Crater - Revision history

Sushoff: /* Setting (Lib III Cap VI §2) */

2026-02-27T13:44:42Z

Setting (Lib III Cap VI §2)

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:44, 27 February 2026
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	\|}		\|}

	====== Setting (Lib III Cap VI §2) ======		====== Setting (Lib III Cap II §2) ======
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	!		!
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	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	\|		\|Cnc 21
	\|		\|Leo 12 1/2
	\|		\|Sco 11 1/2
	\|		\|Sgr 1
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
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	\|-		\|-
	\|star		\|star
	\|		\|the northern one of those in the feet (nu Hya)
	\|		\|the southern and the northern one of those in the vascular bulge
	\|		\|
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|~~,..~~ hours = ~~...~~ min =~~...°~~		\| colspan="4" \|1 1/3 hours = 80 min = 20°
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* The pun which created the constellation */

2026-02-27T12:06:06Z

The pun which created the constellation

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:06, 27 February 2026
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	==== The pun which created the constellation ====		==== The pun which created the constellation ====
	McHugh (2016) uses the term MUŠ stating that this Sumerian word has the Akkadian counterpart ``ṣēru<nowiki>''</nowiki> (also meaning the snake). However, the Akkadian word ``ṣēru<nowiki>''</nowiki> is a homonym, i. e. it has two meanings: it can denote a snake or a ceramic jug for wine. This way, astronomers from other cultures (e.g. the Mediterranean ones) could have confused the ṣēru (snake) with the ṣēru (crater) and thus put a crater on the back of Hydra. Compellingly, there is also a preposition ṣēru which means ``on top of, upon<nowiki>''</nowiki>. McHugh (2016, 87-88) therefore, produces the phrase ``wine-bowl on top of the water-snake<nowiki>''</nowiki> from the term MUŠ.		McHugh (2016)<ref>John McHugh (2016), How Cuneiform Puns Inspired Some of the Bizarre Greek Constellations and Asterisms, Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies, 4(2), 69-100</ref> uses the term MUŠ stating that this Sumerian word has the Akkadian counterpart ``ṣēru<nowiki>''</nowiki> (also meaning the snake). However, the Akkadian word ``ṣēru<nowiki>''</nowiki> is a homonym, i. e. it has two meanings: it can denote a snake or a ceramic jug for wine. This way, astronomers from other cultures (e.g. the Mediterranean ones) could have confused the ṣēru (snake) with the ṣēru (crater) and thus put a crater on the back of Hydra. Compellingly, there is also a preposition ṣēru which means ``on top of, upon<nowiki>''</nowiki>. McHugh (2016, 87-88) therefore, produces the phrase ``wine-bowl on top of the water-snake<nowiki>''</nowiki> from the term MUŠ.

	Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022) agree with the first idea concerning the homophony but reject the latter part: "the intercultural misunderstandings of a Sumerian word to transform a special deity to a usual Water-Snake and of a homophonous Akkadian term to change a snake into a wine-bowl, are rather convincing. In contrast, deriving the presence of a raven at the snake's tail from cuneiform wordplays is considered unnecessary."		Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022)<ref>Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022). Intercultural Misunderstandings as a possible Source of Ancient Constellations, in Hoffmann and Wolfschmidt (eds.), Astronomy in Culture - Cultures of Astronomy, tredition, Ahrensburg, 205-234</ref> agree with the first idea concerning the homophony but reject the latter part: "the intercultural misunderstandings of a Sumerian word to transform a special deity to a usual Water-Snake and of a homophonous Akkadian term to change a snake into a wine-bowl, are rather convincing. In contrast, deriving the presence of a raven at the snake's tail from cuneiform wordplays is considered unnecessary."

