Myths in the Sky: Cassiopeia and Giraffe

Cassiopeia (lat. Cassiopeia)

The wife of Cepheus, Andromeda's mother was proud of the fact that she excelled all the sea goddesses — Nereids — in beauty. As a punishment for such boasting the sea-god Poseidon placed her on a throne which constantly revolved around the Pole.

^{Johannes Hevelius, atlas Firmamentum Sobiescianum, Map 13}

The Giraffe (lat. Camelopardalis)

This constellation was first described in 1624 by the astronomer J. Barch (1599— 1632) nephew and one of I. Kepler's assistants. However, it can be found in earlier maps as well.

^{Johannes Hevelius, atlas Firmamentum Sobiescianum, Map 14}