Ara - Revision history

IanRidpath: /* Etymology and History */ Scorpius, not Scorpio

2026-03-01T08:13:11Z

Etymology and History: Scorpius, not Scorpio

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:13, 1 March 2026
Line 10:		Line 10:
	Aratos only mentions the altar of smoke several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went to battle against Cronus. The exact meaning is, therefore, not always clear.		Aratos only mentions the altar of smoke several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went to battle against Cronus. The exact meaning is, therefore, not always clear.

	The area beneath the scorpion's sting in the Milky Way is strewn with bright and dark clouds, with the dark clouds of the Milky Way resembling smoke from an altar illuminated by the fire below. The constellation lies below the bulge of the Milky Way, with the brightest and most extensive of its clouds in the constellations of Scutum, Sagittarius and ~~Scorpio~~. It therefore appears that the smoke altar was originally a dark constellation that was later reinterpreted.<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>		The area beneath the scorpion's sting in the Milky Way is strewn with bright and dark clouds, with the dark clouds of the Milky Way resembling smoke from an altar illuminated by the fire below. The constellation lies below the bulge of the Milky Way, with the brightest and most extensive of its clouds in the constellations of Scutum, Sagittarius and Scorpius. It therefore appears that the smoke altar was originally a dark constellation that was later reinterpreted.<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>

	However, it remains a mystery why the altar hangs upside down, at least in Roman times, i.e. in Ptolemy's work: the fire smokes downwards (from ζ Arae to the south-west). Presumably, this was different in Hellenistic times, i.e. in the Greek original: the uniform cylindrical shape of the Greek altar on the Farnese Globe differs significantly from the Ptolemaic shape, which resembles the representation in the Leiden Aratea from the 9th century (Carolingian period). Eratosthenes describes an altar made up of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. All this points to a significant transformation of the original image, but it is difficult to prove: Aratos only mentions the smoke altar several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went into battle against Kronos.		However, it remains a mystery why the altar hangs upside down, at least in Roman times, i.e. in Ptolemy's work: the fire smokes downwards (from ζ Arae to the south-west). Presumably, this was different in Hellenistic times, i.e. in the Greek original: the uniform cylindrical shape of the Greek altar on the Farnese Globe differs significantly from the Ptolemaic shape, which resembles the representation in the Leiden Aratea from the 9th century (Carolingian period). Eratosthenes describes an altar made up of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. All this points to a significant transformation of the original image, but it is difficult to prove: Aratos only mentions the smoke altar several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went into battle against Kronos.

Sushoff: /* Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10) */

2026-02-27T13:51:06Z

Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10)

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:51, 27 February 2026
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	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	\|		\|Leo 18 1/2
	\|		\|Lib 9
	\|		\|Sgr 5
	\|		\|Cap 4 1/2
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
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	\|-		\|-
	\|star		\|star
	\|		\|the southern one of those at the edge, which is double (bet,gam)
	\|		\|the northern one of those in the base
	\|		\|
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|2 2/3 hours = ~~160~~ min = ~~40°~~		\| colspan="4" \|2 1/6 hours = 130 min = 32 1/2°
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-24T10:55:43Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:55, 24 February 2026
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	==== Hipparchus ====		==== Hipparchus ====

			====== Rising (Lib III Cap I §7) ======
			<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+
			!
			! colspan="2" \|east
			! colspan="2" \|south
			\|-
			!
			!lam1
			!lam2
			!lam1
			!lam2
			\|-
			\|
			\|Sgr 15
			\|Sgr 23
			\|Lib 2
			\|Lib 11
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|star
			\|From the south side of the boat, from those in the left foot
			\|Of the Centaur the bright one in the front feet
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|duration
			\| colspan="4" \|1/2 hours = 30 min = 7 1/2 degree
			\|}

			====== Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10) ======
			{\| class="wikitable"
			!
			! colspan="2" \|west
			! colspan="2" \|south
			\|-
			!
			!lam1
			!lam2
			!lam1
			!lam2
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|star
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|duration
			\| colspan="4" \|2 2/3 hours = 160 min = 40°
			\|}

			====== Stars Mentioned ======
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+
			!
			!Greek
			!German
			!English
			!ident.
			!src
			!
			!lam_culm
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib II Cap V §10
			\|rising, east, first
			\|
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib II Cap V §10
			\|rising, east, last
			\|
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib II Cap VI §2
			\|setting CrB, south, last
			\|Psc 13.5
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib II Cap VI §13
			\|setting Aql, south, first
			\|Ari 2
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|Lib III Cap I §9
			\|rising Ori, south, last
			\|Psc 13
			\|}

	===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====		===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====

Sushoff: /* Etymology and History */

2026-02-19T19:11:59Z

Etymology and History

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:11, 19 February 2026
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	</gallery>		</gallery>

