Archive for December, 2009

Grains of sand in madness

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

zzzzzzzzzzzzz14Etoile
This grain of sand in the shape of a star has been unearthed on a beach of Taketomi Island in Japan. This sand contains the remains of shells of foraminifera, single-celled organisms.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz15Garnet
The sand sample was taken on Plum Island, Massachusetts. One can clearly observe different minerals: pink, garnet, black, magnetite (igneous rock) and green, the epiodote, a mineral belonging to the family of silicates.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz13Grain
This small grain of sand is a blue piece of shell polished by wave action. It is surrounded by a fragment of shell pink, a white and orange foraminifer, a microscopic shell orange, a volcanic rock and then a piece of coral.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz16Volcano
This photograph shows grains of volcanic rock, basalt (black), but also fragments of shells and grains of olivine (green). This sample of sand from Koki Beach in Maui, Hawaii.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz17Copper
The hand of man can sometimes unwittingly do things. On a beach in New Mexico, Gary Greenberg has recovered this assemblage of two grains of copper probably coming from a chimney casting.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz18Marble
Marble is a mineral extremely bright, it comes from the Greek island of Delos. This site is a top archaeological site. The marble was transported to the island and was used to build many temples. Over time erosion has done its work and reduced the marble grains.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz19Olivine
Lumahai Beach in Hawaii is a beach-rich volcanic rocks. Normal for a volcanic island. It contains a mineral that is found very often basalt, olivine. It is highly resistant to ravages of time and the mechanical action of waves.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz20Coral
Beach Geriba Brazil holds incredible treasures. The photographer Gary Greenberg highlights in this photograph a magnificent piece of pink coral, surrounded by multicolored shell fragments.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz21Bosses
The sand of the tropics contains quantities of organic fragments. Here, the piece contains small white bumps that match instead of inserting spines of echinoderms. It is a sea urchin shell; sample left too.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz22Quartz
This sample of sand could be mistaken for stones. But no, they are grains of sand taken from Flagler Beach. There is here in white quartz crystals.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz23Toward
That may well contain this little piece of shell taken from the beach Brazilian Geriba? This actually marks left by worms live in the enclosed fragment. These animals abound in the waters of this region.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz24Spiral
These little rods surrounding the central fragment of shell are none other than the spicules of sponges. These fragments are their silica skeleton and take different forms. They are very sharp.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz25Iron
These mineral surfaces slightly pock-marked and polished are typical grains of desert sand. These come from the Sahara in the Moroccan side.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz26Collection
Sand Hawaiian Maui also contains many volcanic rocks such as basalt, that biological remains as sea urchin spines, fragments of shells, the remains of sponge and also pieces of coral.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz27Volcanic
The red color of the rock, found in Makena Point in Hawaii, is due to iron oxides. This rock is the result of solidification of molten magma.

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The Trocadero is donning the colors of the Universe

