Editing Canis Major (section)

== History and myths ==

=== In western astronomy ===
In ancient [[Mesopotamia]], Sirius, named KAK.SI.SA<sub>2</sub> by the [[Babylon]]ians, was seen as an arrow aiming towards Orion, while the southern stars of Canis Major and a part of [[Puppis]] were viewed as a bow, named BAN in the ''[[Babylonian star catalogues#Three Stars Each|Three Stars Each]]'' tablets, dating to around 1100 BC. In the later compendium of Babylonian astronomy and astrology titled ''[[MUL.APIN]]'', the arrow, Sirius, was also linked with the warrior [[Ninurta]], and the bow with [[Ishtar]], daughter of [[Enlil]].<ref name="rogers1998">{{cite journal | first=John H. | last=Rogers | year=1998 | title=Origins of the Ancient Constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions | journal=[[Journal of the British Astronomical Association]] | volume=108 |issue=1 | pages=9–28 | bibcode=1998JBAA..108....9R }}</ref> Ninurta was linked to the later deity [[Marduk]], who was said to have slain the ocean goddess [[Tiamat]] with a great bow, and worshipped as the principal deity in Babylon.{{sfn|Wagman|2003|p=71}} The Ancient Greeks replaced the bow and arrow depiction with that of a dog.<ref name="rogers1998a">{{cite journal | first=John H. | last=Rogers | year=1998 | title=Origins of the Ancient Constellations: II. The Mediterranean Traditions | journal=Journal of the British Astronomical Association | volume=108 | issue=2| pages=79–89 | bibcode=1998JBAA..108...79R}}</ref>
[[File:Sirius 1.jpg|250px|thumb|right|[[Sirius A]], the brightest star in the night sky, lies in Canis Major.]]
In Greek Mythology, Canis Major represented the dog [[Laelaps (mythology)|Laelaps]], a gift from [[Zeus]] to [[Europa (mythology)|Europa]]; or sometimes the hound of [[Procris]], [[Diana (mythology)|Diana's]] nymph; or the one given by [[Eos|Aurora]] to [[Cephalus]], so famed for its speed that Zeus elevated it to the sky.{{sfn|Allen|1963|p=117}} It was also considered to represent one of Orion's hunting dogs,{{sfn|Ridpath|Tirion|2001|pp=98–99}} pursuing [[Lepus (constellation)|Lepus]] the [[Hare]] or helping Orion fight [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]] the Bull; and is referred to in this way by [[Aratus|Aratos]], [[Homer]] and [[Hesiod]]. The [[ancient Greeks]] refer only to one dog, but by [[ancient Rome|Roman]] times, [[Canis Minor]] appears as Orion's second dog. Alternative names include Canis Sequens and Canis Alter.{{sfn|Allen|1963|p=117}} Canis Syrius was the name used in the 1521 ''[[Alfonsine tables]]''.{{sfn|Allen|1963|p=117}}

The Roman myth refers to Canis Major as ''Custos Europae'', the dog guarding Europa but failing to prevent her abduction by [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] in the form of a bull, and as ''[[Cerberus|Janitor Lethaeus]]'', "the watchdog".{{sfn|Allen|1963|p=118}} In medieval Arab astronomy, the constellation became ''al-Kalb al-Akbar'', "the Greater Dog", transcribed as ''Alcheleb Alachbar'' by 17th century writer [[Edmund Chilmead]]. Islamic scholar [[Abū Rayḥān al-Bīrūnī]] referred to Orion as  ''Kalb al-Jabbār'', "the Dog of the Giant".{{sfn|Allen|1963|p=117}} Among the [[Merazig]] of [[Tunisia]], shepherds note six constellations that mark the passage of the dry, hot season. One of them, called ''[[Merzem]]'', includes the stars of Canis Major and Canis Minor and is the herald of two weeks of hot weather.<ref>{{cite journal |title = A Review of African Ethno-Astronomy: With Particular Reference to Saharan Livestock-Keepers |last = Oxby |first = Claire |journal = [[La Ricerca Folklorica]] |date = October 1999 |pages = 57–58 | jstor = 1479768 |issue = 40|doi = 10.2307/1479768 }}</ref>
[[File:Canis Major on the Manuchihr Globe.jpg|thumb|Canis Major as depicted on the [[Abu al-Fath Manuchihr Khan|Manuchihr]] Globe made in [[Mashhad]] 1632–33 AD. Adilnor Collection, Sweden.]]

=== In non-western astronomy ===
[[File:Canis Major above Kuantan Night Sky.jpg|thumb|right|Canis Major, observed above Kuantan (north is towards top right)]]

