“Today, the veil of mystery begins to be removed from the mysteries of the constellation Cygnus. In many places on the planet, the golden path of the Cygnus begins to open. The path of cognition of the Soul, the path of uniting disparate fragments of one big picture of Life, written on Earth by the Creator.

Many people feel vibrations and their hearts begin to beat in unison with other hearts around the world. This Rhythm, Quality and Light open new era- Age of Aquarius.

Cygnus is the constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky, the constellation Lyra with the brightest Vega is located to the west of the constellation Cygnus, and the "square" of the constellation Pegasus is visible in the east.
“From the south, towards the Cygnus, the Eagle is rapidly “flying”, which is clearly visible thanks to its brightest star Altair.” Two stars, Deneb and Albireo, together with Vega (α Lyrae) form the so-called "Summer Triangle" - the famous asterism, with which Cygnus is so easy to find in the sky.

The figure shows a schematic representation of this constellation with its characteristic cruciform pattern, stretched along the Milky Way; its modern astronomical name is the Northern Cross asterism.
It is interesting that it was in it that in 1846 on the star Jenach (ε Cygnus) the planet of secrets Neptune was discovered.

Asterism The Northern Cross, which determines the characteristic shape of the constellation, includes the stars - α (Deneb), β (Albireo), γ (Sadr), δ and ε Jenach (Hyena). In the center of the crosshairs is the bright star Sadr, who in many myths played the role of the guardian of cosmic time.

In the outlines of the constellation, the ancients saw a flying bird: the Babylonians "forest bird", and the Arabs - "chicken".

“The Cygnus may have been the first constellation mapped in Mesopotamia, as some of the tablets depict a large star bird” (B. Brady).

Cygnus - an ancient constellation, it is included in the catalog starry sky Claudius Ptolemy "Almagest" under the title "Bird". The stars of this constellation, according to Ptolemy, act like Venus and Mercury. This constellation is also mentioned in the writings of the ancient Greek mathematician and astronomer Eudoxus of Cnidus in IV BC.
It so happened that the Arabic vision of the starry sky is still present in the names of many stars, and it has become fixed in the names. So, for example, the brightest star of the constellation Cygnus Deneb (α Cygnus) is the “tail of the chicken”, and Albireo (β Cygnus) is the “beak of the chicken”.

Man has always looked at the sky and endowed this or that group of stars with earthly qualities. This is how "real star tales about constellations" appeared. Why real? Because everything happens on Earth according to the stellar scenario written by God, and people in whose horoscopes one or another star is strongly highlighted, fulfill their roles.

Or maybe this is a genetic memory of ancient events, just somewhat transformed by legends and mythology?

In the Tales of the Slavic-Aryan Vedas it is said that “our Ancestors arrived from the Lands located in the constellations Ursa Minor, Orion, Cygnus (Ursa Major) and the White Leopard or Pardus (Beta Leo).
The first to arrive in Summer 460530 were the Da'Aryans, who settled the continent at the North Pole of the planet, which the star travelers called - (Dar Ariyam - Gods).

According to contactees, "An extraterrestrial civilization from the planet Aria of the Dessa system with a star was the first to discover the planet Earth in the vastness of the Galaxy and found it suitable for settlement."

Architecture configuration of an ancient observatory - earthly reflection of the constellation Cygnus.
The Celestial Cross - the constellation Cygnus during the daily rotation of the Earth moves in a circle around the pole of the world - the North Star, as if making a heavenly "procession".

This is a tiny part of the mysteries of the Swan. And, if you want to plunge into the world of facts, mysticism and the unknown, welcome! All information about the constellation, its role in religions, myths, astrology in a large material

A symbol of impassive tenderness,
unsaid, timid,
Phantom feminine-beautiful
The swan is clean, the swan is white!
"White Swan", Konstantin Dmitrievich Balmont, 1897
Konstantin Dmitrievich Balmont(06/15/1867 - 12/23/1942) - symbolist poet, one of the most prominent representatives of Russian poetry of the Silver Age.

CONSTELLATION SWAN

Cygnus (lat. Cygnus, Cyg) - the constellation of the northern hemisphere of the starry sky, is located in the Milky Way at the point where it bifurcates into two full-flowing rivers, and then rushes towards the constellation Sagittarius. For the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, Cygnus is a partially non-setting constellation, in any case, Deneb is his brightest star never disappears beyond the horizon.