	The Sumerian cuneiform character MUŠ for this constellation can be expressed in Akkadian with the word Muschhuschu for the snake god. However, it can also stand for “the snake” in general, i.e., it can be rewritten with the word ''ṣēru''. The word ''ṣēru'' is itself ambiguous in Akkadian: it can mean “snake,” but also “vessel.” In written language, this is clearly distinguished by a determinative, a defining particle, but these words sound the same when pronounced. It is therefore easy to imagine that in an international environment, e.g., among traders or in international cities where cultures mixed (Babylon or any port city), one person said to another, “Look, there is the constellation ''ṣēru''.” Although the speaker meant a snake, the listener may have thought of a vessel and also identified this by seeing shapes in the stars. So perhaps a Babylonian teacher said, “This constellation is called ''Muschhuschu'', a ''ṣēru'',” and his Greek exchange student, who knew that Muschhuschu was the name of the snake god, thought that a snake and a vessel should be seen there.		The Sumerian cuneiform character MUŠ for this constellation can be expressed in Akkadian with the word Muschhuschu for the snake god. However, it can also stand for “the snake” in general, i.e., it can be rewritten with the word ''ṣēru''. The word ''ṣēru'' is itself ambiguous in Akkadian: it can mean “snake,” but also “vessel.” In written language, this is clearly distinguished by a determinative, a defining particle, but these words sound the same when pronounced. It is therefore easy to imagine that in an international environment, e.g., among traders or in international cities where cultures mixed (Babylon or any port city), one person said to another, “Look, there is the constellation ''ṣēru''.” Although the speaker meant a snake, the listener may have thought of a vessel and also identified this by seeing shapes in the stars. So perhaps a Babylonian teacher said, “This constellation is called ''Muschhuschu'', a ''ṣēru'',” and his Greek exchange student, who knew that Muschhuschu was the name of the snake god, thought that a snake and a vessel should be seen there.
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	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==
	* Ridpath, Ian, “[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/corvusandcrater.html Star Tales: online edition]”.		* Ridpath, Ian, “[http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/corvusandcrater.html Star Tales: online edition]”.
			*IAU WGSN: [https://exopla.net/sternbilder/historical-images-comparison/ List of ancient images of the IAU-constellations: https://exopla.net]

	== References ==		== References ==

	* ~~John McHugh (2016), How Cuneiform Puns Inspired Some of the Bizarre Greek Constellations and Asterisms, Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies, 4(2), 69-100~~		*
	* Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022). Intercultural Misunderstandings as a possible Source of Ancient Constellations, in Hoffmann and Wolfschmidt (eds.), Astronomy in Culture - Cultures of Astronomy, tredition, Ahrensburg, 205-234
	* [https://exopla.net/sternbilder/historical-images-comparison/ List of ancient images of the IAU-constellations: https://exopla.net]

	[[Category:Constellation]]		[[Category:Constellation]]

Sushoff at 12:04, 27 February 2026

2026-02-27T12:04:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:04, 27 February 2026
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	=== Etymology ===		=== Etymology ===
	An ancient 'crater' or 'krater' is a specific jar or vessel. Unlike an amphora, which has a narrow upper opening, a krater has a wide opening. The difference is similar to that between a water bottle and a fruit bowl. For obvious reasons, the word for a volcanic crater is derived from this ancient Greek word.		An ancient 'crater' or 'krater' is a specific jar or vessel.<ref name=":0">Hoffmann, Susanne M. Wie der Löwe an den Himmel kam. Franckh Kosmos Verlag, Stuttgart 2021</ref> Unlike an amphora, which has a narrow upper opening, a krater has a wide opening. The difference is similar to that between a water bottle and a fruit bowl. For obvious reasons, the word for a volcanic crater is derived from this ancient Greek word.

	=== Origin of the Constellation ===		=== Origin of the Constellation ===
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	== Mythology ==		== Mythology ==
	In the Greek legend, the god Apollo gives a raven a crater to fetch water (see [[Hydra]]). This crater is depicted here next to the raven.		<ref name=":0" />In the Greek legend, the god Apollo gives a raven a crater to fetch water (see [[Hydra]]). This crater is depicted here next to the raven.

