Perseus Constellation

Perseus constellation is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union - an international organization, which has the authority to assign designations to celestial objects. Abbreviated as Per. Perseus constellation is located in the Milky Way, in the northern sky. The constellation is named after the Greek warrior hero - Perseus, renowned for slaying Medusa - one of the three gorgons in the Greek mythology.

Perseus Constellation Mythology
Born to Jupiter and Danae, Perseus was one of the most courageous warriors in the Greek mythology. His claim to fame was slaying gorgon Medusa, one of the three gorgon sisters who had the power to turn anyone who saw them into a stone. Perseus achieved this feat with a bit of help from Pluto; who gave him the helmet of invisibility, Mercury; who gave him his winged sandals and Minerva; who gave him her powerful shield. The helmet of invisibility and the winged sandals ensured that Perseus reached close to Medusa without getting noticed, while the shield acted as a mirror in which he saw Medusa while delivering the lethal blow. This heroic act earned Perseus a place in the stars, and thus came into existence the constellation of Perseus.

The Greek mythology also speaks about the love story of Perseus and Andromeda, the Ethiopian princess and daughter of Cassiopeia. Perseus married Andromeda after rescuing her from the clutches of the sea monster sent by Poseidon. This explains why Perseus constellation and Andromeda constellation, named after Andromeda, are located close to each other.

Perseus Constellation Facts
Perseus constellation location is not very difficult to determine, as it lies in the main path of the Milky Way. It can be located to the north of Taurus constellation and west of Cassiopeia constellation. Perseus constellation is also home to the annual Perseid's meteor shower, which takes place around the end of second week of August. This meteor shower makes it easier to locate the constellation in clear sky in August. Other deep sky objects located in the Perseus constellation include Little Dumbbell Nebula, California Nebula, Alpha Persei Cluster and the second brightest object in the Universe - SN 2006gy (Supernova).

Major Stars in Perseus Constellation
Among the various stars in Perseus constellation, the most famous one is Algol. In Arabic language, Algol means the Ghoul or the Demon Star. This star is regarded as the eye of gorgon Medusa. Though the star is not the brightest in this constellation, it is considerably luminous with its brightness ranging between 2.12m and 3.39m. Another important star in the Perseus constellation is the Mirfak, meaning the elbow. It is 5,000 times brighter and 62 times bigger, in terms of diameter, than the Sun. One of the brightest stars in the universe, Mirfak, lying at a distance of ca. 590 light-years, has a brightness of around 1.79m.

These were some of the basic facts about Perseus constellation, one of the lesser known constellation lying in the northern hemisphere. The best time to see Perseus is in the early evenings during autumn and winter. You can easily make out the human figure with a triangular body, legs and hands. In one hand, he appears to be holding the weapon, while in the other he appears to be holding Medusa's head. Identifying Algol, which is believed to be the eye of Medusa, can make it easier for you to locate Perseus constellation.