Lagarto
Lizard (Lacertae)
Lacerta, the Lizard, is a small, faint constellation in the northern sky wedged between Cygnus, Cassiopeia, and Andromeda. Created by Johannes Hevelius in 1687, it fills a gap between larger, more prominent constellations. Despite its obscurity, Lacerta contains the prototype blazar BL Lacertae, one of the most energetic types of active galactic nuclei.
📜 Mitología
Lacerta is a modern constellation with no classical mythology. Johannes Hevelius created it in 1687 to fill an area of sky without ancient designations. Several other astronomers proposed different figures for these stars, including a scepter and an ermine, but Hevelius's lizard eventually became the accepted figure. Some sources suggest Hevelius chose a lizard because this small, common creature fit the region's pattern of faint stars.
💡 Datos curiosos
- ✦BL Lacertae is the prototype 'blazar,' an extremely variable and luminous active galactic nucleus
- ✦Lacerta contains several open clusters including NGC 7209 and NGC 7243
- ✦The constellation's zig-zag pattern of stars somewhat resembles a lizard's shape