Golfinho
Dolphin (Delphini)
Delphinus, the Dolphin, is a small but charming constellation that actually resembles its namesake - a dolphin leaping from the water. Its distinctive diamond-shaped body with a tail is easy to spot near the Summer Triangle. Despite its small size, this ancient constellation has been recognized since antiquity and carries beautiful mythology.
📜 Mitologia
Delphinus represents the dolphin sent by Poseidon to find the sea nymph Amphitrite, who had fled to escape the god's attentions. The dolphin successfully persuaded Amphitrite to become Poseidon's queen, and the grateful god placed the dolphin among the stars. Another myth credits the dolphin with saving the life of Arion, a legendary musician. Pirates threw Arion overboard, but dolphins, attracted by his music, carried him safely to shore.
💡 Fatos curiosos
- ✦The names Rotanev and Sualocin (alpha and beta Delphini) are 'Nicolaus Venator' spelled backward, a joke by an astronomer
- ✦Delphinus is sometimes called 'Job's Coffin' after a faint diamond asterism within it
- ✦NGC 6934 is a globular cluster in Delphinus visible in small telescopes