Including an easily distinguishable group of stars:
α – Deneb; β – Albireo; γ – Sadr; δ – roc; ε – Jenah

Star Deneb(α Cyg / Alpha Cygnus) - adorns the tail of the Cygnus.
Star of Albireo(β Cyg / Beta Cygnus) - crowns the head of the Cygnus.
Star Sadr(γ Cygnus / Gamma Cygnus) - burns and pulsates in the chest of the Cygnus.
Rukh Stars(δ Cygnus / Delta Cygnus) and Jenah(ε Cygnus / Epsilon Cygnus) - sparkling diamonds on the outstretched wings of the Cygnus.

If these bright, easily distinguishable stars, forming a characteristic geometric figure in the form of a cross, add numerous faint stars, as well as twinkling nebulae ... then with a little effort of our imagination you can see a flying swan spreading its wings wide. This is how the great masters of the past depicted the Cygnus constellation on ancient star maps and in star atlases.

In the 16th century, a unique example of a monumental image of the sky appeared in southern Italy - painting of the hall of the Heavenly vault at Villa Farnese in Caprarola, created by an unknown master around 1575. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind fresco, not Christian, but “mythological”, antique, depicting figures of constellations, representing a full large-scale image of the starry sky.

Deneb - the star that adorns the tail of the Cygnus

Deneb (α Cyg / Alpha Cygni) is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus and one of the brightest stars in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of +1.25m. Together with the stars Vega and Altair, Deneb forms "summer-autumn triangle", which is visible in the Northern Hemisphere in summer and autumn months. Deneb is a white supergiant, is one of the largest and most powerful stars known to science. The diameter of Deneb is approximately equal to the diameter of the earth's orbit (≈300 million kilometers). The mass of Deneb is considered equal to 15-25 solar. Every year, Deneb loses up to 0.8 millionth of the solar mass in the form of a stellar wind (this is one hundred thousand times more than that of the Sun). The exact distance to the star is unknown, since it is problematic to measure it at such a large distance, but it is estimated at about 1.5 thousand light years. In Ivan Antonovich Efremov's novel The Andromeda Nebula, Deneb is mentioned as a "great center of life" with 14 inhabited planets:

“... The language of symbols, drawings and maps of the Great Ring turned out to be easily comprehended at the level of development achieved by mankind. Two hundred years later, we could already talk with the help of translation machines with the planetary systems of the nearest stars, receive and transmit whole pictures of the diverse life of different worlds. Only recently have we received word from the fourteen planets of the great center of life Deneb in Cygnus, a colossal star with a luminosity of four thousand eight hundred suns, located at a distance of one hundred and twenty-two parsecs from us. The development of thought there went in a different way, but reached our level ... "

Albireo - the star crowning the head of the Swan

Albireo (β Cyg / Beta Cygnus) is the fifth brightest star in the constellation Cygnus. It is a binary system, well distinguishable even in a small telescope: Albireo A - orange giant(apparent magnitude 3.4 m) - itself is a close binary system; Albireo B - blue star(apparent magnitude 5.1 m).

“... Spread out at the top, in the Milky Way, Cygnus, one of the most interesting constellations of the northern sky, has already stretched its long neck to the south. A beautiful double star burns in it, named by the ancient slaves of Albireo ... "
"The Andromeda Nebula", 1955-1956, Ivan Antonovich Efremov

Star Sadr - the pulsating heart of the Cygnus

Sadr (γ Cygnus / Gamma Cygnus)- the second brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, supergiant spectral class F8, pulsating with a period of 74 days.

The constellation Cygnus in the virtual planetarium Stellarium

In the middle latitudes of Russia, the Cygnus constellation can be found at any time of the year, but the best time to observe is in summer and early autumn, when it is high above the horizon.
Surrounded by constellations Lizards, Pegasus, Chanterelles, Lyra, Dragon and Cepheus.

I suggest that readers of the green pages admire the constellation Cygnus in virtual planetarium Stellarium, look into antique Mirror of Urania, or even better ;-) treat yourself to a delightful night walk and ... using the materials in this article, try independently find the constellation Cygnus in the starry sky. Now is the best time - the last weeks of summer are burning out in the yard, the moon is melting every day ... by the coming Friday, its golden crescent will be barely noticeable and will not outshine the sparkle of stars with its bright light. Moreover, on Saturday, after a fascinating night walk, it will be possible to sleep to your heart's content :-)

I strongly ask you to take into account that the tempting offer regarding a night walk is relevant at the time of publication of the article on 17.08.2014 ;-) subject to amendments from the weather conditions, for example, cloudiness ...

