Fische
Fishes (Piscium)
Pisces, the Fishes, is a large but faint zodiacal constellation representing two fish tied together by a cord. Despite its lack of bright stars, Pisces has great significance in astronomy because it currently contains the vernal equinox point - where the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading north, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
📜 Mythologie
In Greek mythology, Pisces represents Aphrodite (goddess of love) and her son Eros, who transformed themselves into fish to escape the monster Typhon. To avoid becoming separated in the water, they tied themselves together with a cord. The star Al Rischa ('the cord') marks where their tails are bound. This myth connects to similar stories from Syria and Babylon, suggesting ancient Middle Eastern origins for this constellation.
💡 Fakten
- ✦The vernal equinox, still called the 'First Point of Aries,' has been in Pisces since about 68 BCE due to precession
- ✦Pisces is one of the oldest recognized constellations, documented in Babylonian star catalogues
- ✦M74, a face-on spiral galaxy in Pisces, is one of the faintest Messier objects but beautifully shows spiral structure in photographs