	== Greek Mythology~~<ref name=":0" />~~ ==		== Greek Mythology ==

	Greek mythology recalls the god Kronos, who overthrew his father, Uranos, to gain power. He was prophesied by an oracle that he himself would therefore also be overthrown by one of his sons and to thwart this he devoured all his children immediately after birth. At some point, his wife, the goddess Rhea, could no longer bear to see this and rescued a baby to raise him on Crete with a goat's milk. It was Zeus. When he grew up, he forced his father to spit out his siblings, and together, they began a battle for world domination. The archaic goddess of the earth, Gaia, advised them to unleash some of the monsters that Kronos had imprisoned. So Zeus released the brutal Cyclopes and Centaurs, who forged weapons for him and his siblings and, according to Eratosthenes, also made ‘a cover for the fire’ so that the gods would not have to see its powerful glow. This was the altar that initially served the gods around Zeus as an oath of their covenant and from then on also served humans.		<ref name=":0" />Greek mythology recalls the god Kronos, who overthrew his father, Uranos, to gain power. He was prophesied by an oracle that he himself would therefore also be overthrown by one of his sons and to thwart this he devoured all his children immediately after birth. At some point, his wife, the goddess Rhea, could no longer bear to see this and rescued a baby to raise him on Crete with a goat's milk. It was Zeus. When he grew up, he forced his father to spit out his siblings, and together, they began a battle for world domination. The archaic goddess of the earth, Gaia, advised them to unleash some of the monsters that Kronos had imprisoned. So Zeus released the brutal Cyclopes and Centaurs, who forged weapons for him and his siblings and, according to Eratosthenes, also made ‘a cover for the fire’ so that the gods would not have to see its powerful glow. This was the altar that initially served the gods around Zeus as an oath of their covenant and from then on also served humans.

	Whenever people swear, take oaths or seal covenants, they do so at such an altar ‘as an impartial guarantor’. They place their right hand on the altar to express their goodwill and to seal something.		Whenever people swear, take oaths or seal covenants, they do so at such an altar ‘as an impartial guarantor’. They place their right hand on the altar to express their goodwill and to seal something.

Sushoff: /* Etymology and History */

2026-02-19T19:09:57Z

Etymology and History

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:09, 19 February 2026
Line 8:		Line 8:

	==Etymology and History==		==Etymology and History==
	Aratos only mentions the altar of smoke several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went to battle against Cronus. The exact meaning is, therefore, not always clear.		Aratos only mentions the altar of smoke several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went to battle against Cronus. The exact meaning is, therefore, not always clear.

			The area beneath the scorpion's sting in the Milky Way is strewn with bright and dark clouds, with the dark clouds of the Milky Way resembling smoke from an altar illuminated by the fire below. The constellation lies below the bulge of the Milky Way, with the brightest and most extensive of its clouds in the constellations of Scutum, Sagittarius and Scorpio. It therefore appears that the smoke altar was originally a dark constellation that was later reinterpreted.<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref>

			However, it remains a mystery why the altar hangs upside down, at least in Roman times, i.e. in Ptolemy's work: the fire smokes downwards (from ζ Arae to the south-west). Presumably, this was different in Hellenistic times, i.e. in the Greek original: the uniform cylindrical shape of the Greek altar on the Farnese Globe differs significantly from the Ptolemaic shape, which resembles the representation in the Leiden Aratea from the 9th century (Carolingian period). Eratosthenes describes an altar made up of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. All this points to a significant transformation of the original image, but it is difficult to prove: Aratos only mentions the smoke altar several times as a sacred site and does not comment on it further, while Eratosthenes explains that it is the altar where the gods once conspired when Zeus went into battle against Kronos.

	=== Aratus ===		=== Aratus ===
Line 242:		Line 246:
	</gallery>		</gallery>

	== Greek Mythology ==		== Greek Mythology<ref name=":0" /> ==

	Greek mythology recalls the god Kronos, who overthrew his father, Uranos, to gain power. He was prophesied by an oracle that he himself would therefore also be overthrown by one of his sons and to thwart this he devoured all his children immediately after birth. At some point, his wife, the goddess Rhea, could no longer bear to see this and rescued a baby to raise him on Crete with a goat's milk. It was Zeus. When he grew up, he forced his father to spit out his siblings, and together, they began a battle for world domination. The archaic goddess of the earth, Gaia, advised them to unleash some of the monsters that Kronos had imprisoned. So Zeus released the brutal Cyclopes and Centaurs, who forged weapons for him and his siblings and, according to Eratosthenes, also made ‘a cover for the fire’ so that the gods would not have to see its powerful glow. This was the altar that initially served the gods around Zeus as an oath of their covenant and from then on also served humans.		Greek mythology recalls the god Kronos, who overthrew his father, Uranos, to gain power. He was prophesied by an oracle that he himself would therefore also be overthrown by one of his sons and to thwart this he devoured all his children immediately after birth. At some point, his wife, the goddess Rhea, could no longer bear to see this and rescued a baby to raise him on Crete with a goat's milk. It was Zeus. When he grew up, he forced his father to spit out his siblings, and together, they began a battle for world domination. The archaic goddess of the earth, Gaia, advised them to unleash some of the monsters that Kronos had imprisoned. So Zeus released the brutal Cyclopes and Centaurs, who forged weapons for him and his siblings and, according to Eratosthenes, also made ‘a cover for the fire’ so that the gods would not have to see its powerful glow. This was the altar that initially served the gods around Zeus as an oath of their covenant and from then on also served humans.