In [[Chinese astronomy]], the modern constellation of [[Canis Major (Chinese astronomy)|Canis Major]] is located in the [[Vermilion Bird]] ({{lang-zh |c=南方朱雀 |p=Nán Fāng Zhū Què |labels=no }}), where the stars were classified in several separate [[Asterism (astronomy)|asterism]]s of stars. The Military Market ({{lang-zh |p=Jūnshì |c=軍市 |labels=no }}) was a circular pattern of stars containing [[Nu3 Canis Majoris|Nu<sup>3</sup>]], [[Beta Canis Majoris|Beta]], [[Xi1 Canis Majoris|Xi<sup>1</sup>]] and [[Xi2 Canis Majoris|Xi<sup>2</sup>]], and some stars from Lepus.{{sfn|Schlegel|1967|p=428}} The Wild Cockerel ({{lang-zh |p=Yějī |c=野雞 |labels=no }}) was at the centre of the Military Market, although it is uncertain which stars depicted what. Schlegel reported that the stars [[Omicron Canis Majoris|Omicron]] and [[Pi Canis Majoris]] might have been them,{{sfn|Schlegel|1967|p=430}} while Beta or [[Nu2 Canis Majoris|Nu<sup>2</sup>]] have also been proposed.<ref name="ridpathcma">{{cite web |url=http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canismajor.html#chinese |work=Star Tales |title=Canis Major – the Greater Dog |last1=Ridpath |first1=Ian |access-date= 1 March 2014 }}</ref> [[Sirius]] was ''{{lang|zh-Latn|Tiānláng}}'' ({{lang|zh|天狼}}), the Celestial Wolf,{{sfn|Schlegel|1967|p=431}} denoting invasion and plunder.<ref name="ridpathcma"/> Southeast of the Wolf was the asterism ''{{lang|zh-Latn|Húshǐ}}'' ({{lang|zh|弧矢}}), the celestial Bow and Arrow, which was interpreted as containing [[Delta Canis Majoris|Delta]], [[Epsilon Canis Majoris|Epsilon]], [[Eta Canis Majoris|Eta]] and [[Kappa Canis Majoris]] and [[Delta Velorum]]. Alternatively, the arrow was depicted by [[Omicron2 Canis Majoris|Omicron<sup>2</sup>]] and Eta and aiming at Sirius (the Wolf), while the bow comprised Kappa, Epsilon, [[Sigma Canis Majoris|Sigma]], Delta and 164 Canis Majoris, and [[Pi Puppis|Pi]] and [[Omicron Puppis]].{{sfn|Schlegel|1967|p=434}}<!-- cites previous two sentences -->

Both the [[Māori people]] and the people of the [[Tuamotus]] recognized the figure of Canis Major as a distinct entity, though it was sometimes absorbed into other constellations. ''{{lang|mi|Te Huinga-o-Rehua}}'', also called ''{{lang|mi|Te Putahi-nui-o-Rehua}}'' and ''{{lang|mi|Te Kahui-Takurua}}'', ("The Assembly of {{lang|mi|Rehua}}" or "The Assembly of Sirius") was a Māori constellation that included both Canis Minor and Canis Major, along with some surrounding stars.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=212}}{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=215}} Related was ''{{lang|mi|Taumata-o-Rehua}}'', also called ''{{lang|mi|Pukawanui}}'', the Mirror of {{lang|mi|Rehua}}, formed from an undefined group of stars in Canis Major.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=258}}{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=247}} They called Sirius ''{{lang|mi|Rehua}}'' and ''{{lang|mi|Takarua}}'', corresponding to two of the names for the constellation, though ''{{lang|mi|Rehua}}'' was a name applied to other stars in various Māori groups and other Polynesian cosmologies.{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=249}}{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=254}} The Tuamotu people called Canis Major ''{{lang|pmt|Muihanga-hetika-o-Takurua}}'', "the abiding assemblage of {{lang|mi|Takarua}}".{{sfn|Makemson|1941|p=236}}

The Tharumba people of the [[Shoalhaven River]] saw three stars of Canis Major as ''{{lang|dhu|Wunbula}}'' (Bat) and his two wives ''{{lang|dhu|Murrumbool}}'' (Mrs Brown Snake) and ''{{lang|dhu|Moodtha}}'' (Mrs Black Snake); bored of following their husband around, the women try to bury him while he is hunting a wombat down its hole. He spears them and all three are placed in the sky as the constellation ''{{lang|dhu|Munowra}}''.<ref name="ridley1875">{{cite book |last=Ridley |first=William |title=Kámilarói, and other Australian languages |publisher=T. Richards, government printer |location=Sydney, New South Wales |year=1875 |edition=2nd |pages=144–45 |url=http://www.newcastle.edu.au/Resources/Divisions/Academic/Library/Cultural%20Collections/pdf/ridley1875.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301195245/http://www.newcastle.edu.au/Resources/Divisions/Academic/Library/Cultural%20Collections/pdf/ridley1875.pdf |archive-date=2014-03-01 |url-status=live}}</ref> To the [[Wergaia|Boorong]] people of Victoria, [[Sigma Canis Majoris]] was ''{{lang|weg|Unurgunite}}'' (which has become the official name of this star<ref name="IAU-LSN">{{cite web | url=https://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming_stars/ | title=Naming Stars |publisher=IAU.org |access-date=30 July 2018}}</ref>), and its flanking stars Delta and Epsilon were his two wives.<ref name=hamacher>{{cite journal |last1=Hamacher |first1=Duane W. |last2=Frew |first2=David J. |year=2010 |title=An Aboriginal Australian Record of the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae |journal=Journal of Astronomical History & Heritage |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=220–34 |doi=10.3724/SP.J.1440-2807.2010.03.06 |arxiv=1010.4610 |bibcode=2010JAHH...13..220H |s2cid=118454721 }}</ref> The moon (''{{lang|weg|Mityan}}'', "[[native cat]]") sought to lure the further wife (Epsilon) away, but {{lang|weg|Unurgunite}} assaulted him and he has been wandering the sky ever since.<ref>{{cite book |last=Smyth |first=Robert Brough |title=The Aborigines of Victoria: with Notes Relating to the Habits of the Natives of other Parts of Australia and Tasmania |publisher=J. Ferres, government printer |location=Melbourne, Victoria |year=1878 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/aboriginesofvict01smyt/page/433 433]–34 |url=https://archive.org/details/aboriginesofvict01smyt }}</ref>