The Tragedy Of Sophocles Antigone - 1705 Words

On the subject of honorable morality, Antigone possesses the moral high ground in accordance to the Greek expectations of the historical era when compared to the opposition of Creon. Owing to Sophocles’ tragedy known as Antigone, it offers the question of what type of law should be relevant when both divine law and common law clash in their interests. As such, it delves into a complex setting of a post-civil war Thebes, whereby throughout the entirety of the tragedy the audience learns of the fates of those involved, as both sides of the opposition face cruel fates. Yet, while the ending of the play is rather ambiguous about who was right, Antigone was indeed the clear victor according to the cultural upbringing and relevance of the†¦show more content†¦(Mark, 2012) â€Å"Hermes, the Helper, led them down the dank ways. Past the streams of Oceanus they went, past the rock Leucas, past the gates of the sun and the land of dreams, and quickly came to the mead of asphodel, where the spirits dwell, phantoms of men who have done with toils.†(Hom. Od. 24.10-14) However, such death rituals for certain have to be an honored tradition which goes on to grant further fleshed out explanations in Homer’s Iliad, as the death of Patroclus and his spiritual discourse with Achilles at the gates of Hades implies a wrongdoing. The two literary sources emphasizing the necessity of a proper burial and refer to the omission of burial rites as an insult to the dignity of both the man and the will of the gods during the harsh encounter. (Hom. Il. 23.70-74) Granted that at the time of death, relatives of the deceased would go through the process of partaking in the customary steps of preparing the body in three particular phases. All things considered, such occasions being culturally delegated to women, while it depended on the family situation as men would do this also. (â€Å"Death, Burial, and the Afterlife in Ancient Greece.†, 2003) Of the most compelling evidence assorted, it is clear that Antigone’s dutiful mindset in the burial of her brother Polyneices comes from a base found on imposing societal expectations that receive a large number of support with general and widespread practices. With this in mind, when lookingShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Antigone Essay1808 Words   |  8 Pages Antigone is the main character of the homonymous tragedy of Sophocles. The play follows the formal conventions of Greek tragedy and it is composed of seven scenes (opening scene, prologos), five scenes and a final scene (exodus), which are divided noticeably by six choral songs (opening lyric, parodos) and five choral songs (stasima) which have some relevance to the dramatic situation. As Aristotle distinguishes in his work of literary criticism, Poetics, part of the excitement of a tragic performanceRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Antigone By Sophocles1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe play Antigone, composed by Sophocles, informs us that fate cannot be controlled by anyone. Fate is an essential part of many tragedies. As for the characters in Antigone, their fates end up being unavoidable, whether it is due to the reason that they refused to accept it until it was very late, or they accepted the fate and permitted it to come to pass. The character’s lives possess set conclusions, and there exits some clues on what these conclusions shall be, and when they shall happen. TheRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Antigone1355 Words   |  6 Pagesscenarios. For example in Sophocles’ play Antigone there are a few characters that one might say suffered. The two characters that are believed to suffer the most in this play are Antigone and Creon, however Creon does suffe r more than Antigone. Sophocles’ play is to be said to be one of the best tragedy plays ever to be written and performed. The reasoning behind this is because of the true suffering that Creon does throughout the play. The whole play brings in the theme of tragedy from the beginningRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Antigone928 Words   |  4 PagesAntigone Antigone was written in 441 BC by the Greek playwright Sophocles. The play is set in the ancient city of Thebes. Women were not recognized of importance in ancient Athens, so in turn they were not allowed to attend the plays and any character that was a woman was to be played as a man, wearing a mask. Sophocles wrote many other great Greek tragedies including Odeipus the King. In the prequel to Antigone, Odeipus the King, Odeipus is born as a curse. His parents went to the oracle and receivedRead MoreThe Tragedy of Sophocles Antigone956 Words   |  4 Pages The Tragedy of Antigone nbsp;In the story of Antigone, Oedipus has already died, his two sons. Polyneices and Eteocles, left to contend for the throne of Thebes. In their contention for the throne, the two brothers slay one another, leaving Creon once again to be the acting regent of Thebes. With this power, Creon declares that Polyneices must be left to rot on the battlefield, the highest disgrace to any Greek. Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, is left torn between state of family, and in theRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Antigone976 Words   |  4 PagesThe story in Antigone shows two things that Sophocles could be pointing which is important whether may be the family or authority. Readers could not tell whether Sophocles would be choosing which but most conclude that Sophocles could be siding with family as it talks much more about it than authority. In the mind of a reader, family is mostly likely the winner as Antigone cares her brother Polyneices, Antigone denies the rule of Creon, Creon values his son and his wife, and Sophocles might be makingRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of Antigone By Sophocles1440 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone The tragic play ‘Antigone’ by Sophocles is a tale that will forever project different interpretations and meanings, one no more accurate than the other. The play’s protagonist, Antigone, is typically always seen in an innocent aspect, and Creon is always seen as a villain due to the ongoing quarrel between the two. But, who is to say that either one is heroic or villainous? Sure, there are many admirable qualities that Antigone possesses, but she also shows that she is unwilling to changeRead More Sophocles Greek Tragedy, Antigone Essay465 Words   |  2 PagesIt has been said that love conquers all. Love is a major issue in Sophocles Greek Tragedy, Antigone. Antigone’s family is full of incest and betrayal. People say that Antigone, and her sister Ismene have been cursed because of their family’s bad decisions and horrible luck. Love in Antigone’s case did conquer all, but do the tragedy of deaths. Antigone’s love for her deceased bro ther eventually caused her own death. Antigone’s death went on to cause Haimon’s death, which ultimately caused the deathRead MoreTragedy in Antigone by Sophocles and Blackfish771 Words   |  4 PagesKarl Marx, the German philosopher, once said â€Å"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.† For me, this quote clearly describes the overarching relationship between Blackfish and Antigone. This analogy starts with Antigone, written about an oppressed woman against the fists of tyranny. That early in history woman’s rights was often taboo at places, and democracy was only recently established. Yet, Antigone went against the norm by focusing on a heroine that challenged male authorityRead MoreEssay about Sophocles Antigone: A Great Tragedy1073 Words   |  5 Pagescan create a major difference, but one decision can create major conflict. One decision affects all other decisions. The effects of one decision are present in Antigone by the greek author, Sophocles. The setting of Antigone is the ancient city of Thebes after a battle between Polyneices and Eteocles. During the battle, a great tragedy occurs when Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other. The battle is a result of one decision by Polyneices to conquer Thebes, and his attempt is a utter failure

Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution Essay - 1311 Words

Before the theory of evolution was a widespread theory in the world of science, Greek and Roman philosophers had their own theories about how life came to its present state and where it was going from there. One theory at the time was that all organisms are reflections of a â€Å"perfect† form and were coming closer to it all the time, although this was the less accepted theory even though it was closer to the truth proven hundreds of years after, while another was that all things were simply places on Earth in their present form, common to modern day Creationism. Even after this, Darwin was not the first to try explain evolution, he just provided convincing proof and published his ideas. The publishing of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution was†¦show more content†¦While on the Galà ¡pagos Islands, Darwin kept notebooks about all the species there, and he noticed the variety of tortoises on the island who were essential in explaining his theory of evolution. The re are several species of tortoise present on the Galà ¡pagos Islands that are all very closely related, but slightly different. There are eleven presently surviving subspecies of Galà ¡pagos tortoises; furthermore, six of the eleven are found on different islands in the archipelago, and the other five are all found on a single island on five separate volcanoes with their own mini-ecosystems (PNAS). Although all of the species of Galà ¡pagos tortoise is different, they each have small differences that can include maximum adult size, shell shape, and the length of the neck and limbs. The tortoises of the islands are most closely related to the Chaco tortoises along the western coast of South America, and they most likely came to the Galà ¡pagos by â€Å"rafting† across the water (PNAS). Similar to the tortoises, Darwin observed that the Finches on the islands also had changed to match the environment. Spread among the islands were fourteen subspecies of finch whoseSho w MoreRelatedCharles Darwins Scientific Theory of Evolution1284 Words   |  6 Pages Charles Darwin is well-known for his groundbreaking work on evolutionary biology. Among his many contributions, The Origin of Species is the most associated with his name. He introduces the scientific theory of evolution and suggests that species have evolved over a period of many generations through a process called natural selection. Darwins theories have created much controversy among his colleagues and led to great amounts of debate. However, the massive amount of criticism directed at DarwinRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory Of Evolution1151 Words   |  5 Pagesteacher within the State of Tennessee to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man and that man descended from a lower order of animals.