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

zzzzzzzzzzzzz6Galaxy:
The galaxy Messier 81 is recognizable by its spiral shape. But she is not alone as the Milky Way to have this particular form. This type of galaxy can contain billions of stars.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz5Exoplanets:
The planets are planets revolving around a star other than the sun. The first extrasolar planet was discovered in 1995 by two Swiss researchers. This artistic representation above corresponds to Epsilon Eridani is located 10.5 light years from Earth.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz7Colors:
The 4 telescopes of 8.2 m in diameter of the ESO in the foreground with small telescopes auxiliary forming the Very Large Interferometer (VLT) have an arsenal of advanced technology. They scrutinize the celestial bodies to better understand the universe.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz8Stars:
Despite technological advances in navigation such as GPS, nothing is good to find out. Like sailors, the spacecraft will now proceed with these bright spots. © CFHT / Coleum.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz9March:
After the conquest of the Moon, Mars became a planet in the solar system’s most visible among scientists. Many missions are currently underway on its soil, traces of liquid water have even been identified. Next challenge: the establishment of a station on Mars in 2030.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz10Titan:
Titan, a moon of Saturn is seen from every angle since early 2005 by the European probe Huygens. Traces of methane lakes have been detected and the presence of strong winds blowing at over 360 km / h.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz11Birth:
Star formation near the interest of scientists. These nurseries are non giant clouds of gas high in alcohol, ammonia, water vapor, hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz12Origin:
Science stumble today on the beginnings of the universe. What triggered this incredible chain reaction called Big Bang? To uncover the mystery of the origin, the researchers sent the Planck satellite, May 14 last.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzExhibition:
The gardens of the Trocadero in Paris, host of 21 October to 1 November 2009, the new exhibition of CNRS “Mysteries of the Universe”. Program: entertainment, lectures, film screenings and a photographic exhibition open to the public.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzUniverse:
This event occurs in the context of the International Year of Astronomy. Visitors can see beautiful images in the image of the Nebula cat above. The exhibition is divided into twelve themes.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz1Comments:
To understand the universe, we must observe both the space of land. ALMA is a European project which would see the day in 2012. The radio interferometer of 66 antennas of 12 m in diameter will be like a giant radio telescope that will bring together all the observations collected by each antenna. They will study the formation of stars and galaxies.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz2Energy:
The Earth is bombarded by incredible jets of particles called cosmic rays. They are the traces of violent events occurred in the Universe. Thanks to many tools, scientists can now study them. It should not be confused with the solar wind particles responsible for auroras like the one shown above.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz3Sun:
This illustration is face to face the angry sun and the protective layer of the Earth’s magnetosphere. This helps protect our planet explosions of solar particles whose effects could be devastating. Despite the shield, solar winds create disturbances on the satellite and terrestrial environment.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz4Saturn:
These rings 300 000 km in diameter, which corresponds to the distance Earth-Moon-ntriguent scientists wishing to study their composition and their formation. These concentric circles are composed of ice balls ranging from 1 cm to 10 m in diameter.

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“From kiss the baby”: the magic of life

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

zzzzz21Fetuses The characteristic of “Man, from a biological, none other than reproduction. From the choice of partner for the birth of the child, retrace all the steps that the human body through.

zzzzz22Seduction First leg of our journey: the attraction between the sexes. The voice is a secondary sexual characteristic that plays a role in the seduction of another. Above, a unique image! The scanner allows for a true recovery of the vocal cords and lungs in the background.

zzzzz23Body Under the effect of caresses, the brain sends more blood to the skin surface. The camera records the heat waves of heat emitted by the body, which vary depending on their temperature. It can highlight an increase of 3 degrees of heat to the surface of the skin.

zzzzz24Partner Kisses and love we are feeling the effect of a drug. Taking cocaine active indeed the same brain areas.

zzzzz25Bisou Scientists have discovered the existence of taste receptors and taste buds on the inner surfaces of the lips.

zzzzz26Fertilization This amazing image was produced at the electron microscope, one technique to restore volume in the two sex cells of the human body: the egg and sperm.

zzzzz27Meeting The oocyte measures about 100 microns, the thickness of a hair-and microscopic sperm, which seeks to force a passage that does 3.

zzzzz28Marathon Even under favorable conditions (ovulation) intercourse does balance that once out of four “babies”. Must still reach a sperm to fertilize an egg.

zzzzz29Life Fourth week, the outline of the heart. Three weeks after fertilization, the heart beats!

zzzzz30Development It is called an embryo until the eighth or tenth week of pregnancy. In addition, we are talking about fetuses. In this picture we can clearly see the fetal limb and its vasculature.

zzzzz31Eye Located on the side of the head, the eyes move toward the front of the face gradually with the development of the head. They are still sealed.

zzzzz32Gender At 12 weeks, sexual differentiation occurs. Before it is impossible to say whether the mother is expecting a boy or a girl.

zzzzz33Appendix From the twelfth week, the genital tubercle begins to develop to tender or to a penis or a clitoris, and to a vagina.

zzzzz34Penis In boys, the penis is formed, followed 2 weeks later by the glans and foreskin.

zzzzz35First parent-child In the fifth month the fetus takes real facial expressions. Thanks to advances in 3D ultrasound, the fetal facial expressions become observable.

zzzzz36Ultrasound Because of the quality of these three-dimensional images, some parents will find similarities with members of their families.

zzzzz37Mimicry In the womb, the fetus is already beginning to enjoy some grimaces and other facial expressions.

zzzzz38Smile Although he began to smile or grimace in utero, it will take some time to understand your baby and absorb all our facial expressions.

zzzzz39Birth Eventually, when fetal lungs are finally ready to move from water to air they expel large quantities of proteins: the surfactants. By regurgitating this chemical cocktail, the fetus activates macrophages mother contained in amniotic fluid. These macrophages then penetrate into the uterine wall, his trigger inflammation and early contractions.

zzzzz40Technology The pictures obtained by 3D ultrasound are very accurate, as seen in this comparison with the face of a newborn child.