Here is a screenshot of the virtual planetarium screen Stellarium(Russia, city Kursk, 21.08.2014, 00:29:12) and a map of the five constellations: Lizards (Lacerta), Swan (Cygnus), Lyra (Lyra), Chanterelles (Vulpecula) and Goose (Anser) - now defunct constellation. Card from the set Mirror of Urania (Urania "s mirror), published in 1824, consisting of 32 maps of the starry sky with illustrations of 79 constellations, created on the basis of Sky Atlas of Alexander Jameson.

astronomy teachers and restless contemplators ;-)
Stellarium - free virtual planetarium, open source, available under GNU General Public License for platforms Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
You can download the distribution package of the program on the official website of Stellarium
http://www.stellarium.org/

Ancient Greek Mythology - "Leda and the Swan"

How did the Cygnus, which is so attached to water, get to the sky and find itself among the constellations? We find the answer in ancient Greek mythology...

“Long ago, the celebrated Spartan hero Tyndareus was banished from his own kingdom by his brother Hippokont. For many years he wandered, went around many countries, but did not find shelter anywhere. Finally, he came to Aetolia to King Testius, who not only received him as a dear guest, but also made friends with him so that he gave him his beautiful, like a goddess, daughter Leda as his wife.
The amazing beauty and charm of Leda delighted everyone who saw her. The news that she was beautiful, like immortal goddesses, went around all of Greece. Could such a beauty go unnoticed by Zeus? Zeus saw her once and immediately began to think about a way to take possession of Leda so that his jealous wife Hera would not know about it. He turned into a snow-white swan and descended from the heights of Olympus to Sparta, to Leda.
Every night, Leda received the Swan - the almighty Zeus. From him, she had two children - a daughter, Elena, beautiful as a goddess, who later became the cause of the Trojan War, and a son, Polideucus, a glorified hero whom Zeus bestowed with immortality ...
In the sky, the constellation Cygnus personifies Zeus, who, having turned into a snow-white bird, flies to Earth to his beloved Leda.
"Myths and legends about constellations", 1975, Angel Damyanov Bonov

Johann Michael Ferdinand Heinrich Hoffmann(Hofman Johann M. F. H.; 03/19/1824 - 06/23/1911) - German artist.

I invite readers to leave the celestial pantheon, complete their journey through astronomy and look into the amazing world of fauna - get to know mute swan…then plunge headlong into magical world of fairy tale and… according to the tradition of green pages, treat yourself to painting.

Swans are the largest of the waterfowl in their order.

Swans- a genus of birds from the order of anseriformes of the duck family - largest waterfowl in your squad. Their closest relatives are geese and goose. Body length varies from 120 to 180 cm, wingspan from 200 to 240 cm, weight from 5–6 to 8–13 kg. The constitution of these birds is dense, the wings are wide. The neck is equal to the length of the body or exceeds it. In modern taxonomy, swans are divided into seven kinds:

Black Swan(Cygnus atratus)
black-necked swan(Cygnus melanocoryphus)
mute swan(Cygnus olor)
trumpeter swan(Cygnus buccinator)
american swan(Cygnus columbianus)
Small or tundra swan(Cygnus bewickii)
whooper swan(Cygnus cygnus)

mute swan

mute swan(Cygnus olor) - the largest in the swan family. The beak is orange-red, at the base of which there is a very characteristic black outgrowth. It lives in the northern part of Europe and Asia. Pretty rare everywhere. The mute is named because of the sound made when irritated and restless. When swimming, the mute swan often bends its neck in the shape of the Latin letter "S", and holds its beak and head obliquely towards the water; sometimes raises and spreads its wings in the form of spectacular "sails", so it is easy to distinguish it from other swans by its characteristic silhouette.

Archibald Thorburn(Archibald Thorburn; 05/31/1860 - 10/09/1935) - Scottish illustrator.