†1 Fundamentalism was the basis of The Butler Bill. Fundamentalism is the belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts. In June, a Tennessee high school substitute teacher named John Scopes was accused of teaching Charles Darwin s theory of evolu tion to students. The theory of evolution was a hypothesis that species survived throughRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesDarwin is considered by other people as the creator of Evolution. Darwin was not the only man to arrive at the theory of evolution. Darwin came to his theory of evolution at the same time as an another man who goes by the name of Alfred Russell Wallace came to the same conclusion. Wallace being relatively unknown was not respected for having the same conclusion because the fact that people were so apt to listen to the theory’s of Charles Darwin. After time Darwin published a book On the OriginRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1832 Words   |  8 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other than Mendellson and his studies with genetics, Darwin has by far contributed the most to our modern science. From his theories on variation of species to his explanation of natural selection Charles Darwin has shocked the world by proving the world older than previously thought and creatures not immutable. In this present day these theories are as common belief as a simple mathematical equation such as two plus two equals four; but in the year eighteen hundred and fifty nine DarwinRead MoreEssay on Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection529 Words   |  3 Pages Charles Darwins theory of evolution centres on the idea that species compete to survive, and favorable characteristics are passed on from one generation to the next. Darwin said that evolution took place by a process of natural selection or survival of the fittest. This meant that the animals and plants best suited to their surroundings survived and were able to pass on their genes to their offspring. The ones that werent best suited died off and didnt get theRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1306 Words   |  6 Pagesexplorers have made attempts to try to answer this question. Charles Darwin was one of these people. Darwin led a full life of exploration, and during these adventures, he accumulated much information about evolution. He met many explorers that had various ideas of their own about how man evolved. In discussion with these people, he figured out if what they were telling him was fact or fiction. This helped him to formulate his own theory. Curiosity was aroused in Darwin at a very young ageRead More Argument Against Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution Essay1192 Words   |  5 Pages Charles Darwin proposed the theory of evolution to explain the origin, diversity and complexity of life. I will will disprove evolution by showing that natural selection only explains small evolutionary changes, collectively known as microevolution. Natural selection cannot drive large evolutionary changes, macroevolution. I will also show that the primordial soup, in which life supposedly evolved, did not exist. Neo-Darwinism incorporates the discoveries of modern science into Darwins originalRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1286 Words   |  6 Pages When the name Charles Darwin is uttered, an immediate association brings about the concept of Evolution. Although he was not the first to discover this phenomenon, he was the first to explain it. In his book, The Origin of Species, Darwin discusses evolution- through variation, why it occurs, the struggle for existence, natural selection, the geological record, and several other topics. This book brought him great recognition as well as many violent attacks. It was written inRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1986 Words   |  8 Pagesgenerations after the publication of his chief work, quot;The Origin of Speciesquot;, Charles Darwin may still be considered the most controversial scientist in the world. His name is synonymous with the debate that continues to swirl around the theory of evolution, a theory that deeply shook the Western view of humanity and its place in the world. We tend to speak simply of the theory of evolution, leaving off the explanatory phrase, quot;through natural selection.quot; At most, perhapsRead MoreCharles Darwins Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay1793 Words   |  8 Pageswas Charles Darwin. Darwin was the most accomplished of these men because he was able to put forth a logical conjecture that was based upon facts and observations. This theory, for a short time, was able to end the feud among educated men because many now put their trust in this new â€Å"theory of evolution†. Unfortunately, this revolutionary new theory threatened the religious beliefs about creation and soon a new rivalry emerged between the creationists and evolutionists. According to Charles Darwin

Existentialism in Albert Camuss Literary Works free essay sample