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Head to head with insects

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

zzzz76Bombyx


The mulberry is famous for its caterpillars, the silkworm. The butterfly does not fly and not feeding. It is the only truly domesticated insect man, he no longer live in the wild.

zzzz77Bee

This solitary bee burrow into the soil a gallery divided into cubicles that caters pollen before they lay their eggs. His long tongue allows it to reach the nectar at the end of the corolla.

zzzz78Owl butterfly

This large butterfly of the rainforest thrives on rotting fruit, sap or liquid that draws on corpses or feces. It is distinguished only when it is resting on a trunk.

zzzz79Weevil

The scaly patches of this weevil return all the colors of the rainbow sky. By hiding the shape of her body and they serve as camouflage amid the lush tropical vegetation.

zzzz82Bluebottle

We do not like this fly because it lays on the meat. Yet its role in nature is essential: by eating the corpses, their larvae, maggots, help recycle organic matter. Transformed into humus, it can then be used by plants.

zzzz83Cetonia

The green color of this flower beetle is due to the withdrawal of light on thin slices stacked in the thickness of the shell. Its larva is a large white worm that lives in soil and eat the wood rotted.

zzzz84Lamp Holder

To frighten his enemies, fly coffee Guiana abruptly dismisses her wings and sets the two huge “eyes” of its hind wings.

zzzz85Grasshopper

The conocephale common reed wetlands vegetation to tall reeds, sedges, grasses and weeds.

zzzz87Ant

The red ants protect the forest by removing trees from their insect pests. They are protected because their nests are threatened by fires and forest degradation.

zzzz88Polyommatus daphnis

It is a butterfly from 18 to 19 mm wingspan. It lives in dry grasslands. His trunk dredge consists of two contiguous grooves in a flexible tube.

zzzz89Tarnished harlequin

Mating takes several hours, then we see them move on umbels tied in pairs by the abdomen.

zzzz90Butterfly disparate

This butterfly is called “disparate” because adults are very different: the large white female can not fly, while the male, and small brown flies well. The caterpillar on his forehead bears two black spots resembling eyes.

zzzz91False hornet

Syrphids by their colors, their flight buzzing often imitate the perfection of wasps or bees. Although harmless, they are so afraid to predators who are wary of poisonous insects.

zzzz92Phasme

These chewing insects mimic plants they eat. Similar to a smooth or spiny branch, or a leaf, stick insects can remain motionless for hours in blending perfectly with their environment.

zzzz93Weevil Madagascar

The weevils carry their antennae and chewing mouthparts at the end of a long snout or trunk. They feed on all plants. The smallest is 1 mm long and the largest, 7 cm.

zzzz94Capricorn

The horned beetles or are identified by their very long antennae. The larvae bore into the wood. The beautiful colors of these Sternotomis Africa are due to end down colored scales covering their shells.

zzzz95Horsefly

The adults feed on nectar and pollen but the female must also make blood meal to ensure the maturation of its eggs. They bite mostly cows and horses, rarely men.

zzzz96Tarnished

The smell of bugs like the taste of whiskey are due to the same substance: trans-2-hexenal. The bright colors, red and black, this insect warn predators that it is inedible.

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Skylon, the supersonic aircraft

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

zzzz55Skylon: en route to space business
The Skylon spaceplane is being conceptualization. Reaction Engines Limited hopes to put that gear on the market within 10 years. It will measure 82 meters long and will trade space.

zzzz56Hangar Reserve
The space plane out of its maintenance hangar where it is inspected after each return to Earth and repaired if necessary.

zzzz57Refueling station
The craft was towed to the loading bay of the goods. He will receive his support for space.

zzzz58Placing the burden
The charge is intended to Skylon channeled by a system of rail to the cargo bay of the aircraft. This system requires no human intervention.

zzzz60En route to the runway
Before takeoff, Skylon is driven pump to fill oxygen and liquid hydrogen. They are sources of energy to the spacecraft.

zzzz61Off like a real plane
The final tests are made on the runway. The reactors Saber start walking and can take off like any horizontal plane.