All swans swim well, but they cannot dive and therefore feed only in shallow water. Swans live in married couples and remain faithful to their companion all their lives. There is a belief that a widowed bird has no strength to live on ... it rises high into the sky, falls down like a stone and breaks to death. Of course, there is no scientific truth in this statement and this is just a beautiful literary fiction. Although the swans are faithful to each other, in the event of the death of a partner, a not too old bird can create a new pair.

Alfred Bailey(Albert E. Bailey; fl.: 1890-1904) - British artist, master of the river landscape.

The swan chicks are well developed and from the first days of life they accompany their parents and look for food on a par with adults. Interestingly, in all species of swans, both white and black, the chicks hatch covered with gray down.

Knud Erik Edsberg(Knud Erik Edsberg; 1911-2003) - Danish artist, master of genre painting.

swans in flight

The flight of swans is light and free, during flights, swans create a wedge, at the head of which the strongest bird flies. Other members of the pack use the aerodynamic flows created by the leader and spend less energy. At the same time, swans synchronize their wing movements with extraordinary accuracy. When the leader gets tired, another bird takes over. It is curious that the fact of energy saving confirms a pattern that has long been known to all military pilots - if the squadron is built in a wedge, then each aircraft consumes less fuel.

Here's how it turns out ... even in this article there was a place for my adored physics ;-) I recommend to inquisitive readers to look at the green page "Physics Lessons"– integrated didactic materials for students, as well as their parents ;-) and, of course, for creative teachers.

Karl Ewald Olszewski(Karl Ewald Olszewski; 01/25/1884 - 02/24/1965) - German artist.
Vernon Beauvoir Ward(Vernon Beauvoir Ward; 1905-1985) - British artist.

Flying swans in the picture "In the Blue Space" Arkady Alexandrovich Rylova on the green page "Swimming in blue".

SWANS IN THE MAGIC WORLD OF FAIRY TALE

In a Russian folk tale "Swan geese" a flock of swans misbehaves and robs, steals small children ... faithfully serves Baba Yaga. And ... this is far from the only example in which swans act as negative characters :-(

But ... in general :-) swan symbolism almost the same in most peoples of the world. In fairy tales, legends and traditions, the swan is personification of extraordinary magical power and wisdom; symbol of pure and true love, grace and perfection, poetry and courage ...

By the way, many characters in Russian folk tales are ambiguous and contradictory :-) For example, in the fairy tale “The Frog Princess”, Baba Yaga met Ivan Tsarevich, fed, watered, evaporated in a bathhouse, put her to bed and gave practical advice on how to cope with Koshchei the Immortal , Yes, to rescue Vasilisa the Wise from captivity ... So whatever one may say, Baba Yaga is a positive character in this fairy tale :-))) and ... white swans, albeit not in the main roles, were allotted a place in this fairy tale ;-)

Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich(05/15/1848 - 07/23/1926) - Russian painter and architect, master of historical and folklore painting.

AT " Tale of Tsar Saltan, about his son, the glorious and mighty hero, Prince Gvidon Saltanovich, and about the beautiful swan princess» Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin Prince Gvidon Saltanovich slays with his well-aimed arrow a kite - an evil sorcerer who attacked an innocent white-winged swan, and ... frees him from witchcraft captivity beautiful swan princess. In a fairy tale "Wild swan" Hans Christian Andersen the evil stepmother turned eleven handsome princes into swans. The courage and steadfastness of their sister Eliza made it possible to throw off the witchcraft ... and only the youngest of the brothers had a swan's wing instead of a hand. Eliza, sentenced to death, did not have time to finish the last nettle shirt, it lacked one sleeve ...

Kuznetsov Ivan Alexandrovich(05/23/1908 - 05/01/1987) - Soviet graphic artist, illustrator.
Dekhterev Boris Alexandrovich(1908-1993) - Soviet graphic artist, illustrator.
Paul Hey(Paul Hey; 10/19/1867 - 10/14/1952) - German graphic artist, engraver, illustrator.
Korovin Oleg Dmitrievich(October 29, 1915–February 19, 2002) was a Soviet graphic artist and illustrator.

While I was preparing materials for this article, I plunged into the magical world of a fairy tale with great pleasure. To be honest, I was especially fascinated "Ermakov's Swans" by Pavel Petrovich Bazhov..., did not stop at them :-) and re-read all the tales of the collection "Malachite Box":-))) I wish you, the readers of the green pages, the same!

