Orion
Orion is a prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
The name "Orion" is derived from the ancient Greek mythology, where Orion was a gigantic, supernaturally strong hunter of ancient times, born to Euryale, the daughter of King Minos of Crete, and Poseidon, god of the sea in the Greek mythology.
Location and visibility[edit | edit source]
Orion is located on the celestial equator, making it visible throughout the world. It is bordered by Taurus to the northwest, Eridanus to the southwest, Lepus to the south, Monoceros to the east, and Gemini to the northeast. Orion is most visible in the evening sky from January to March, winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Major stars[edit | edit source]
Orion includes several bright stars, including Betelgeuse, a red supergiant located on the shoulder of the constellation, and Rigel, a blue-white supergiant that is the brightest star in the constellation. The three stars in Orion's Belt — Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka — are more or less evenly spaced in a straight line.
Orion's Belt[edit | edit source]
Orion's Belt or The Belt of Orion is an asterism within the constellation. It consists of the three bright stars Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. Looking for Orion's Belt in the night sky is the easiest way to locate the constellation.
Mythology[edit | edit source]
In Greek mythology, Orion was a great hunter who was placed in the sky by Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, after his death. There are several versions of the myth of Orion, but one of the most common tells of his death at the hands of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, after he threatened to kill all the animals on Earth.
In popular culture[edit | edit source]
Orion has been referenced in numerous forms of media, from the works of William Shakespeare to modern science fiction, and its stars have been used for navigation throughout history.
See also[edit | edit source]
Please specify a rating.
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
