When the ancients gazed upon the celestial dome they noted the stars seemed to form patterns. These patterns were made by connecting the brighter stars with imaginary lines and stories were made and names given that reflected the local stories, myths and religious practices. Each age has seen what it wanted to see.
For thousands of years this was the the calendar that marked the seasons. The Sun and the Moon were like the hour and minute hand. Officially there are 88 recognized constellations, 48 of which were named by the Ancients. Although the names of these constellations are derived from Greco-Roman heritage, these are based upon Greek reinterpretations of the Babylonian, Sumerian and Egyptian patterns. Of great significance, Arabic astronomy flourished while European science was eclipsed for over a millennium. We still use the Arabic names for many of the brightest stars.
Who gave the stars their names is not critically important as the fact that all human cultures have looked to the sky for meaning, for portents, for solace.
Esther17, fotograf.416, Catherine Jamieson, Martha Catherine Ivey, and 137 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Esther17 73 months ago | reply
amazing and beautiful, phil...
The Triskaidekagrammatron 73 months ago | reply
Well done! :)
relatively_mike 73 months ago | reply
Nicely done! Do you rotate the camera to avoid star trails?
Computer Science Geek 73 months ago | reply
Thanks all.
@relatively mike: with a wide angle lens such as a fisheye with it's very short focal length I can probably do a 4-5 minute exposure before star trails are noticable. This was done on a fixed tripod for 1 min. Also, the lens was not focused at infinity so they are actually a bit blurry, and hence the large discs.
pierluigi.ricci 73 months ago | reply
Yes, there's something blue in your life!
From the SOMETHING-BLUE-INMYLIFE-GROUP
Please add this photo to the group www.flickr.com/groups/somethingblueinmylife
Please tag your photo with "somethingblue-inmylife"
ComputerHotline 69 months ago | reply
Hello
This photo should be used in class, at school !
Please add your photo to Photos pour l'école / Photos for school
Read the group rules first.
You can add this photo in more groupes :
www.flickr.com/groups/25191652@N00/
www.flickr.com/groups/astronomy/
www.flickr.com/groups/astronomia/
www.flickr.com/groups/58792828@N00/
www.flickr.com/groups/98098255@N00/
www.flickr.com/groups/long_exposure_times/
www.flickr.com/groups/longexposure/
www.flickr.com/groups/longexposures/
www.flickr.com/groups/wikimedia_commons/
pedro vidigal 64 months ago | reply
Hi there!
My name isPedro Vidigal and I am an admin of a group called Open Source Photography (OSP)
I love this photo made with open source software. Please consider posting it in:
Open Source Photography (OSP)
davic 63 months ago | reply
amazing!
LostMyHeadache: Absolutely Free * 62 months ago | reply
Gorgeous And Informative
FeeBeeDee 61 months ago | reply
I really like your prose. Thanks. Oh, and the photo is awesome!
Computer Science Geek 61 months ago | reply
paulwood35 [deleted] 56 months ago | reply
cool!
Libeweb 50 months ago | reply
Hello,
we've published this photo on the website of the French daily newspaper Liberation, as it's permitted by the Creative Commons contract you've chosen.
You'll find this picture right here:
www.liberation.fr/societe/0101560022-100-heures-non-stop-...
Thanks a lot for your work,
sincerely,
Liberation.fr
sipazigaltumu 48 months ago | reply
very nice
gu@n 46 months ago | reply
wow !
shinos 46 months ago | reply
i like the description :)
ting s, 43 months ago | reply
this is so beautiful.
Sunil Sohanta. 37 months ago | reply
Hello, I'm an admin for a group called We Own the Sky, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
JoanaLavor 36 months ago | reply
Incredible.
Juki7 16 months ago | reply
Beautiful shot!!! You photo has been added to The Omniscient Eye with proper attribution and link. Thank you for your talent:)
theomniscienteye.blogspot.com/2012/01/constellations.html