Baleia
Whale (Ceti)
Cetus, the Whale or Sea Monster, is the fourth-largest constellation and lies in a region of the sky known as 'the Water,' surrounded by other aquatic constellations. It contains Mira, the prototype of an important class of pulsating variable stars, and several notable galaxies. Though called 'the Whale' today, Cetus represents the sea monster from Greek mythology.
📜 Mitologia
Cetus was the terrible sea monster sent by Poseidon to ravage the kingdom of Ethiopia after Queen Cassiopeia's boast that she and her daughter Andromeda were more beautiful than the Nereids. To save the kingdom, Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice. The hero Perseus, returning from slaying Medusa, spotted the maiden and her monstrous attacker. He either turned Cetus to stone with Medusa's head or slew it with his sword (versions differ), saving Andromeda and winning her as his bride.
💡 Fatos curiosos
- ✦Mira ('the Wonderful') was the first non-supernova variable star discovered, varying from magnitude 2 to 10 over 332 days
- ✦Tau Ceti is one of the nearest Sun-like stars at 12 light-years and hosts a planetary system
- ✦M77 (Cetus A) is one of the largest Seyfert galaxies known, with an active supermassive black hole