Gemini Constellation

The Gemini is one the 12 zodiac constellations and lies between Cancer (to the east) and Taurus (to the west). Constellations which lie to its north are Lynx and Auriga while, Canis Minor and Monoceros are to the south. The word 'Gemini' translates as 'twins' in Latin. The two brightest stars of this constellation are the alpha Geminorum (Castor) and beta Geminorum (Pollux) respectively.

Gemini Constellation Myth
The mythology associated with Gemini configuration is an interesting tale to read. According to the Greek mythology, the two bright stars present at the top of Gemini constellation symbolize the twin brothers, Pollux and Castor. Among these two stars, Pollux is the brightest. It is said that Castor and Pollux were half brothers. Castor, a mortal human being, was born to Leda and her husband, king Tyndareus. Pollux on the other hand was the immortal son of the Greek God Zeus, born to Leda. Castor took part in many adventures with Pollux and died during one of the adventures. Pollux avenged the murder of his dear brother; however, couldn't overcome the grief caused by his death. He requested Zeus to let him go to the world where his brother Castor had departed. Acceding to the request made by Pollux, Zeus placed the two brothers side-by-side in the heaven and the Gemini configuration was formed.

The Gemini configuration is formed of four main (brightest) stars. Gamma and Mu are the two bright stars, apart from the alpha and beta Geminorums. The Gemini configuration is a collection of stars seen in the winter sky. Named after the twin brothers Castor and Pollux from mythology, the brightest stars, the Gemini constellation is also the astrological sign of those are born between May 21 and June 20.

Facts about Gemini Configuration
The different facts associated with the Gemini constellation are presented in the following paragraph.

• NGC 2392 and M35 are the two prominent objects of the Gemini configuration seen at night. The M35 is actually a cluster of as many as 200 stars.
• The alignment of Gemini configuration can be viewed/visualized as two lines that descend from Castor and Pollux, the bright stars.
• In the year, 1678, the fact that Castor is a visual binary, was discovered.
• The Gemini arrangement reaches its highest point in the sky in February.
• The phenomenon called precision of equinoxes has resulted in the summer solstice lying in the Gemini arrangement.
• The nearest star to Gemini constellation is Gliese 251, which is at a distance of 17.99 light years.
• One of the myth regarding these twins associate them with cattle theft. This is because earlier, the mythology referred to Milky Way as a herd of cattle. The position of one of the twin in Milky Way and other sibling outside it, created a picture resembling that of cattle theft.
• The Pollux which has a magnitude of 1.15, is a giant star with yellow-orange color.
• Magnitude of the Castor star is 1.58 and has a white color with four members/components.
• Every year in the 2nd week of December, one could observe the radiation of meteor shower from Gemini constellation. The meteor shower is named as Geminids.

The mythology and facts about Gemini arrangement make it an interesting topic of study.