Pfeil
Arrow (Sagittae)
Sagitta, the Arrow, is the third smallest constellation in the sky, yet it's one of the oldest, recognized since antiquity. Despite its tiny size, it's easy to find in the rich star fields of the summer Milky Way between Aquila and Vulpecula. Sagitta contains the unusual planetary nebula M27 (the Dumbbell Nebula) on its edge and interesting clusters within its bounds.
📜 Mythologie
Sagitta represents various arrows from Greek mythology. Most commonly, it's identified as the arrow used by Hercules to kill the eagle Aquila that tormented Prometheus - hence its location next to Aquila in the sky. Other versions identify it as one of Cupid's arrows or the arrow that Apollo used to kill the Cyclopes in revenge for Zeus's killing of his son Asclepius. Despite its small size, Sagitta was recognized as a distinct constellation in Mesopotamia, Greece, and Arabia.
💡 Fakten
- ✦Sagitta is the third smallest constellation, covering only 80 square degrees
- ✦M71 is an unusual globular cluster in Sagitta that was once thought to be a dense open cluster
- ✦The Dumbbell Nebula (M27), one of the brightest planetary nebulae, lies just outside Sagitta's boundary