dipper@utastro.UUCP (Debbie Byrd) (01/05/86)
There's more than one legend about how the hunter Orion came to be placed in the sky. More -- after this. January 5 The Death of Orion The constellation Orion the hunter is now high in the south each evening. You can find Orion by looking for three medium bright stars that form a short, straight row. That'll be Orion's belt. You'll also notice a number of bright stars above and below the belt. Orion was seen in Greek mythology as a giant hunter -- associated with the forces of goodness and light. One legend says that he was killed by a scorpion -- but another legend says he met his fate at the hands of his own lover, Artemis, the moon goddess. It's said that Artemis was so in love with with Orion that she neglected to drive her silver moon-chariot across the sky. When several days passed without a moon, Artemis brought down the anger of her brother, the sun-god Apollo. Then one day, Apollo saw Orion swimming by himself in the ocean. He caused a bright patch of light to surround the hunter -- and then he teased Artemis by saying she'd spent so much time with Orion that she'd lost her skill with a bow and arrow. Apollo challenged his sister to hit the shimmering patch of light. Of course, she did -- and, according to this legend, she killed Orion. When his body washed to shore, Artemis was horrified to see her own arrow. She tenderly placed the body of Orion in her silver moon-chariot -- and carried it into the heavens. There she found the darkest spot, so that his stars would shine very brightly -- and then she placed the hunter Orion where we see him today. Script by Deborah Byrd. (c) Copyright 1985, 1986 McDonald Observatory, University of Texas at Austin