zzzz62Thrusters premium
During takeoff, the engine operating mode Saber brewing air classic.

zzzz63Unimaginable speed
The reactors can reach speeds of Mach 5.5 which is equivalent to 6 732 km / h. This corresponds to more than 5.5 times the speed of sound.

zzzz64Beginning the ascent
During the first phase of the rise in lower layers of the atmosphere, the engines operate by circulating the air. They cool the air before its entry.

zzzz65Reactors fueled with liquid oxygen
To facilitate the ascent of the craft, the engines pass mode rocket. For this, they will use liquid oxygen to feed.

zzzz66En route to the stars
In the upper layers of the atmosphere, the control system of the altitude changes. We pass to the system RCS (Reaction Control System) used by all current space shuttle.

zzzz67Orbit
For the orbit, Skylon will use four small engines OMS (orbital motors) located in the tail, more engines Saber.

zzzz68Making contact
Once in orbit, the doors of the loading area and open communication can be established.

zzzz69Jettison of the goods
A typical mission that will lead Skylon the orbit of many satellites. This system will be cheaper for businesses.

zzzz71End of mission
Once the mission is completed, the communication antenna is returned to the shuttle and loading doors are closed.

zzzz72Deceleration of the Space Shuttle
The four engines orbital WHO are then lit to allow deceleration of the shuttle and a descent to an entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

zzzz73Penetration in the delicate atmosphere
During penetration, atmospheric shield ceramic reaches a temperature of 1 100 Kelvin or 827 ° C. The heat is sent outside. If ever the heat through the heat shield, balls remaining hydrogen will absorb the liquid.

zzzz74Back on Earth
As with any airplane, Skylon is also equipped with landing gear for take off and arrive safely on the runway.

zzzz75Mission accomplished for the shuttle Skylon
Upon his arrival, Skylon has led to its maintenance hangar to be auscultated and almost ready for a new mission.

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World of Microbes

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

zzzz40Salmonella

zzzz41Microbe

This beautiful photograph, neutrophils (green), cells that defend the front line the body against intruders, engulf the bacteria Streptococcus pyogenes. This mecanislme called phagocytosis. This bacterium is the cause of angina red.
Salmonella is responsible for many diseases including typhoid fever, which continues to wreak havoc in poor countries. The majority of these bacteria are found in foods and cause major digestive problems.

zzzz42HIV

In this picture, HIV (red) is now sprouting on lymphocytes, cells of the protective agency. This virus is the cause of AIDS, a disease that destroys the human immune system.

zzzz43Ebola

The Ebola virus is extremely virulent and attack both apes and humans. This virus is transmitted through bodily fluids and leads to destruction of the liver and kidneys. The patient died of massive bleeding.

zzzz44Clostridium

This bacteria or bacilli (rod shaped) is found naturally in the intestinal flora of man. But when it is weakened, the bacteria grows and secretes two toxins responsible for acute diarrhea.

>zzzz45Tuberculosis

High fever, night sweats, persistent cough with expectoration of blood, here are the symptoms of tuberculosis, a disease caused by tubercle bacillus. The means of preventing infection is to get vaccinated is the famous BCG.

zzzz46Anthrax

It caused panic in the U.S. just after September 11, 2001. The anthrax or anthrax is caused by Bacillus antracis a highly pathogenic bacteria and ultimately lethal. It attacks both skin, the respiratory or digestive

zzzz47Legionellosis

The Legionella bacteria are naturally present in water. They are growing massively at temperatures between 25 and 42 ° C. Most pathogens produce, among those most vulnerable, severe pulmonary insufficiency, Legionnaires’ disease.

zzzz48Influenza A

There is much talk about him now, the H1N1 virus responsible for a form of flu so virulent. there is another strain of influenza that, taken in time, causes the death of the patient.

zzzz49MRSA

Staphylococcus aureus is the bacterium that is present in most hospitals and is responsible for many nosocomial infections. This bacterium is often resistant to antibiotics so difficult to eradicate.

zzzz50E.coli

Escherichia coli is a bacteria present in the intestinal flora of man to allow digestion. It speaks of commensalism. This bacterium can grow abnormally and cause, among other things, gastro-enteritis and urinary tract infections.

zzzz51Avian

Each winter, influenza virus is being talked about. It infects millions of French, it’s the flu, of course. Even today, this disease can be treated relatively well, it still kills nearly 2 000 people per year in France, especially the most vulnerable.

zzzz52Measles

Parents fear it yet inescapable: the measles virus will hit your little darlings. The virion belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae which includes the mumps.

zzzz53Streptococcus C



C streptococcus is not the family of the most virulent streptococci (there are seven in total). We can fight it with an injection of penicillin, a powerful antibiotic.

zzzz54H5N1

Influenza A spear him, right now, but the star bird flu is still there. He is responsible for the decimation of many birds, the H5N1 virus. Transmission to humans can occur but also between men.

