Orion's Sword is a compact asterism in the constellationOrion. It comprises three stars (42 Orionis, Theta Orionis, and Iota Orionis) and M42, the Orion Nebula, which together are thought to resemble a sword or its scabbard. This group is south of the prominent asterism, Orion's Belt. Fables and old beliefs are in Europe dominated or widely influenced by those of the Greco-Roman narratives. Beyond Europe this grouping is quite widely referenced as a weapon just as the majority of cultures perceived Orion's standout asymmetrical "hourglass" of seven very bright stars as a human.
An illustration of the hunter Orion, with the associated constellation.
Orion Nebula and the surrounding stars that constitute Orion's Sword. The nebula hosts a stellar nursery, leading to the birth of multiple hot, young stars that make Orion's Sword so distinctive.
The Orion Nebula consists of one of the nearest (thus in the Milky Way Galaxy), massive molecular clouds (30 - 40 light years in diameter) about 1,300 light years from the solar system.[1] This makes the nebula potentially the closest HII region to Earth, a mass of hydrogen that has been ionized by nearby, hot, young stars.[2] Regions like this are called stellar nurseries, nurturing the birth of multiple young stars such as the Orion Nebula Star Cluster.[1] These are a hallmark of the asterism.
Main starsedit
42 Orionis, also called c Ori, is a B1V magnitude star in the northern half of the Orion nebula.[3]Theta Orionis has a more central position in the nebula, and is actually composed of a multi-star system.[4]Iota Orionis is one of the brightest in the collection, in the south of the Orion nebula. Iota Orionis is a spectroscopic binary system, with a variable magnitude of O9III.[5]
Scientific studiesedit
Given the scientific significance of M42, Orion's Sword is a popular spot for stellar and protostellar studies. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, O'dell et al. focused on identifying previously unseen features of the nebula, such as high-ionization shocks, compact sources, and protoplanetary disks.[6] Some studies have focused on the sword region overall. Gomez & Leda found that less than half of the OB and Hα stars in this region are associated with well-defined stellar clusters.[7] This positional similarity, as well as the high star formation rates and gas pressure in the nearby molecular cloud, confirms the previous notion that old, foreground OB stars triggered star formation in this cloud.[7]
References in history and cultureedit
In his De Astronomia, Hyginus describes the constellation Orion having three faint stars where the sword is depicted.[8]Aratus goes into significant detail about the Orion constellation as well, proclaiming: "Should anyone fail to catch sight of him (Orion) up in the heavens on a clear night, he should not expect to behold anything more splendid when he gazes up at the sky."[9]Cicero[10] and Germanicus,[11] the translators of Aratus's Phaenomena, expressed it as ensis, Latin for "sword". Arabic astronomers also saw this asterism as a sword (سيفsaif), calling it Saif al Jabbār, Sword of the Powerful One or Sword of the Giant.[12] Orion is one of the few constellations to have parallel identities in European and Chinese culture, given the name Shen, the hunter and warrior. Chinese astronomers made the sword a sub-constellation within Shen called Fa.[13]
In the myths of the Nama of Namibia and the western Cape, this was the arrow of the husband of the Pleiades, daughters of the sky god, who was represented by Orion's SW main star Rigel. When he fired his arrow at three zebras (Orion's belt) and missed, he was too afraid to retrieve the arrow due to its proximity to a fierce lion, represented by Betelgeuse. Therefore, he sits in the cold, suffering from hunger but too ashamed to return home. Regionally the prevailing cold breezes and currents come from that direction.[14] The Tswana to the east traditionally call the unusually bright nebula and its companions dintsa le Dikolobe, three dogs which chase the three pigs (the belt). This serves as an etiological myth for why pigs have their litters in the same season Orion is prominent in the sky.[14]
Orion's sword is referenced in the song "The Dark of the Sun" by Tom Petty on his 1991 album Into the Great Wide Open, in the line "saw you sail across a river underneath Orion's sword...". It is also mentioned in Jethro Tull's song "Orion", on their 1979 album Stormwatch, in the lines "Your faithful dog shines brighter than its lord and master, your jewelled sword twinkles as the world rolls by."
