Astronomy: First Year: Week 2: Wednesday

Professor Sinistra
Wednesday
Gryffindor Time: Midnight
Ravenclaw Time: Midnight
Hufflepuff Time: Midnight
Slytherin Time: Midnight

I though that it would be good to start out tonights lesson with a story. This story goes with the
constellation that we will find afterwards. There are two different legends, the Roman legend and the Greek legends. These legends are about a dragon. First, the Roman legend.

The Roman legend calls this dragon Ladon and he guarded the golden apples on a tree in a garden tended by the Hesperides, the daughters of Atlas. Hercules was sent to obtain the apples while under pledge to Eurystheus. He learned from Nereus that he could not pluck the apples himself, but must get help from Atlas. Hercules shot and killed Ladon with an arrow, making way for Atlas to enter and pluck the golden apples. The goddess Hera was greatly distressed by the death of Ladon and placed the dragon in the heavens as a constellation.

A Greek legend tells the story of Draco as a horrible dragon that guarded a sacred spring and slew the soldiers of Cadmus (first king of Thebes) who had been sent to gather water. Cadmus then fought the dragon and won,. After the dragon died, Athena appeared and told Cadmus to sow the ground with the creature's teeth. The teeth immediately sprang up as a group of armed soldiers who helped Cadmus found Thebes.

We call this constellation Draco. You will find it half wrapped around the Little Dipper. If you will please go up the stairs and outside, we will try to find Draco. Once you have found him, please copy down the constellation and surrounding constellations. When you are finished, please turn in your star chart and return to your dormitory. There will be no homework.