	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==

Sushoff at 18:43, 24 February 2026

2026-02-24T18:43:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:43, 24 February 2026
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	== Etymology & History ==		== Etymology & History ==

			=== Etymology ===
			An ancient 'crater' or 'krater' is a specific jar or vessel. Unlike an amphora, which has a narrow upper opening, a krater has a wide opening. The difference is similar to that between a water bottle and a fruit bowl. For obvious reasons, the word for a volcanic crater is derived from this ancient Greek word.

			=== Origin of the Constellation ===
			The constellation is Greek and has no known Babylonian precursors; it probably originated during the transfer of Babylonian star knowledge to Greece and was then given a legend. Mythologically, it is therefore linked to a legend about the constellations Raven and Water Snake, because this group had already existed for thousands of years in Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia. Raven and Snake are Babylonian figures and are considered a double constellation in Hellenism.

			In Greek, only the fact that a crater can be seen next to the stars of the Raven is established – and a large chalice can easily be recognized from an arc of faint stars. However, Greek astronomers interpret its exact shape differently: for Hipparchus, it is a bowl on a stately pedestal of four stars and without a handle, while for Ptolemy, the crater has two handles and stands on a single point, i.e., it has no distinct pedestal.

	=== No Babylonian Predecessor ===		=== No Babylonian Predecessor ===
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	Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022) agree with the first idea concerning the homophony but reject the latter part: "the intercultural misunderstandings of a Sumerian word to transform a special deity to a usual Water-Snake and of a homophonous Akkadian term to change a snake into a wine-bowl, are rather convincing. In contrast, deriving the presence of a raven at the snake's tail from cuneiform wordplays is considered unnecessary."		Kechagias and Hoffmann (2022) agree with the first idea concerning the homophony but reject the latter part: "the intercultural misunderstandings of a Sumerian word to transform a special deity to a usual Water-Snake and of a homophonous Akkadian term to change a snake into a wine-bowl, are rather convincing. In contrast, deriving the presence of a raven at the snake's tail from cuneiform wordplays is considered unnecessary."

			The Sumerian cuneiform character MUŠ for this constellation can be expressed in Akkadian with the word Muschhuschu for the snake god. However, it can also stand for “the snake” in general, i.e., it can be rewritten with the word ''ṣēru''. The word ''ṣēru'' is itself ambiguous in Akkadian: it can mean “snake,” but also “vessel.” In written language, this is clearly distinguished by a determinative, a defining particle, but these words sound the same when pronounced. It is therefore easy to imagine that in an international environment, e.g., among traders or in international cities where cultures mixed (Babylon or any port city), one person said to another, “Look, there is the constellation ''ṣēru''.” Although the speaker meant a snake, the listener may have thought of a vessel and also identified this by seeing shapes in the stars. So perhaps a Babylonian teacher said, “This constellation is called ''Muschhuschu'', a ''ṣēru'',” and his Greek exchange student, who knew that Muschhuschu was the name of the snake god, thought that a snake and a vessel should be seen there.
	[[File:Hya+crt+crv stellarium mulapin.jpg\|alt=the Babylonian version of the "Hydra, Crater, Corvus" super-constellation does not contain a cup or jar. visualized in Stellarium (drawing by Jessica Gullberg)\|thumb\|the Babylonian version of the "Hydra, Crater, Corvus" super-constellation does not contain a cup or jar. visualized in Stellarium (drawing by Jessica Gullberg)]]		[[File:Hya+crt+crv stellarium mulapin.jpg\|alt=the Babylonian version of the "Hydra, Crater, Corvus" super-constellation does not contain a cup or jar. visualized in Stellarium (drawing by Jessica Gullberg)\|thumb\|the Babylonian version of the "Hydra, Crater, Corvus" super-constellation does not contain a cup or jar. visualized in Stellarium (drawing by Jessica Gullberg)]]

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	File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Noctua, Corvus, Crater, Sextans Uraniæ, Hydra, Felis, Lupus, Centaurus, Antlia Pneumatica, Argo Navis, and Pyxis Nautica.jpg\|Crater in Hall (1825)		File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Noctua, Corvus, Crater, Sextans Uraniæ, Hydra, Felis, Lupus, Centaurus, Antlia Pneumatica, Argo Navis, and Pyxis Nautica.jpg\|Crater in Hall (1825)
	</gallery>		</gallery>

			== Mythology ==
			In the Greek legend, the god Apollo gives a raven a crater to fetch water (see [[Hydra]]). This crater is depicted here next to the raven.