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A changing world

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

zzzz28The ozone layer

Since the 70s, scientists found that the stratospheric ozone layer, responsible for protecting living organisms from harmful effects of UV rays, reduces visibly in depth but also horizontally, just above the frozen continent, Antarctica.

Since 1979, the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) Ozone Monitoring Spectrometer register variations of this “hole” Ozone.

The maximum loss is reached in 2006, since the situation is stabilizing. Human activities are greatly responsible for this worrying state of ozone. The emission of chlorofluorocarbons from the years 30 destroyed much of the stratospheric layer.

zzzz29Deforestation in the Amazon

These two images show the extent of deforestation in Amazonia, especially in the state of Rondonia in western Brazil. Within 10 years, numerous cases have literally invaded the rainforest of this region. Most of these huge scars are totally illegal.

Results in thirty years 208 000 km ² have disappeared, destroying the habitat of many species and depleting the soil passage. This corresponds to the size of the U.S. state of Kansas.

The timber trade but also the needs of plots for farming and urbanization have been due to tropical forest land. Americas Africa, Indonesia and Southeast Asia is literally stripped of their green lungs to meet the needs of a global population still growing.

zzzz30The Aral Sea is dying

Unfortunately, it embodies the folly of man and especially the devastating effects of agricultural needs. The Fourth Sea world has borne the brunt of the deviation of two of its main tributaries in order to irrigate mostly cotton fields in the arid region of Central Asia.

Since the 60s, the Soviet Union uses this input of freshwater from the mountains to their crops. Result: 40 years later, a major ecological disaster is happening. The images (which began only in 2000) reveal the extent of damage. The Aral Sea will disappear, obliterating any civilization living around through fishing.

To try to salvage what little can be, Kazakhstan in 2005 built a dam between the northern and southern sea Objective: to save the Northern Aral Sea by the freshwater input via River Syrdar’ya. In one year, scientists have observed a significant increase in the level of water in this region.

zzzz31The Antarctic ice

To see the magnitude of the impact of global warming on the ice of Antarctica, scientific missions have been launched with the radiograph of the frozen continent in September and February each year, the periods of maximum and minimum ice.

For 10 years, data collected show a significant stabilization of the ice sheet but if we look more closely, we find that certain areas of the frozen ocean is more or less affected by loss of ice. The Ross Sea (at the bottom of the image) and the Amundsen Sea (lower left) show a significant decrease in ice formation. Signs of global warming.

zzzz32Lake Powell

Second largest artificial lake in the United States with its 300 km long, Lake Powell was built in the 60s through the construction of Glen Canyon Dam. Since 1963, the lake is filling slowly and can reach depths of 150 meters.

But in the early twenty-first century, a terrible drought hit the region causing a drop of 17 meters of water level of the lake. Images taken by NASA satellite Landsat 5 shows the north-east of the lake, at the crossroads of the dam and the Colorado River. There is indeed a significant decrease in water level between the two plates.

zzzz33The marshes in Iraq

Long marshes in Iraq have been subject to retaliatory measures against dissident populations in Saddam Hussein’s regime. Many dams and canals draining the waters of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in some regions near the Iran-Iraq border.

Sign the 2003 fall of the dictator’s reign. Iraqis destroy all the dams causing flooding in many marshes. Marshes found an ecosystem and a luxuriant vegetation for the survival of populations. In 2006, an environmental program of the United Nations indicates that 58% of the marshes have been restored.

Yet the image taken by the MODIS satellite in 2009 shows the drying of many wetlands, the consequences of a severe drought but also the construction of dams.

zzzz34Melting ice

The same stands in the Arctic and the Antarctic. Since 2000, a battery of satellite observations can see variations in the extent and thickness of ice in September and March. For 10 years the amount of ice decreases more and more especially during the summer.