“... And then never in his life would he find a passage into the Siberian water, if the swans did not help.
Where then these swans flew away - I can’t say. In our places, this bird is highly respected. Who inadvertently kicks a swan, do not expect good for yourself: without fail, unexpected grief will happen to that person. And even worse, if the hunter from the miners blunders. Such a person should completely abandon his land craft, because after that there will be no luck for gold. Do whatever you want, but you won’t even see gold in the ladle. Tried business. Yes, here's another thing that the old people used to do - they put wooden swans on the gates.
And this is in honor of swans were the first to show our Russian people land wealth in these parts. For this they are honored, and Vasily Timofeevich and Alyonushka are remembered. This is what a couple!
That's where the rub is."
"Ermakov's swans", 1940, Pavel Petrovich Bazhov

And also ... a fairy tale "Ugly duck" with a very instructive morality by Hans Christian Andersen;-) and a German folk tale "The Stolen Veil" edited by Johann Karl August Museumus. Art historians believe that this fairy tale served as the basis for an outstanding ballet. "Swan Lake" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Be sure to read this wonderful story! You will not regret;-)

“... Now he was glad that he had endured so much grief and disaster - he could better appreciate his happiness and all the splendor that surrounded him ...”
"The Ugly Duckling", 1843
Hans Christian Andersen

Quality puzzles in physics from Hans Christian Andersen;-) on the green page "Physics and Fiction: Optics".

At the end of our tour of magical world of fairy tales, treat yourself to delicious Asian flavor;-) and go on a short journey through the ancient Indian epic.

in front of you lovely Damayanti- the heroine of Hindu mythology, the wife of King Nala - a delightful character from "Tales of Nala", which is part of the inimitable Mahabharata - ancient Indian epic, one of the largest literary works in the world.

In this legend swans betrothed the beautiful Damayanti from the country of Vidarbha for King Nala.
They wooed so notably that even the offers of the immortal gods did not embarrass Damayanti, and she, without hesitation, during the svayamvara, gave her heart to Nalu ... The lovers overcame the wrath of the demon Kali, as well as other troubles ... And they lived happily ever after ;-)

Warwick Goble(Warwick Goble; 11/22/1862 - 01/22/1943) - English artist of the Victorian era - illustrator of children's books.

let's continue the conversation...

Mystical constellation Cygnus - constellation of the northern hemisphere of the starry sky, it is also called the Northern Cross. The bright stars form a characteristic cruciform pattern that stretches along the Milky Way, as if the Cygnus, with its wings spread, soars above the Earth. Cygnus is one of the most ancient constellations. In ancient images of the constellation, the swan flies with its wings spread wide and its head stretched forward, as if showing us all the way.

Various legends are associated with the constellation Cygnus.

In myths different countries world with the image of the Swan is associated with mythical, and maybe not mythical images - Aphrodite, Apollo, Zeus, Leda, Orphem, Brahma, Saraswati. I think that many people know the honest myth about how Zeus, carried away by the beauty of Leda, turned into a Swan, descended from heaven and conquered her in this image. And then “flew” into the sky. So, from this height, he has been looking at his beloved for centuries.

And another myth tells about the beautiful Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice. This Thracian singer is personified in the constellation Cygnus, paired with the constellation Lyra. Orpheus is also not a completely unambiguous legendary person. There are all prerequisites to consider him a native of the northern people. Even though they say that all roads lead to Rome. But I am more and more convinced that all the roads of the emergence and development of civilizations lead to the North. But now is not about that.

There is another version of the Cygnus constellation myth, which is less common, but has a place to be. The constellation Lyra represents the lyre of the god Apollo, which he left in the sky. Apollo, according to the legends of the Greek chroniclers, once every two years traveled to his homeland, to Hyperborea.

Swan the main Hyperborean symbol. And the Hyperborean swan symbolism covered all the northern countries of Europe and went deep into the Eurasian continent.

Interestingly, this constellation is also called the Northern Cross.

Why was this constellation identified with the cross and even with the crucified Jesus on the cross?

One French bishop, Gregory of Tours, who lived in the fifth century after the birth of Christ, wrote a large treatise “On the Path of the Stars”, where he mentions the constellation Cygnus as the Great Cross, in which the letter Alpha is located on one side and Omega on the other side., i.e. confirming that the constellation Cygnus is the cosmic cross on which Christ was crucified.

