb el Adige] or Deneb Cygni or Arided [Aridif, Arrioph] or Gallina
Deneb, Deneb el Adige < ذنب الدجاجة ðanab ad-dajāja[h] Tail of the hen
Gallina < gallīna hen

(6/β Cyg) – double 3.05, 5.12 Albireo or Al Minhar al Dajajah
Albireo < ab ireo is a mistranslation of Al Minhar al Dajajah. See the article for the history.
Al Minhar al Dajajah < منقار الدجاجة minqār ad-dajāja[h] Beak (lit. peak) of the hen

(37/γ Cyg) 2.23 Sadr [Sador, Sadir]
< الصدر الدجاجة aş-şadr ad-dajājah The breast of the hen

(53/ε Cyg) 2.48 Gienah [Gienah Cygni]
< جناح janāħ wing

(80/π¹ Cyg) 4.69 Azelfafage
< ? Tortoise
(45/ω¹ Cyg) 4.94 (or Ruchba, see ω² Cyg)

(46/ω² Cyg) 5.44 Ruchba [Rukbat al Dajajah, Al Rukbah al Dajajah]
< ركبة الدجاجة rukbat[u] ad-dajāja[h] Knee of the hen

Stars with Bayer designations:

18/δ Cyg 2.86; 64/ζ Cyg 3.21; 13/θ Cyg 4.49; 21/η Cyg 3.89; 10/ι Cyg 3.76; 1/κ Cyg 3.80; 54/λ Cyg 4.53; 78/μ¹ Cyg 4.49; 78/μ² Cyg 6.08; 58/ν Cyg 3.94; 62/ξ Cyg 3.72; 31/ο¹ Cyg 3.80; 32/ο² Cyg 3.96; 81/π² Cyg 4.23; 73/ρ Cyg 3.98; 67/σ Cyg 4.22; 65/τ Cyg 3.74; 66/υ Cyg 4.41; χ Cyg 10.5; 12/φ Cyg 4.68; 24/ψ Cyg 4.91; 27/b¹ Cyg 5.38; 28/b² Cyg 4.93; 29/b³ Cyg 4.93; 16/c Cyg – double 5.99, 6.25; comp. B has a planet; 20/d Cyg 5.03; 26/e Cyg 5.06; 59/f¹ Cyg 4.74; 63/f² Cyg 4.56; 71/g Cyg 5.22; 68/A Cyg 5.04; 34/P Cyg 4.77 – hypergiant; P Cyg variable prototype

Stars with Flamsteed designations:

2 Cyg 4.99; 4 Cyg 5.17; 7 Cyg 5.73; 8 Cyg 4.74; 9 Cyg 5.39; 11 Cyg 6.03; 14 Cyg 5.41; 15 Cyg 4.89; 17 Cyg 5.00; 19 Cyg 5.18; 22 Cyg 4.95; 23 Cyg 5.14; 25 Cyg 5.15; 30 Cyg 4.80; 33 Cyg 4.28; 35 Cyg 5.14; 36 Cyg 5.58; 39 Cyg 4.43; 40 Cyg 5.63; 41 Cyg 4.01; 42 Cyg 5.90; 43 Cyg 5.73; 44 Cyg 6.21; 47 Cyg 4.61; 48 Cyg 6.32; 49 Cyg 5.53; 51 Cyg 5.41; 52 Cyg 4.22; 55 Cyg 4.81; 56 Cyg 5.06; 57 Cyg 4.80; 60 Cyg 5.38; 61 Cyg – double 5.20, 6.05; nearby; 69 Cyg 5.93; 70 Cyg 5.30; 72 Cyg 4.87; 74 Cyg 5.04; 75 Cyg 5.09; 76 Cyg 6.07; 77 Cyg 5.73; 79 Cyg 5.69

Other notable stars:

Cygnus X-1 – black hole
HD 187123 7.89 – has a planet

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In Art and Literature

The constellation is mentioned in the song Cygnus X-1 by rock band Rush, on their 1977 album "A Farewell to Kings." In Frances the Mute, a rock album by the Mars Volta, Vismund Cygnus is the protagonist.

Cygnus is also mentioned by the German Synth-pop band Alphaville in the song "Carol Masters" on the Afternoons in Utopia Album. Cygnus is mentioned in the context of having tenderly kissed the deserts.

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