The Arctic has certainly cycles of natural fluctuations, but in this case, the greenhouse effect due to the emission of gases such as CO2 is directly responsible for the amplification and especially the increase of melting ice in this region.

zzzz35Urbanization of Dubai

Images taken by the ASTER satellite speak for themselves. In less than ten years, this little corner of the UAE what Dubai has literally rebuilt his way to the coast along the Persian Gulf. To accommodate the many tourists but also investors and multimillionaires in the world, policymakers have not hesitated to undertake massive and create entire islands of the sea, like those palm islands home to luxury villas.

The red images represent the vegetation and the brown, sandy soil, gray and blue, structures and buildings, and finally dark blue sea

zzzz36Distribution of the biosphere

The maps show the distribution of chlorophyll in the oceans of the world, and the density of vegetation on the continents.

The chlorophyll in the oceans is due to phytoplankton, tiny algae responsible for providing oxygen through photosynthesis. The concentration of these organisms is highest in cold water at the poles but also in areas of cold currents near the equator and along the coasts of continents. These currents from the depths, upwelling, bring nutrients to the surface necessary for the growth of micro-organisms such as algae. Within 10 years, changes in chlorophyll content of the oceans have changed little since the intake of nutrients, water, light and temperature have changed little over time.

This is not the case for the distribution of the continental vegetation. Some areas have seen great changes in water supply and temperature. This is the case of the Sahel, Australia, the steppes of Central Asia. Changing the settings directly affects plant growth.

zzzz37Solar Cycles

The spacecraft Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) shows absolutely incredible images of the Sun in ultraviolet light. Its mission is to study the internal structure of the body heat of the atmosphere but also the origins of the solar wind …

An average solar cycle lasts 11 years but can vary between 8 and 15 years. These two pictures show the variations in solar activity. In 2000, several explosions occurred on the surface and even beyond the atmosphere as showers. It is they who are sources of solar wind. By cons in 2009, the sun came up in a wave of calm.

These activity changes are not without consequence for the Earth. During phases of explosions and intense magnetic activity, temperatures increase significantly on our planet. Conversely, during periods of very quiet solar, terrestrial temperatures tend to decrease.

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The family constellations

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

zzzz8Compass

Name: Circinus

Comments

Visibility: 20 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: South

Form: a compass. It is a small constellation difficult to collect because it has no bright stars. It lies at the feet of the Centaur.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 0

Constellations neighboring

Centaur

Bird of paradise

Fly

Loup …

zzzz10Cygnus (the Northern Cross)

Name: cygnus

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 40 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Form: a bird. Do not be confused with the eagle as the form is fairly close. This constellation is very bright and therefore easy to observe.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 4

Constellations neighboring

Dragon

Pegasus

Lyre

Cepheus …

Mythology

Zeus was transformed into a swan in order to seduce Leda. Helen and Pollux were the fruit of their love.

zzzz11Hunting Dogs

Name: Cetus

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 40 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Form: short straight line

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 1

Constellations neighboring

Big Dipper

Coma Berenices

Trivia

This constellation was introduced by Johannes Hevelius in 1687. It would be ostensibly fill the gap west of the constellation Ursa Major.

zzzz1The Great Bear
Name: Ursa Major
Comments
Latitude: above 41 degrees north
Hemisphere: Northern
Form pan or carriage
Size: Third largest constellation
Celestial Objects
Stars: 7
Constellations neighboring
Dragon
Hound
Coma Berenices
Lynx …
Mythology
The Big Dipper is the nymph Callisto, lover of Zeus. It was transformed into Ursa Major by Hera, wife of Zeus, when she discovered their affair.
Little Bear is just the son of Callisto, Arcas.

zzzz2Cassiopeia
Name: Cassiopeia
Comments
Visibility: 90 ° North and 20 ° South
Hemisphere: Northern
Form letter “W”
Celestial Objects
Stars shining: 4
Constellations neighboring
Andromeda
Cepheus
Perseus
Giraffe …
Mythology
Cassiopeia was a queen of Ethiopia in Greek mythology. She is the wife of Cepheus and mother of Andromeda. Wishing to rob the beauty of the Nereids, sea nymphs, the benefit of his daughter Andromeda, it irritates Poseidon, god of the Sea This exposes her daughter to a sea monster, Cetus the whale.