A discussion of two of Camuss works with the purpose of learning about Camuss view of life. This paper analyzes the short story The Guest and the novel The Outsider (also known as The Stranger) by Albert Camus. It depicts the lead characters of these two works and describes their ways of coping with ethical dilemmas. There is a concern with death and its inevitability in the works of Camus, and The Outsider is one such novel that involves a character faced with an ethical dilemma. The issue of moral responsibility is a difficult one in the universe of the Absurd, since there is no God, no caring or concerned universe, and ultimately no meaning beyond death. For Camus, though, there is a responsibility placed on every individual for making this world more livable, and this is the moral responsibility that man should respond to in life. Camuss characters do not always follow this precept, however, for the absurdity of life overwhelms their moral sense. We will write a custom essay sample on Existentialism in Albert Camuss Literary Works or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page

Entrepreneurship in a Context for Leadership- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theEntrepreneurship in a Context for Strategy Leadership. Answer: Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship is the act of utilizing a persons own capacities in order to create a new venture or business on ones own. Entrepreneurs start a business or indulge in their passions in place of functioning for anybody else in the business. Entrepreneurs need to tackle a large number of obstacles and fears as their lives are not easy. They have to tackle several challenges in order to make their endeavours a success. The first and foremost crucial factor for the entrepreneurial success is that of interest (Drucker, 2014). As the concept of entrepreneurship is concerned with the performance rather than the time given to a particular work, it is necessary for an entrepreneur to work in those specific areas which interest him or her. In case this is not done, it will not be possible to manage a proper level of work ethic and there is a high probability of failure. The interests of the entrepreneurs must also coincide with the vision for the growth of the company. In case the day to day activities are of interest to the entrepreneur, it is not enough for success unless this vision can be converted to that of growth and expansion. Entrepreneurs vision must be strong enough to be communicated to the investors and employees alike. The effective skills and the capability of the entrepreneurs to don many hats contribute to the success and the overall reputation of his or her company. It is crucial for an entrepreneur to invest in his or her company even it is intangible (Kirzner, 2015). A brief history of the Uber Company: The company was created in the year 2009. It was founded by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick. The company is basically based in the country of San Francisco and it was basically a private car service for the executives. The communication process which was used in this case was mainly brought about by emails and code features. The organisational growth was considerable in the year 2010. The concept of the advancement of technology was used to bring passengers as well as drivers together for the successful completion of the vision of the organisation. It was considered that Uber was the best way in which the passengers would get around. After a person books a car service, it comes straightaway to the person and the payment mode was completely cashless which was later modified to a number of other options (Dagnino, 2016). On a proper study it was found that the company targeted a specific segment of the customers and included those people who did not own a car. Apart from that it is found that there is a certain segment of people who do not drive a car themselves to those places who need to go. This segment of the population was also targeted. Certain people on the other hand are interested in travelling in style and they want to be treated as special and immensely important people. They also require a sort of cost efficient and a method of plying a suitable cab at their personal doorsteps. The connection with the customers is built due to the social media and the technological development. Therefore it is a suitable and has been an effective method to help the customers commute effectively (Arendt, 2017). Challenges faced by the company: There have been several challenges which have been faced by the company which consist of leadership issues, issues with how the drivers behave and the dissatisfaction issues of the drivers. The issue with the inherent leadership of the organisation is that of autocratic leadership, where the orders had been provided to the leaders of the organisation. It is not ideal for the workers to work in a scenario where they feel a sort of pressure from the upper management and therefore it needs to be considered at all costs (Denning, 2015). There had been several reports of the drivers behaving rudely or disrespectfully with the customers or the riders. There have been reports where the drivers have molested or caused harm to the passengers. Often the passengers have not been able to reach their respective destinations. This is a matter of severe concern with the company as the reliability can be lost due to such issues. There have been reports of the drivers remaining dissatisfied with the company as there is no existence of any tipping service which has been removed from