Galleryedit
The Orion constellation, with Orion's sword distinguished by M42.
How Orion appears in a clear sky. M42, and thus Orion's sword, is one of the brightest and most prominent features of the constellation.
The Orion Sword observed from Australia (stitching of 3 observations made with a Unistellar eVscope)
^O'dell, C.R.; Wen, Zheng; Hu, Xihai (1993). "Discovery of new objects in the Orion nebula on HST images - Shocks, compact sources, and protoplanetary disks". Astrophysical Journal. 410 (2): 696–700. Bibcode:1993ApJ...410..696O. doi:10.1086/172786.
^ abGomez, Mercedes; Lada, Charles (1998). "From Head to Sword: The Clustering Properties of Stars in Orion". The Astronomical Journal. 115 (4): 1524–1535. Bibcode:1998AJ....115.1524G. doi:10.1086/300276.
^Hard, Robin (2015). Eratosthenes and Hyginus Constellation Myths. Oxford, UK: Oxford World Classics. p. 102. ISBN978-0-19-871698-3.
^Hard, Robin (2015). Aratus's Phaenomena. Oxford, UK: Oxford World's Classics. pp. 146–147. ISBN978-0-19-871698-3.
^Allen, R. H. (1899). Star-Names and Their Meanings. New York: G. E. Stechert. p. 316.
orion, sword, compact, asterism, constellation, orion, comprises, three, stars, orionis, theta, orionis, iota, orionis, orion, nebula, which, together, thought, resemble, sword, scabbard, this, group, south, prominent, asterism, orion, belt, fables, beliefs, e. Orion s Sword is a compact asterism in the constellation Orion It comprises three stars 42 Orionis Theta Orionis and Iota Orionis and M42 the Orion Nebula which together are thought to resemble a sword or its scabbard This group is south of the prominent asterism Orion s Belt Fables and old beliefs are in Europe dominated or widely influenced by those of the Greco Roman narratives Beyond Europe this grouping is quite widely referenced as a weapon just as the majority of cultures perceived Orion s standout asymmetrical hourglass of seven very bright stars as a human An illustration of the hunter Orion with the associated constellation Contents 1 Components 1 1 Orion Nebula 1 2 Main stars 2 Scientific studies 3 References in history and culture 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 NotesComponents edit nbsp Orion Nebula and the surrounding stars that constitute Orion s Sword The nebula hosts a stellar nursery leading to the birth of multiple hot young stars that make Orion s Sword so distinctive Orion Nebula edit Main article M42 The Orion Nebula consists of one of the nearest thus in the Milky Way Galaxy massive molecular clouds 30 40 light years in diameter about 1 300 light years from the solar system 1 This makes the nebula potentially the closest HII region to Earth a mass of hydrogen that has been ionized by nearby hot young stars 2 Regions like this are called stellar nurseries nurturing the birth of multiple young stars such as the Orion Nebula Star Cluster 1 These are a hallmark of the asterism Main stars edit 42 Orionis also called c Ori is a B1V magnitude star in the northern half of the Orion nebula 3 Theta Orionis has a more central position in the nebula and is actually composed of a multi star system 4 Iota Orionis is one of the brightest in the collection in the south of the Orion nebula Iota Orionis is a spectroscopic binary system with a variable magnitude of O9III 5 Scientific studies editGiven the scientific significance of M42 Orion s Sword is a popular spot for stellar and protostellar studies Using the Hubble Space Telescope O dell et al focused on identifying previously unseen features of the nebula such as high ionization shocks compact sources and protoplanetary disks 6 Some studies have focused on the sword region overall Gomez amp Leda found that less than half of the OB and Ha stars in this region are associated with well defined stellar clusters 7 This positional similarity as well as the high star formation rates and gas pressure in the nearby molecular cloud confirms the previous notion that old foreground OB stars triggered star formation in this cloud 7 References in history