zzzz3Dragon
Name: Draco
Comments
Visibility: 90 ° North and 15 ° South
Hemisphere: Northern
Form: sinuous line along the Little Dipper. It consists of a few bright stars where the need for excellent observing conditions. We see first the dragon’s head forming a diamond.
Celestial Objects
Stars shining: 3
Constellations neighboring
Big Dipper
Ursa Minor
Cepheus
Swan …
Mythology
The dragon is an animal often reported in Greek mythology. It was both the guardian of the Golden Fleece as the garden of the Hesperides where were the famous golden apples.

zzzz4Andromeda
Name: andromeda
Comments
Visibility: 90 ° North and 40 ° South
Hemisphere: Northern
Form letter “A”
Celestial Objects
Stars shining: 3
Constellations neighboring
Cassiopeia
Pegasus
Perseus
Cepheus …
Mythology
She is the daughter of the queen of Ethiopia Cassiopeia and Cepheus. She was sacrificed by his mother to appease the anger of Cetus the whale that was ravaging the coasts. She tied a rock to be devoured by the whale, but it was saved by Perseus who killed the monster.

zzzz5Eagle
Name: aquila
Comments
Visibility: between 85 degrees north and 75 ° South
Hemisphere: North and South. It is located on the celestial equator.

Form: type of dinosaur (2 diamonds and a line perpendicular)

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 3

Constellations neighboring

Capricorn

Hercules

Pegasus

Aquarius …

Mythology

Zeus, the god of gods, had a fearsome bird of prey called the Eagle of the Caucasus. He sent for revenge. It was he who nibbled the liver of Prometheus chained then, before he was rescued by Perseus.

zzzz6Capricorn

Name: Aries

Comments

Visibility: 60 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Form: Dunce cap. It is difficult to see because it is composed of faint stars.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 1

Constellations neighboring

Sagittarius

Aquarius

Fish

Eagle …

Signs of the Zodiac

Between December 22 and January 19.

zzzz7Centaur

Name: Centaurus

Comments

Visibility: 30 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: South

Form: It is not very visible. It is very spread out a constellation in the sky. Furthermore, it must be located in the tropics of the southern hemisphere to see well.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 10

Constellations neighboring

Hydra

Compass

Southern Cross

Sails …

Mythology

The centaur is a mythical creature of Greek mythilogie, half man, half horse. This constellation is the embodiment of the wisest of them, Chiron, tutor of Jason and Heracles (Hercules).

zzzz12Gemini

Name: gemini

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 60 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Form: 2 snowmen. You can spot from the Big Dipper.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 3

Constellations neighboring

Cancer

Orion

Unicorn

Taurus …

Mythology

According to mythology, this constellation represents the twins Castor and Pollux (Greek) or Romulus and Remus (Roman) the founders of Rome.

zzzz13Hercules

Name: hercules

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 50 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Form: a man kneeling or lying

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 2

Constellations neighboring

Eagle

Dragon

Snake

Bouvier

Mythology

Hercules is the Roman name of the Greek hero Heracles who performed twelve labors. He is the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal. He was poisoned by clothing donated by his wife Deianeira.

zzzz14Unicorn

Name: monoceros

Comments

Visibility: 75 ° North and 85 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South. It is visible everywhere on earth except the poles.

Featured: it is difficult to observe because its stars are faint.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 0

Constellations neighboring

Gemini

Hydra

Canis Major

Orion …

History

This animal does not attest to the mythology. This is a fantastic animal with one horn. Legend has it that the blood of this creature makes man immortal.

This constellation has been mapped in 1624 by Jakob Bartsch.

zzzz15Orion, the hunter

Name: orion

Comments

Visibility: between 85 degrees north and 65 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Form a kind of “X”

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 8

Constellations neighboring

Gemini

Licrone

Taurus

Hare …

Mythology

This constellation is most visible on Earth and is also the oldest.