the company policies which led the drivers to be dissatisfied and irritated. In case both sides of the company are happy, it is bound to grow more and succeed thereby increasing the overall profit shares. In case the company learns from its mistakes there is no stopping it (Dagnino, 2016). Entrepreneurial schools of thought: There are two basic views of entrepreneurship which relates to the success or the failure in the existing entrepreneurial business in the control locus. The macro view of entrepreneurship comprises the environmental school of thought, the financial or the capital school of thought and the displacement school of thought. The first school of thought considers the external factors which affect the lives of the entrepreneurs and the forces affecting it can be both positive and negative. The financial school of thought comprises of the capital seeking procedure. The displacement school of thought focuses on the negative sides of the existence of a group and understands the factors which can cause someone to feel out of place and even slow his or her development. The micro view of entrepreneurship refers to the school of thought which are specific to the concept of the internal locus of control and the potential entrepreneur has the capability to direct or even adjust the outcome of each of the major influences. Examples of issues in the organisation: From the study of the organisation it has been seen that the stupendous growth of the organisation had not been foreseen at any particular time. The company which started from very meagre means has grown to be one of the largest in the recent times and that too in a very short span of time. The company also believed in the concept of great businesses solving their particular problems. This is because of the fact that in order to reach a stage of global domination the companies have to keep solving their problems. Another reason the company has grown to be huge in the recent years is that they offer both convenience as well as price to their customers. The ways and means by which the Uber cars take their customers is also reliable. It is therefore a convenient alternative to the busy lifestyles of the working generation. The users should also look to solve their problems in the recent times in order to clear their image and become much more successful. The company also does not believe in hiding its mistakes. It believes in solving the issues which have arisen in the company. It always tries to improve its conditions and make it much more clean in terms of image and growth. The company believes that roadblocks might slow them down but they cannot stop them from being successful. In order to expand the company needs to ensure that the issues relating to have been solved at the starting stages itself. From the study of the overall ideals of the company it can be concluded that they follow both from macro as well as micro entrepreneurial schools of thought. Recommendations for improvement: Notwithstanding the issues that have been faced by Uber, it is thought to be safer than most rides and taxi services and an efficient system for the concept of ride sharing has also been created which is existent even at this present stage. The company can appoint and consider newer and much more effective leaders for the important posts in the company. This is due to the fact that the autocratic style of leadership has been found to be unsuccessful in the recent times. Along with the needs to change the structure of the company the type of leaders also need to change. There also needs to be a valid focus on the goodwill marketing wherein the organisation needs to cater to the issues which it has been facing in the recent times. In case customers are facing severe issues and need rides at any cost Uber can introduce the concept of free rides in order to ensure that the rides are beneficial to the customers and the company also gains in goodwill. This will ultimately amount to the overall increase in the growth of the company. The riders should also be allowed to utilize their own data. The company needs to fix the leadership as also the business issues it has been facing in the recent times. The concerns of each of the stakeholders need to considered so that the company is able to fulfil the goals of expansion which it has set for itself. It is to be noted that the company needs to understand the factors which will help it reach a stage of global importance and domination. References and Bibliography: Arendt, H. (2017).ber die Revolution. Piper ebooks. Dagnino, E. (2016). Uber law: prospettive giuslavoristiche sulla sharing/on-demand economy.Diritto delle relazioni industriali,26(1), 137-163. Denning, S. (2015). New lessons for leaders about continuous innovation.Strategy Leadership,43(1), 11-15. Drucker, P. (2014).Innovation and entrepreneurship. Routledge. Harvey, J., Smith, A., Golightly, D. (2018). Online Technology as a Driver of Sharing.The Rise of the Sharing Economy: Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Collaborative Consumption, 75. Kirzner, I. M. (2015).Competition and entrepreneurship. University of Chicago press. Santos, F. M. (2012). A positive theory of social entrepreneurship.Journal of business ethics,111(3), 335-351. Thai, M. T. T., Turkina, E. (2014). Macro-level determinants of formal entrepreneurship versus informal entrepreneurship.Journal of Business Venturing,29(4), 490-510.