	==Weblinks==		==Weblinks==

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

2026-02-24T09:00:25Z

Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10)

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:00, 24 February 2026
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	\|}		\|}

	====== Setting (Lib II Cap VI ~~§10~~) ======		====== Setting (Lib III Cap VI §2) ======
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
	!		!

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

2026-02-24T08:36:52Z

Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10)

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:36, 24 February 2026
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	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|~~2 2/3~~ hours = ~~160~~ min = ~~40°~~		\| colspan="4" \|,.. hours = ... min =...°
	\|}		\|}

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

2026-02-24T08:32:03Z

Setting (Lib II Cap VI §10)

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:32, 24 February 2026
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	==== Hipparchus ====		==== Hipparchus ====

	====== Rising (Lib II Cap ~~V §10~~) ======		====== Rising (Lib III Cap I §2) ======
	<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>		<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>
	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
	\|		\|Leo 26 1/2
	\|		\|Vir 10 1/2
	\|		\|Tau 20 1/2
	\|		\|Gem 7 1/2
	\|-		\|-
	\|		\|
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	\|-		\|-
	\|star		\|star
	\|		\|the northern one of the four at the foot (nu)
	\|		\|the southern one of the six stars at the vascular bulge
	\|		\|
	\|		\|
	\|-		\|-
	\|duration		\|duration
	\| colspan="4" \|2 1/8 hours = ~~127.5~~ min = ~~31 7~~/8 degree		\| colspan="4" \|1 1/4 hours = 75 min = 18 3/4 degree
	\|}		\|}

Sushoff: /* Hipparchus */

2026-02-22T17:42:08Z

Hipparchus

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:42, 22 February 2026
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	==== Hipparchus ====		==== Hipparchus ====

			====== Rising (Lib II Cap V §10) ======
			<blockquote>The Rising of ...</blockquote>
			{\| class="wikitable"
			\|+
			!
			! colspan="2" \|east
			! colspan="2" \|south
			\|-
			!
			!lam1
			!lam2
			!lam1
			!lam2
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|star
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|
			\|-
			\|duration
			\| colspan="4" \|2 1/8 hours = 127.5 min = 31 7/8 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
			\|}

	==== Geminos ====		==== Geminos ====

YoulaAzkarrula: /* Ptolemy's Almagest Κρατήρ */

2026-02-06T09:35:40Z

Ptolemy's Almagest Κρατήρ

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 |7 stars of fourth magnitude
+|
 |}

Sushoff at 13:18, 20 January 2026

2026-01-20T13:18:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:18, 20 January 2026
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			Authors: {{PAGEAUTHORS}}
			----
	[[File:Crater IAU.svg\|thumb\|Crater, IAU and Sky & Telescope.]]		[[File:Crater IAU.svg\|thumb\|Crater, IAU and Sky & Telescope.]]
	The constellation crater was created in antiquity, probably due to wordplay. It is unknown whether it happened intentionally or unintentionally. The constellation forms part of the ancient Greek super-constellation of Hydra-Corvus-Crater. As such it is mentioned by Aratus, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus and Ptolemy (and all Greek authors from Hellenistic time on). Greek mythology connects it to the adjacent constellations Hydra and Corvus, more details on mythology in [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/crater.html Ian Ridpath's Star Tales].		The constellation crater was created in antiquity, probably due to wordplay. It is unknown whether it happened intentionally or unintentionally. The constellation forms part of the ancient Greek super-constellation of Hydra-Corvus-Crater. As such it is mentioned by Aratus, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus and Ptolemy (and all Greek authors from Hellenistic time on). Greek mythology connects it to the adjacent constellations Hydra and Corvus, more details on mythology in [http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/crater.html Ian Ridpath's Star Tales].