One day, a star shone in this constellation Cygnus, which eclipsed both the sun and the stars, and turned night into day. She blazed for several days. And since the constellation is in the north, it did not go beyond the horizon.

Now this star is invisible. This is the Cygnus sun, which radiates its glow in a different range, invisible to our eyes. But at the end of August 1975, an unknown star shone again in the constellation Cygnus and for several days was much brighter than the main star Deneb. And then it gradually faded away.

The mystical constellation Cygnus attracts the attention of not only scientists, but also esotericists and religious figures.

Various sources are now trying to convey the message that on the morning of December 21, 2012 the sun will be on the Big Gap of the Milky Way (Constellation Cygnus), visually in the center of our galaxy and this will be the Zero Point new wave time, which will determine the key moment of Human evolution.

It is believed that the mysterious radiation emanating from the center of the constellation affects the development of civilization on Earth, filling it with vital juices from the source of cosmic creation. The big break of the Milky Way in the constellation Cygnus is considered to be something like the “Cosmic birth canal”, from where the “Baby RA” is born every year (on the day of the winter solstice).

This star is identified with Christ on the Cross.

If you look at the paintings that depict the crucifixion of Christ and the constellation itself, you can see repeating contours. In the middle is a cross with the crucified Christ. On the sides are robbers on crosses. The constellation Cygnus looks exactly the same.

In ancient times, the constellation Cygnus was also identified with Iriy - the place of Paradise, the world tree of paradise. In the ancient Vedas, Iriy is the Sun.

More than 15,000 years ago, the Pole Star was the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus. It was then that the understanding arose that the World Tree (Iriy, Paradise) has an astronomical nature. It is difficult to say what our ancestors had in mind when they called this constellation the Heavenly Gates, but the fact that the constellation Cygnus was considered and revered as the most powerful source of God.

The image of a swan in ancient Slavic myths is associated with the primordial egg and the bird that creates the world. Swan symbolism is totemic; it permeates the entire history of the peoples of Eurasia. Traces of worship and exaltation of the swan are found in the Middle Urals and rock art of the White Sea and Lake Onega. Some esotericists believe that our first ancestors, the clans of Sva-ga - the blue-eyed Svyatorus, flew in from the Constellation of the Cygnus - the Hall of the Swan (Makosh or the Big Dipper Bucket).

And what about the militant German Valkyries with swan wings on their helmets and their swan knight Lohengrin. These “fabulous” Valkyries-Swan Maidens, according to legend, often appear by the river, shed their swan plumage and splash in the cold waters.

And the ancient Slavs have a story about how the Swan Maiden, from whom one brave good fellow stole her plumage, became the foremother of their birth. We can say that the entire early Christian period is marked by the Cult of the Swan

The Swan Maiden (Leda, Lada) is an ancient and comprehensive image. And if we talk about him, then this article will not be enough, since this image was deliberately distorted and turned into more militant and even ugly in legends ancient greece(Medusa Gorgon). Plots of transformation into a Swan are common among many peoples, and myths also repeatedly talk about the marriages of a person with a swan.

So flying swans in the northern countries very often became symbols or their images were applied to coats of arms. For example, the coat of arms of the city of Kurkkijoki (Karelia).

The wedge-flying flock of swans is the symbol of the EU. When Britain assumed its presidency of the European Union in 2005, it made a flock of swans flying in a wedge a symbol of its presidency. This symbol was supposed to show that there would be a change of leaders in a friendly alliance.

Swans currently play the role of a measure or expression of morality, respect for traditions, the pursuit of purity and the development of intelligence.

In Slavic mythology, the Swan refers to revered, "holy" birds. In northern Russia, the Swan is placed above other birds, as evidenced, for example, by the fairy tale about the choice of the King of Birds, which becomes the white Swan.

The White Swan among Christians is purity, mercy and a symbol of the Virgin Mary.

The Evenk swan is the leader of a flock of birds carrying the soul of the Shaman.

The Chinese Swan is a solar bird, personifies the masculine Yang.

Among the Celts, swans are solar deities who bring good to people, heal people with the energy of the Sun and water.

In ancient India, there are also a pair of Swans - Ham and Sa (Saraswati), who feed only on the honey of the blooming lotus of knowledge and live in the Almighty.