and culture editIn his De Astronomia Hyginus describes the constellation Orion having three faint stars where the sword is depicted 8 Aratus goes into significant detail about the Orion constellation as well proclaiming Should anyone fail to catch sight of him Orion up in the heavens on a clear night he should not expect to behold anything more splendid when he gazes up at the sky 9 Cicero 10 and Germanicus 11 the translators of Aratus s Phaenomena expressed it as ensis Latin for sword Arabic astronomers also saw this asterism as a sword سيف saif calling it Saif al Jabbar Sword of the Powerful One or Sword of the Giant 12 Orion is one of the few constellations to have parallel identities in European and Chinese culture given the name Shen the hunter and warrior Chinese astronomers made the sword a sub constellation within Shen called Fa 13 In the myths of the Nama of Namibia and the western Cape this was the arrow of the husband of the Pleiades daughters of the sky god who was represented by Orion s SW main star Rigel When he fired his arrow at three zebras Orion s belt and missed he was too afraid to retrieve the arrow due to its proximity to a fierce lion represented by Betelgeuse Therefore he sits in the cold suffering from hunger but too ashamed to return home Regionally the prevailing cold breezes and currents come from that direction 14 The Tswana to the east traditionally call the unusually bright nebula and its companions dintsa le Dikolobe three dogs which chase the three pigs the belt This serves as an etiological myth for why pigs have their litters in the same season Orion is prominent in the sky 14 Orion s sword is referenced in the song The Dark of the Sun by Tom Petty on his 1991 album Into the Great Wide Open in the line saw you sail across a river underneath Orion s sword It is also mentioned in Jethro Tull s song Orion on their 1979 album Stormwatch in the lines Your faithful dog shines brighter than its lord and master your jewelled sword twinkles as the world rolls by Gallery edit nbsp The Orion constellation with Orion s sword distinguished by M42 nbsp How Orion appears in a clear sky M42 and thus Orion s sword is one of the brightest and most prominent features of the constellation nbsp The Orion Sword observed from Australia stitching of 3 observations made with a Unistellar eVscope See also editOrion constellation Orion s Belt Thornborough Henges Orion Correlation TheoryNotes edit a b Orion Nebula Where stars are born EarthSky org earthsky org Retrieved 2017 05 01 National Optical Astronomy Observatory M42 Orion www noao edu Archived from the original on 2019 09 04 Retrieved 2017 05 01 42 Ori SIMBAD Centre de donnees astronomiques de Strasbourg Retrieved 2017 04 29 tet Ori SIMBAD Centre de donnees astronomiques de Strasbourg Retrieved 2017 04 29 iot Ori SIMBAD Centre de donnees astronomiques de Strasbourg Retrieved 2017 04 29 O dell C R Wen Zheng Hu Xihai 1993 Discovery of new objects in the Orion nebula on HST images Shocks compact sources and protoplanetary disks Astrophysical Journal 410 2 696 700 Bibcode 1993ApJ 410 696O doi 10 1086 172786 a b Gomez Mercedes Lada Charles 1998 From Head to Sword The Clustering Properties of Stars in Orion The Astronomical Journal 115 4 1524 1535 Bibcode 1998AJ 115 1524G doi 10 1086 300276 Hard Robin 2015 Eratosthenes and Hyginus Constellation Myths Oxford UK Oxford World Classics p 102 ISBN 978 0 19 871698 3 Hard Robin 2015 Aratus s Phaenomena Oxford UK Oxford World s Classics pp 146 147 ISBN 978 0 19 871698 3 Allen R H 1899 Star Names and Their Meanings New York G E Stechert p 316 Grotius H 1600 Syntagma Arateorum Leyden Metlitzki Dorothee 2005 The Matter of Araby in Medieval England Yale University Press p 79 Ridpath Ian 1989 Star Tales James Clarke and Co Ltd ISBN 0718826957 a b South African star myths Royal Museums Greenwich 2015 08 18 Retrieved 2017 04 12 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Orion 27s Sword amp oldid 1179071833, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
