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Pegasus/Andromeda
This month I intend to choose a constellation that is more suited to observing in the mornings. One of the major reasons for that is because we are beginning to enter that period when many amateurs brave the cold to take part in Astrocamps such as the Queensland Astro-Fest. Also Comet LINEAR A2 will be passing through in the next month, so it is a good time to familiarise ourselves with this region.
Pegasus does not begin to rise until just after midnight at the beginning of June, when the Winged Horse arches its head and forelegs over our north-eastern horizon, the Great Square of Pegasus does not emerge until 2:30. Andromeda follows close behind as that constellation shares its stars with Pegasus, and forms the hind legs. By 5:30, the Chained Maiden has only her feet touching the ground.
Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, the king and queen of Ethiopia. She was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to Cetus, the sea monster, as punishment for her mother's boast that she was more beautiful than all the Nereids (sea nymphs). Andromeda was saved by Perseus when he turned Cetus to stone by using the dismembered head of Medusa. The blood from Medusa's head mingled in the sea, and Pegasus emerged as the offspring of Medusa and Neptune/Poseidon. Pegasus became the the mount of Zeus, thus he flies across the starry sky, near where Andromeda is chained.
Below is a representation how the stars that make up these constellations appear. Click the image to look at the deep sky objects page.