In Greek mythology, Orion is a proud hunter who said to kill any animal. It would have been killed by the scorpion (hence its position opposed to the hunter).

zzzz16Pegasus

Name: pegasus

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 60 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Featured: it is located north of Andromeda. It is shaped like a square.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 5

Constellations neighboring

Andromeda

Swan

Fish

Aquarius …

Mythology

Who does not know the famous winged horse white. Pegasus is the son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and the Medusa. It was the steed of Zeus. He was responsible for bringing the thunder and lightning on Mount Olympus.

zzzz17Perseus

Name: perseus

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 35 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Form: five-pointed star prominently.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 5

Constellations neighboring

Cassiopeia

Andromeda

Taurus

Aries …

Mythology

Perseus is a hero of Greek mythology. He saved, among others, Ptolemy claws of the eagle sent by Zeus Caucasus. But it also freed the daughter of Cassiopeia, Andromeda, a terrible death. She must serve meals to the monster Cetus.

zzzz18Scorpio

Name: scorpius

Comments

Visibility: 40 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: South

Form: thorax of a scorpion brilliant.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 13

Constellations neighboring

Balance

Corona Borealis,

Sagittarius …

Mythology

The Scorpion is a beast of Greek mythology sent by Artemis, goddess of hunting, to kill the hunter Orion.

Other versions say that this is Apollo, the god of sunlight, music that would have sent. He was jealous of the relationship between Artemis and Orion.

zzzz19Sculptor

Name: sculptor

Comments

Visibility: 50 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: South

Form letter “y”

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 0

Constellations neighboring

Scabbard

Crane

Phoenix

Whale ..

History

This constellation was introduced in 1752 by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. Its original name was “the workshop of the sculptor.

zzzz21Taurus

Name: taurus

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 65 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Shape: A-shaped end of “V”

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 4

Constellations neighboring

Aries

Check

Gemini

Orion …

Mythology

In Greek mythology, Zeus, the god of gods, turned into a white bull to remove Europe.

The bull is also present in a famous mythological creature, the Minotaur (half man, half bull), sent on the island of Minos by Poseidon.

zzzz22Triangle

Name: triangulum

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 50 ° South

Hemisphere: Northern

Form a triangle

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 0

Constellations neighboring

Andromeda

Aries

Perseus

Posson

History

This constellation is one of the few, with the balance, not to come from a myth. It is also following a geometric figure.

Its shape recalls a Greek letter, delta.

zzzz23Virgin

Name: virgo

Comments

Visibility: 80 ° North and 80 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Shape: A person alllongée but it is difficult to see necessarily in that form.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 3

Constellations neighboring

Balance

Cup

Head Snake ….

Mythology

The Virgin is not a mythical character in particular. It would embody all the goddesses.

zzzz24The Sails

Name: vela

Comments

Visibility: 30 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: South

Shape: A sail boat

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 5

Constellations neighboring

Compass

Centaur

Stern …

Mythology

For some astronomers, this constellation of Argo follows with which Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece.

History

The constellation Vela is only part of the constellation called Argo by Ptolemy. In 1750 Nicolas Louis de Lacaille subdivides into three smaller constrellations: Carina, Puppis and Sails.

zzzz25Cancer

Name: Cancer

Comments

Visibility: 90 ° North and 60 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Form letter “Y” reversed

Featured: it is lackluster. We see it as it is located between the constellation of Gemini and the head of Leo.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 0

Constellations neighboring

Gemini

Hydra

Small Dog

Lynx …

Mythology

The constellation Cancer is always compared to a crab, which in Greek mythology, is an animal sent by Hera, the wife of Zeus, to stop Heracles (Hercules) in his fight against the Hydra.

Cancer is also a sign of the zodiac.

zzzz26Hydra

Name: Hydra

Comments

Visibility: 60 ° North and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Form: a bit like Nessie, the Loch Ness monster.

Featured: it is very difficult to observe because it is very scattered.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 2

Constellations neighboring

Balance

Cancer

Centaur

Unicorn ….

Mythology

This refers to consetllation Greek monster, the Hydra of Lerna. This creature has a dog’s body and several heads of a snake which is immortal. She was killed by Heracles (Hercules) during the twelve labors.

zzzz27Sagittarius (the Arcifere)

Name: sagittarius

Comments

Visibility: between 55 degrees north and 90 ° South

Hemisphere: North and South

Featured: constelllation is a brilliant which lies between the Capricorn and Ophiuchus.

Celestial Objects

Stars shining: 7

Constellations neighboring

Eagle

Capricorn

Scorpio

Telescope …

Mythology

Sagittarius is associated, for some, the centaur who received Pholos Heracles (Hercules) in his home.

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