Why is Algol the Demon Star?
What’s the scariest star within the sky? Should you had been one of many early stargazers, you may need chosen Algol within the constellation Perseus. That’s in all probability why early astronomers nicknamed Algol the Demon Star. Shivers!
If you have a look at Algol, it doesn’t seem any scarier than some other star. However in skylore it’s related to a legendary scary monster – the Gorgon Medusa – who had snakes for hair. Legend stated that her look was so terrifying that if anybody even checked out her, they’d flip to stone.
The star Algol takes its title from an Arabic phrase which means the Demon’s Head or, actually the Ghoul. It represents the terrifying snaky head of the Medusa monster.
Perseus was a fantastic hero usually depicted mounted on Pegasus the Flying Horse. Within the mythology of the skies, Perseus slew Medusa. Then, he used Medusa’s head to his benefit, displaying it to Cetus the Sea-monster to show him into stone. So, maybe the ancients related this star’s variable brightness with the evil, winking eye of the Medusa.
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Algol is a variable star
Winking? Sure. In truth, Algol is a identified variable star, which waxes and wanes in brightness.
The early stargazers absolutely knew about its altering brightness. This in all probability led them to call the surprisingly behaving star within the sky for a mythological demon.
There are various variable stars identified all through the heavens, however Algol would possibly effectively be probably the most well-known of all of them. The Demon Star brightens and dims with clockwork regularity. It completes one cycle in 2 days, 20 hours and 49 minutes. Plus, you’ll be able to view its complete cycle together with your eye alone.
Algol’s variation is straightforward to watch. At its brightest, Algol shines about 3 times extra brightly than at its faintest. When it reaches most brilliance, Algol matches the brightness of the close by second-magnitude star Almach. At minimal, Algol’s gentle output fades to that of the star Epsilon Persei.
Fashionable-day astronomy has unlocked the key of Algol’s temper swings. It’s an eclipsing binary star. This sort of binary star consists of two stars, with every star revolving across the different. From Earth, we see the orbital aircraft of this binary star nearly precisely edge-on. Due to this fact, when the dimmer of the 2 stars swings in entrance of the brighter star, we see Algol at minimal brightness.
How one can discover Algol the Demon Star
The Demon Star is straightforward to search out. Our sky chart exhibits the northeastern sky for autumn evenings, particularly round Halloween.
The conspicuous W or M-shaped constellation Cassiopeia allows you to star-hop to Perseus. Look beneath Cassiopeia towards the horizon to identify the dangling icicle form of Perseus. Off to the proper of the icicle is Algol. At mid-northern latitudes, the Demon Star seems for no less than a part of the evening all yr spherical. However it’s greatest seen within the night sky from autumn to spring. It’s seen within the northeast sky in autumn, shines excessive overhead in winter, then swings to the northwest sky by spring.
Backside line: Algol has the nickname the Demon Star as a result of it represents the pinnacle of Medusa. This variable star in all probability intrigued the ancients with its fluctuating conduct.