In ancient India, Brahma rides a swan

It turns out that the White Swan is a symbol of the Spirit and the unstained human Soul. And the constellation Cygnus is a cosmic projection of this powerful legendary bird.

Constellation Cygnus (CYGNYS) is an ancient constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It is included in the catalog of the starry sky "Almagest" entitled "Bird". The constellation is also mentioned in the writings of the mathematician and astronomer of Ancient Greece. Eudoxus of Knidos in the 4th century BC .

The bright stars of Cygnus form a cross-shaped pattern on the Milky Way, called "Northern Cross" . On the other hand, the drawing also looks like a bird, so the Arabs called the constellation "chicken" and the Babylonians "forest bird" .

Star Deneb (a Cygnus, "hen's tail") is a very bright star - a blue supergiant, whose luminosity exceeds the solar one by as much as 67,000 times! It is located in the upper left corner "Summer Triangle". Luminosity of another supergiant R Cygnus exceeds solar already in 1000000 times! We also note that in a small telescope one can clearly distinguish Albireo (b Cygnus, "cranberry hen") - a beautiful binary system.

The name of a whole type of variable stars ( dwarf new ) gave variable SS Cygnus . And here is the constellation star Swan X-1 is the famous black hole in the Milky Way. Let me remind dear readers that black holes- these are stars that, in the course of their development, have acquired such a gravitational force that particles of light cannot overcome it, and such stars are not visible. Newton's laws of classical physics do not apply to such objects.

The constellation Cygnus also includes bright diffuse nebulae. Most famous Nebula NGC 7000 North America» , which received its name for its similarity with the outlines of this continent. It is located near the star Jenach (Epsilon Cygnus) . Second Nebula NGC 5067 called "Pelican". As a result of bursts of supernova stars in the constellation, filamentous nebulae NGC 6960 "Loop" and NGC 6992-5 .

The legend of the constellation Cygnus

The origin of the name of the constellation is associated with the name Zeus .
Zeus was secretly in love with his wife king of Sparta Tyndareus beautiful Ledoux with divine beauty. To avoid incurring the wrath of his wife Hera, he turned into a swan and flew to meet his beloved. Soon Leda gave birth to a daughter from Zeus Elena the Beautiful and son Pollux (Pollux) . Note that Leda also had two children from the king of Sparta: daughter Klimnester and son Castor. We have already discussed that, according to ancient Greek mythology, as a reward for brotherly love, the gods placed Castor and Pollux in the sky in the form of.

How to find the constellation Cygnus in the sky?

The constellation is clearly visible throughout Russia, with the exception of the northern regions during the white nights. In other areas best time for observation is formed in summer and autumn.

I wrote about this graceful and majestic bird, then I thought that it was necessary to continue the conversation.

Mystical constellation Cygnus - constellation of the northern hemisphere of the starry sky, it is also called the Northern Cross. The bright stars form a characteristic cruciform pattern that stretches along the Milky Way, as if the Cygnus, with its wings spread, soars above the Earth. Cygnus is one of the most ancient constellations. In ancient images of the constellation, the swan flies with its wings spread wide and its head stretched forward, as if showing us all the way.

Various legends are associated with the constellation Cygnus.

In the myths of different countries of the world, the image of the Swan is associated with mythical, and maybe not mythical images - Aphrodite, Apollo, Zeus, Leda, Orphem, Brahma, Saraswati. I think that many people know the honest myth about how Zeus, carried away by the beauty of Leda, turned into a Swan, descended from heaven and conquered her in this image. And then “flew” into the sky. So, from this height, he has been looking at his beloved for centuries.

And another myth tells about the beautiful Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice. This Thracian singer is personified in the constellation Cygnus, paired with the constellation Lyra. Orpheus is also not a completely unambiguous legendary person. There are all prerequisites to consider him a native of the northern people. Even though they say that all roads lead to Rome. But I am more and more convinced that all the roads of the emergence and development of civilizations lead to the North. But now is not about that.

There is another version of the Cygnus constellation myth, which is less common, but has a place to be. The constellation Lyra represents the lyre of the god Apollo, which he left in the sky. Apollo, according to the legends of the Greek chroniclers, once every two years traveled to his homeland, to Hyperborea.

Swan main symbol. And the Hyperborean swan symbolism covered all the northern countries of Europe and went deep into the Eurasian continent.

Interestingly, this constellation is also called the Northern Cross.