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Ptolemy's Almagest */

2026-02-06T09:28:49Z

Ptolemy's Almagest

@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 |{7 stars, 5 of the fourth magnitude, 2 of the fifth}
+|
 |}

Sushoff at 13:09, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T13:09:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:09, 20 January 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
			Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:Ara constellation (ara).tif\|thumb\|Ara constellation map, CC BY 4.0 (IAU).]]		[[File:Ara constellation (ara).tif\|thumb\|Ara constellation map, CC BY 4.0 (IAU).]]
	[[File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|alt=drawing\|thumb\|Ara in the ensemble with Centaurus and Lupus, oldest known depiction on the Kugel Globe, dating 2nd or 1st century BCE (drawing SMH).]]		[[File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|alt=drawing\|thumb\|Ara in the ensemble with Centaurus and Lupus, oldest known depiction on the Kugel Globe, dating 2nd or 1st century BCE (drawing SMH).]]

Sushoff: /* Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation */

2025-05-03T20:18:19Z

Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:18, 3 May 2025
Line 97:		Line 97:
	File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)		File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)
	File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.		File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.
	File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)		File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515), pointing southwards
	File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]		File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]
			File:Blaeu1603 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1603), his second globe made with de Houtman's data for the southern constellations, also corrects the direction of Ara: The flames now burn northwards and the smoke indicates the position of the southern Milky Way between Sco and Sgr. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/398/media-398216/large.jpg RMG]
	File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Sushoff at 20:14, 3 May 2025

2025-05-03T20:14:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:14, 3 May 2025
Line 92:		Line 92:
	=== Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation ===		=== Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation ===
	Eratosthenes describes an altar of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. This demonstrates obviously that the constellation was imagined differently by these two (and probably also other) authors. <gallery>		Eratosthenes describes an altar of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. This demonstrates obviously that the constellation was imagined differently by these two (and probably also other) authors. <gallery>
	~~File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)~~
	File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble with Lupus, sacrified by Centaurus (Kugel Globe).		File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble with Lupus, sacrified by Centaurus (Kugel Globe).
	File:Ara kugel.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Kugel Globe (2nd/1st c. BCE)		File:Ara kugel.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Kugel Globe (2nd/1st c. BCE)
Line 98:		Line 97:
	File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)		File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)
	File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.		File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.
			File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)
			File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]
	File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Dorvic at 04:06, 3 May 2025

2025-05-03T04:06:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:06, 3 May 2025
Line 21:		Line 21:

	==== Hipparchus ====		==== Hipparchus ====

			===== Hyginus, Astronomica =====
			<blockquote>On this altar the gods are thought to have first made offerings and formed an alliance when they were about to oppose the Titans. The Cyclopes made it. From this observance men established the custom that when they plan to do something, they make sacrifices before beginning the undertaking. (Mary Ward 1960)</blockquote>

	=== Ptolemy's Almagest ===		=== Ptolemy's Almagest ===

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:18, 3 May 2025
Line 97:		Line 97:
	File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)		File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)
	File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.		File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.
	File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)		File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515), pointing southwards
	File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]		File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]
			File:Blaeu1603 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1603), his second globe made with de Houtman's data for the southern constellations, also corrects the direction of Ara: The flames now burn northwards and the smoke indicates the position of the southern Milky Way between Sco and Sgr. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/398/media-398216/large.jpg RMG]
	File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	</gallery>		</gallery>

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:14, 3 May 2025
Line 92:		Line 92:
	=== Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation ===		=== Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation ===
	Eratosthenes describes an altar of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. This demonstrates obviously that the constellation was imagined differently by these two (and probably also other) authors. <gallery>		Eratosthenes describes an altar of four stars (two on the brazier and two on the base, a cylinder), while Ptolemy mentions seven. This demonstrates obviously that the constellation was imagined differently by these two (and probably also other) authors. <gallery>
	~~File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)~~
	File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble with Lupus, sacrified by Centaurus (Kugel Globe).		File:Ara aufrecht Kugel2024.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble with Lupus, sacrified by Centaurus (Kugel Globe).
	File:Ara kugel.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Kugel Globe (2nd/1st c. BCE)		File:Ara kugel.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Kugel Globe (2nd/1st c. BCE)
Line 98:		Line 97:
	File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)		File:Ara mainz.jpg\|Ara on the ancient Mainz Globe (2nd c. CE)
	File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.		File:Ara mainz context.jpg\|Ara in the ensemble: framed by the two centaurs in Centaurus and Sagittarius, one sacrificing Lupus, the other hunting Scorpius.
			File:Ara Duerer.jpg\|Dürer's Ara (1515)
			File:Blaeu1602 Ara.JPG\|Blaeu (1602) is copied from Plancius/ Hondius (1598) and shows Ara's flames burning southwards. [https://collections.rmg.co.uk/mediaLib/360/media-360270/large.jpg RMG]
	File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).		File:Ara Fortin1795.jpg\|Ara in Fortin's Atlas Céleste, 3rd edition (1795).
	</gallery>		</gallery>