Cosmic Tales

Two kings. Two very different approaches to ruling. One constellation.
In Greek mythology, Cepheus was the king of Ethiopia, caught in a terrible dilemma when his wife's boast brought the wrath of Poseidon down upon his kingdom.
But in Persian mythology, another king was associated with this part of the sky.
Meet Kay Kavus, the ambitious ruler of the Shahnameh, whose questionable decisions included disastrous adventures, battles with demons, and an attempt to fly to heaven on a throne carried by enormous birds.
Because apparently ruling a kingdom wasn't challenging enough.
Then we turn to the astronomy of Cepheus, where we'll discover Herschel's Garnet Star, the spectacular Wizard Nebula, and a star whose rhythmic pulsations helped astronomers unlock the distances to other galaxies.

Follow Cosmic Tales for mythology, astronomy, and the strange stories we've written across the night sky. ✨
#CosmicTales #Cepheus #KayKavus #PersianMythology #GreekMythology #Shahnameh #Astronomy #Constellations #Space
Sources:
https://www.theoi.com/Heros/Perseus2.html
http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/cepheus.htmlhttps://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kayanian-v/
https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/cepheus-constellation/

Music: Distant Galaxy by SP Music
Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

A queen who boasted once too often. A legendary ruler who traveled to test the wisdom of a king.
In Episode 12 of Cosmic Tales, we explore Cassiopeia — the unmistakable W-shaped constellation of the northern sky. We follow the Greek queen whose pride put an entire kingdom in danger, then travel to Ethiopia for the story of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and her famous encounter with King Solomon.
Then we turn to the science: a star named backward for an Apollo astronaut, one of the most luminous stars in the Milky Way, and a collection of deep-sky objects that apparently couldn't settle on just one name.
Same stars. Different queens. Completely different stories.
Sources:
https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Cassiopeia/cassiopeia.html
http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/BoastOfCassiopeia.html
https://mythworld.fandom.com/wiki/Cassiopeia_(mythology)
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/queen-sheba
https://www.thecollector.com/ethiopian-rulers-descendant-king-solomon/
https://www.universeguide.com/star/3179/schedar
https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/S/Shedar.html
https://www.space.com/26883-cosmic-dolphin-constellation-star-names.html
https://astronomynow.com/2022/09/12/home-in-on-ngc-457-cassiopeias-superb-et-cluster/
Music: Distant Galaxy by SP Music
Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

The constellations may be finished. The stories aren't.
In this bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we return to Centaurus, Lupus, Ara and Sagittarius for three stories that didn't quite fit the stars — but were far too good to leave behind.
First, Šullat and Haniš run ahead of the great Mesopotamian Flood as divine heralds of the coming storm.
Then we turn to Norse mythology and Fenrir, the monstrous wolf the gods tried to bind before he could fulfill the fate they feared.
And finally, we meet Arjuna, the legendary archer of the Mahabharata, whose search for a divine weapon leads to an unexpected confrontation with Shiva.
A flood. A wolf. A divine weapon.
Apparently, this particular corner of the sky wasn't finished causing trouble.
This is Bonus Episode 3 of Cosmic Tales.

Music: Ethereal Galaxy by Konstantin Pazuzu Studio
Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

Who is the archer in Sagittarius?
In Greek tradition, one answer was Crotus — a satyr, hunter and companion of the Muses who found his place among the stars. But long before the Greeks told their stories about this part of the sky, Mesopotamian tradition connected it with Pabilsag, a strange composite figure closely associated with the god Nergal.
In Episode 11 of Cosmic Tales, we follow Sagittarius from Greek mythology into ancient Mesopotamia before turning to the astronomy hidden inside one of the richest regions of the Milky Way.
We'll find the familiar Teapot asterism, explore the Lagoon Nebula and its newborn stars, and look toward the center of our galaxy — where Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole, waits roughly 26,000 light-years away.
Two very different figures. One crowded patch of sky.
Crotus vs Nergal.
This is Sagittarius.
Apologies as always for any bad pronunciations.

Sources:
https://www.mythosjourney.com/encyclopedia/pages/pabilsa%c4%9d/https://www.astronomytrek.com/deep-sky-objects-in-sagittarius/
https://astrologyk.com/zodiac/constellations/sagittarius
https://mythlok.com/pabilsag/
https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/pabilsag/index.html
https://nineplanets.org/nunki/
Music: Distant Galaxy by SP Music
Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

What happens when two ancient cultures look toward the same stars—and both see an altar?
In Greek mythology, Ara was connected to the great war between the Olympians and the Titans. In ancient Mesopotamia, the stars carried an altar tradition of their own, with a very different story behind it.
In Episode 10 of Cosmic Tales, we explore both traditions before turning from mythology to the remarkable astronomy hidden within Ara—including massive star clusters, glowing nebulae, the Fighting Dragons molecular clouds, and some of the most extreme stars in our galaxy.
Same stars. Two ancient altars. And a small southern constellation packed with considerably more than you might expect.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Enlil
https://www.historyandmyths.com/2024/11/enlil-lord-anunnaki-gods-sumerian-mythology.html
https://aratta.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/the-constellation-ara-in-astrology/
https://babylonian.mythologyworldwide.com/exploring-the-temples-of-enlil-in-ancient-mesopotamia/
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/super-star-cluster-discovered-in-our-own-milky-way
https://www.theoi.com/Heros/Lykaon.html
http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canismajor.html
Music: Distant Galaxy by SP Music
Sound Engineer: Ian Evans