Why was this constellation identified with the cross and even with the crucified Jesus on the cross?

One French bishop, Gregory of Tours, who lived in the fifth century after the birth of Christ, wrote a large treatise “On the Path of the Stars”, where he mentions the constellation Cygnus as the Great Cross, in which the letter Alpha is located on one side and Omega on the other side., i.e. confirming that the constellation Cygnus is the cosmic cross on which Christ was crucified.

One day, a star shone in this constellation Cygnus, which eclipsed both the sun and the stars, and turned night into day. She blazed for several days. And since the constellation is in the north, it did not go beyond the horizon.

Now this star is invisible. This is the Cygnus sun, which radiates its glow in a different range, invisible to our eyes. But at the end of August 1975, an unknown star shone again in the constellation Cygnus and for several days was much brighter than the main star Deneb. And then it gradually faded away.

The mystical constellation Cygnus attracts the attention of not only scientists, but also esotericists and religious figures.

Various sources are now trying to convey the message that on the morning of December 21, 2012 the sun will be on the Big Break of the Milky Way (Constellation Cygnus), visually in the center of our galaxy and it will be the Zero point of the new Wave of time, which will determine the key moment of Human evolution.

It is believed that the mysterious radiation emanating from the center of the constellation affects the development of civilization on Earth, filling it with vital juices from the source of cosmic creation. The big break of the Milky Way in the constellation Cygnus is considered to be something like the “Cosmic birth canal”, from where the “Baby RA” is born every year (on the day of the winter solstice).

This star is identified with Christ on the Cross.

If you look at the paintings that depict the crucifixion of Christ and the constellation itself, you can see repeating contours.

In the middle is a cross with the crucified Christ. On the sides are robbers on crosses. The constellation Cygnus looks exactly the same.

In ancient times, the constellation Cygnus was also identified with Iriy - the place of Paradise, the world tree of paradise. In the ancient Vedas, Iriy is the Sun.

More than 15,000 years ago, the Pole Star was the star Deneb in the constellation Cygnus. It was then that the understanding arose that the World Tree (Iriy, Paradise) has an astronomical nature. It is difficult to say what our ancestors had in mind when they called this constellation the Heavenly Gates, but the fact that the constellation Cygnus was considered and revered as the most powerful source of God.

The image of a swan in ancient Slavic myths is associated with the primordial egg and the bird that creates the world. Swan symbolism is totemic; it permeates the entire history of the peoples of Eurasia. Traces of worship and exaltation of the swan are found in the Middle Urals and the White Sea and Lake Onega. Some esotericists believe that our first ancestors, the clans of Sva-ga - the blue-eyed Svyatorus, flew in from the Constellation of the Cygnus - the Hall of the Swan (Makosh or the Big Dipper Bucket).

And what about the militant German Valkyries with swan wings on their helmets and their swan knight Lohengrin. These “fabulous” Valkyries-Swan Maidens, according to legend, often appear by the river, shed their swan plumage and splash in the cold waters.

And the ancient Slavs have a story about how the Swan Maiden, from whom one brave good fellow stole her plumage, became the foremother of their birth. We can say that the entire early Christian period is marked by the Cult of the Swan

The Swan Maiden (Leda, Lada) is an ancient and comprehensive image. And if we talk about him, then this article will not be enough, since this image was deliberately distorted and turned into a more militant and even ugly one in the legends of ancient Greece (Gorgon Medusa). Plots of transformation into a Swan are common among many peoples, and myths also repeatedly talk about the marriages of a person with a swan.

So flying swans in the northern countries very often became symbols or their images were applied to coats of arms. For example, the coat of arms of the city of Kurkkijoki (Karelia).

The wedge-flying flock of swans is the symbol of the EU. When Britain assumed its presidency of the European Union in 2005, it made a flock of swans flying in a wedge a symbol of its presidency. This symbol was supposed to show that there would be a change of leaders in a friendly alliance.

Swans currently play the role of a measure or expression of morality, respect for traditions, the pursuit of purity and the development of intelligence.

In Slavic mythology, the Swan refers to revered, "holy" birds. In northern Russia, the Swan is placed above other birds, as evidenced, for example, by the fairy tale about the choice of the King of Birds, which becomes the white Swan.

The White Swan among Christians is purity, mercy and a symbol of the Virgin Mary.