Pegasus
Pegasus (Pegasi)
Pegasus is a large autumn constellation best known for the Great Square of Pegasus, a prominent asterism formed by four stars marking the body of the mythological winged horse. This square serves as an excellent celestial landmark for locating other constellations and deep-sky objects. Pegasus holds historical significance as the location of the first exoplanet discovered around a Sun-like star.
📜 Mythologie
Pegasus, the divine winged horse, sprang from the blood of Medusa when Perseus beheaded her. The horse was later tamed by Bellerophon with a golden bridle given by Athena. Together, they defeated the fire-breathing Chimera and accomplished other heroic deeds. However, when Bellerophon attempted to fly to Mount Olympus, Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, causing the horse to buck and throw its rider back to Earth. Pegasus continued to Olympus, where he served Zeus by carrying his thunderbolts.
💡 Fakten
- ✦The Great Square of Pegasus is an excellent guide for finding the Andromeda Galaxy and other autumn constellations
- ✦51 Pegasi was the first Sun-like star found to have an exoplanet (in 1995), revolutionizing our understanding of planetary systems
- ✦The globular cluster M15 is one of the densest known and contains a planetary nebula at its core