HOME | DD

Description

Thirty Fourth in my Constellations series of stamps

Draco is a Constellation in the far northern sky, and a circumpolar constellation. The north pole of the ecliptic is located in Draco. Thuban, a star in this constellation, was the Pole Star from 3942 BC to 1793 BC; the Egyptian Pyramids were designed to have one side face north, with an entrance passageway aligned so that Thuban would be visible at night; Thuban will be the Pole Star again around AD 21000; Iota Draconis, also in this Constellation, was the Pole Star before Thuban. Kappa Draconis was an approximate Pole Star in 1793 BC; however the Precission of the Equinoxes have shifted into the neighbouring Constellation of Ursa Minor. The Cat's Eye Nebula is located in this Constellation. There are a number of faint galaxies in this constellation, and the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall, the largest known object in the Universe, is located in the southern part of Draco. In Greek Mythology Draco represents the dragon Ladon, who guarded the Golden Apples of the Hesperides (Nymphs of the evening light). Heracles killed Ladon as part of his twelve labours. In Greco-Roman Mythology Draco represents a dragon killed by Minerva during the Titan War; the dragon was a member of the Giantes. As Minerva threw the dragon into the air, the dragon became twisted and froze around the North Celestial Pole. Draco may also represent Typhon, the son of Gaia in Greek Mythology. In traditional Arabic astronomy, Draco isn't seen as a dragon; instead it is seen as a pair of hyenas (Eta Draconis and Zeta Draconis) attacking a baby camel (Dim star near Beta Draconis) protected by four female camels (Beta Draconis, Gamma Draconis, Nu Draconis and Xi Draconis). In some Mythologies, Draco is a dragon with 100 heads, who guarded the golden apples and was put into the sky as a reward for his valour. Other myths about the dragon is obscure. There is a meteor shower, which was discovered in 2011, called the February Eta Draconids; the scource body is an unknown long-period comet.

Description

Thirty Fourth in my Constellations series of stamps

Draco is a Constellation in the far northern sky, and a circumpolar constellation. The north pole of the ecliptic is located in Draco. Thuban, a star in this constellation, was the Pole Star from 3942 BC to 1793 BC; the Egyptian Pyramids were designed to have one side face north, with an entrance passageway aligned so that Thuban would be visible at night; Thuban will be the Pole Star again around AD 21000; Iota Draconis, also in this Constellation, was the Pole Star before Thuban. Kappa Draconis was an approximate Pole Star in 1793 BC; however the Precission of the Equinoxes have shifted into the neighbouring Constellation of Ursa Minor. The Cat's Eye Nebula is located in this Constellation. There are a number of faint galaxies in this constellation, and the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall, the largest known object in the Universe, is located in the southern part of Draco. In Greek Mythology Draco represents the dragon Ladon, who guarded the Golden Apples of the Hesperides (Nymphs of the evening light). Heracles killed Ladon as part of his twelve labours. In Greco-Roman Mythology Draco represents a dragon killed by Minerva during the Titan War; the dragon was a member of the Giantes. As Minerva threw the dragon into the air, the dragon became twisted and froze around the North Celestial Pole. Draco may also represent Typhon, the son of Gaia in Greek Mythology. In traditional Arabic astronomy, Draco isn't seen as a dragon; instead it is seen as a pair of hyenas (Eta Draconis and Zeta Draconis) attacking a baby camel (Dim star near Beta Draconis) protected by four female camels (Beta Draconis, Gamma Draconis, Nu Draconis and Xi Draconis). In some Mythologies, Draco is a dragon with 100 heads, who guarded the golden apples and was put into the sky as a reward for his valour. Other myths about the dragon is obscure. There is a meteor shower, which was discovered in 2011, called the February Eta Draconids; the scource body is an unknown long-period comet.