How to Use a Sample Th Grade Essay

How to Use a Sample Th Grade EssayIs your sixth grader doing his or her own sample essay this year? Most sixth graders are far more likely to write their own work than they are to use one of the sample essays offered by their teachers. The biggest reasons for this are that you can't see the samples and there are very few opportunities to do this, unless the student has some type of special project to work on.Regardless of what grade your child is in, you need to make sure he or she is using a sample essay. It is likely that there are many other sixth graders who are already writing their own work. If you don't, then there is every chance that your child will be stuck in a rut in no time. There are several ways to ensure that your child writes his or her own essay, but the biggest advantage is that it will be as good as, if not better than anything that any teacher could offer them.One way to ensure that your child is writing a sample essay is to send him or her to one of the local sc hools and look at the sample essays written there. You may not always get what you expect, but if you look hard enough you will find something that will inspire your child. Not only is this a fun way to spend the afternoon, but it also will provide him or her with a very good idea of what they should write.The second method that will help your child use the sample is to take some time and write a sample yourself. Make sure that it is one that is meaningful to your child. If he or she has not ever written anything like this before, this will be a good way to get a feel for it and how to structure the outline and introduction.If your child is not starting to think about the subject matter of his or her th grade essay, then you need to start thinking about it now. First, ask your child what they think would interest them. You can use this information to help your child write his or her own essay.With any topic, no matter what it is, you should start by gathering the information that yo ur child needs to begin the task of writing his or her own sample essay. You can use the information your child gives you and work to build on it. You don't have to use the information all at once, but this is the best way to get started and it can be followed in a chronological order.Your next step is to help your child build the outline of the essay. Remember, this is an outline so you will want to make sure that you create a timeline, a list of goals, and tasks. You can add some notes on specific points as well.With this information, you should now be able to write a sample of your own on your child's subject of choice for his or her sixth grade or younger essay. Remember, no matter what grade your child is in, you need to make sure he or she is using a sample essay. This is a great way to encourage them to take writing seriously and they will continue to enjoy it as they age.

Sheikh Mohammed free essay sample

Case Study: Sheikh Mohammed and the Making of Dubai, Inc. Name The making of Dubai is the vision of one man: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Everybody knows the classic Arabian Nights but that is just a fairytale. Not â€Å"Dubai, Inc†. Incredible but true, its arid desert is transformed into a center for multinational companies and holds world records such as the most expensive hotel in the world. The coastline was literally made and artificial islands were created by dredging companies. The vision for Dubai might be seen as derived from necessity. In the 1940s the leading industry, the pearling industry, was in decline. It therefore had to focus on commerce. Even though oil was found in 1966 and oil concessions were granted, the political developments were more important to help turn the country into a more prosperous place. Sheikh Mohammed did not want the country to be dependent on oil. We will write a custom essay sample on Sheikh Mohammed or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When the UAE were found, he became the youngest Minister of Defense at age 21. Already as a child, Sheikh Mohammed was extraordinary. He was energetic, curious and full of initiative that later would prove beneficial for Dubai because he initiated many projects that turned the country into a corporation. Sheikh Mohammed believed in himself and in his vision. He could execute his vision for the country because his family was related and had ties with both business and government so in one sense it can even be considered a family business. His vision also entailed also to bridge the gap between Islamic laws and procedures and Western, more capitalist practices, for instance, by establishing free zones that stimulated business. Through these practices Dubai flourished, from real estate to finance. His management leading the developments gave Sheikh Mohammed the nickname of â€Å"CEO of Dubai†. However, there is not only success to the story. Besides the impact of the financial crisis of 2008, Dubai mistreated immigrants who worked under dire and poor circumstances. In addition, the economic success negatively impacted the infrastructure, demographics and local culture. References Mayo, J. A. , Nohria, N. , Mendhro, U. , Cromwell, J. (2010, 1 March). Sheikh Mohammed and the Making of â€Å"Dubai, Inc. †. Harvard Business School, 1-31, 9-410-063

How to Find the Gemini Constellation

How to Find the Gemini Constellation The Gemini constellation is one of the most ancient known star patterns. People have been observing it since earliest human history, and it was first charted by the Greek-Egyptian astronomer Claudius Ptolemy as part of his sky mapping activities. The name Gemini is the Latin word meaning twins, and most star-chart makers depict the stars in this constellation as a pair of twin boys.   Finding Gemini Constellation Look for Gemini in the sky near the constellations Orion (which has some fascinating sights of its own) and Taurus. For northern hemisphere viewers, its a winter star pattern and its two brightest stars, Castor and Pollux, are part of an unofficial asterism called the Winter Hexagon. That pattern contains six bright stars from the constellations Gemini, Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, and Taurus. Gemini looks like two long strings of stars extending down from Castor and Pollux, which are the heads of the twins. The easiest way to find it is to look for Castor and Pollux east of the vee-shaped Hyades cluster, which makes up the face of Taurus the Bull. The best views of this star pattern are available when it is straight overhead early in the new year. It remains visible until late spring, when it disappears into the sunset glow.   The Winter Hexagon is made up of the brightest stars from the constellations Orion, Gemini, Auriga, Taurus, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Carolyn Collins Petersen The Story of Gemini The mythology of the ancient Greeks and the Babylonians concerned a pair of twins in the sky.  For the Babylonians, these boys were in the realm of the gods, and they called them Meshlamtea and Lugalirra. They were related to a more important god, named Nergal, who presided over the Underworld and was thought to bring about all kinds of misfortune, disease, and other ills. The Greeks and Romans called these stars after the twin sons of Zeus and the maiden Leda. The Chinese saw a bird and a tiger in these stars. The modern constellation of the twins was set by Ptolemy and formalized by later stargazers. The formal area of the sky that contains the twins was set by the International Astronomical Union and contains other stars beyond the main ones, plus nearby deep-sky objects.   The Stars of Constellation Gemini Gemini constellation is dominated by the bright stars Castor and Pollux. These are also known as ÃŽ ± (alpha) Geminorum (Castor) and ÃŽ ² (beta) Geminorum (Pollux). Castor may look like only one star, but in reality, it contains six stars in orbit with each other. It  lies some 52 light-years from Earth. Twin brother Pollux is an orange giant star that lies about 34 light-years away from the Sun. Pollux also has at least one planet in orbit around it.   The official chart showing the stars of the constellation Gemini, provided by the IAU. IAU/Sky Telescope.com   Stargazers who want to explore other stars in Gemini might find ÃŽ µ (epsilon) Geminorum, which is interesting since its a binary star that can be seen through telescopes. One member of the pair is also a Cepheid variable star that brightens and dims with a period of about 10 days.   Deep-Sky Objects in Gemini Constellation Gemini isnt enriched with a lot of deep-sky objects. This is because its situated away from the plane of the Milky Way, where most of the clusters and nebulae exist. However, there are a few things that observers can search out in the constellation. The first is a star cluster called M35.  Its what astronomers call an open cluster. That means that its stars are fairly scattered through space but are still traveling together. There are about 200 stars in M35, and this cluster can be seen with the naked eye from dark-sky sights. Its also a lovely sight through binoculars or a telescope. Look for it near Castors foot.   The open star cluster M35 (lower right) in the constellation Gemini. 2MASS/NASA.   Skygazers up for a challenge can also search out two dim planetary nebulae in Gemini. These are clouds of gas that have formed around dying sun-like stars. The first is the Eskimo Nebula (also known as NGC 2392).  It has been imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope and is about 4,000 light-years from Earth.  Search it out by looking just to the left of Polluxs waist (marked 2392 on the chart). The other object is called the Medusa Nebula, and its a real challenge to see.  Search for it along the border with Canis Minor, below Polluxs knee. The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini, as seen by Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI   Finally, meteor shower fans spend each December 13-14 observing the Geminid Meteor shower. Its a shower created by a stream of material left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon as it orbits the Sun. The meteors are not actually from Gemini, but they appear to radiate from the constellation. In a good year, observers can spot upwards of 100 or so meteors per hour from this shower.   Gemini in Modern Culture As a starry constellation, Gemini has appeared in both space science and astronomy, as well as science fiction. NASAs Gemini missions were named for this star pattern because they each carried two astronauts to space. The Gemini Observatory has two domes, one in Hawaii and one in Chile, both inspired by the starry twins. Finally, science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein named two of his teenaged characters after the two bright stars Castor and Pollux.