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

What happens when the same patch of sky becomes a wild beast in one culture—and part of an empire in another?

In Greek tradition, Lupus is the mysterious animal caught beneath Centaurus, carried toward a waiting altar. Later generations would turn that nameless beast into a wolf, opening the door to darker tales of transformation and punishment.

But Chinese astronomers saw something entirely different. These stars belonged to a much larger celestial world of dragons, soldiers, banners, officials, and the carefully ordered machinery of an empire overhead.

Then we leave the myths behind and discover what Lupus is actually hiding: young stars still being born, the aftermath of one of the brightest stellar explosions ever witnessed by humanity, and the remains of dying stars scattered across this overlooked corner of the southern sky.

Same stars. Very different stories.

As always, apologies for poor pronunciation.

Correction: I stated an asterism in the Chinese constellation of the Azure Dragon as Qí Jūn, the Banner Army. It's actually Qíguān, the Imperial Guards.

Sources:

https://astrologyking.com/constellation-lupus/

https://www.astronomytrek.com/constellations/lupus/

https://starlust.org/lupus-constellation/

https://muslimheritage.com/ibn-ridhwan-observ-supernova-1006/

https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=en&chapter=993298

Music: "Distant Galaxy" by SP Music

Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

Half human. Half horse. A creature that has fascinated civilizations for thousands of years.

In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we explore the constellation Centaurus and the very different stories found among its stars. From the wise teacher Chiron of Greek mythology to the great celestial llama Yacana of the Inca tradition, this constellation reveals how cultures across the world looked at the same sky and found their own legends written there.

We begin with Chiron, the most famous of the Greek centaurs—a figure unlike the wild and unruly centaurs of myth. Known for his wisdom, healing, and knowledge of the arts and sciences, Chiron became the teacher of heroes including Achilles, Asclepius, and Jason. Discover the tragic story of the immortal centaur who suffered from a wound he could not heal and was eventually placed among the stars as the constellation Centaurus.

Then we journey to the Andes, where the Inca saw a different figure in the dark spaces of the Milky Way. Yacana, the celestial llama, traveled across the night sky and drank from the cosmic river while watching over the world below. Explore how this dark constellation reflected the importance of llamas, water, and the relationship between the heavens and the Earth in Inca cosmology.

Finally, we uncover the astronomy behind Centaurus:
✨ Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our Sun
✨ Proxima Centauri, our nearest stellar neighbor
✨ Omega Centauri, one of the largest and brightest globular clusters in the Milky Way
✨ The galaxies and deep-sky wonders hidden within this southern constellation

The same stars can become a teacher, a healer, or a guardian of the night depending on who is looking up.

Join Cosmic Tales as we explore the mythology, history, and science written among the stars.

Sources:

http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/centaurus.html

https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/centaurus-constellation/

https://astronoo.com/en/andean-astronomy.html

Music: "Distant Galaxy" by SP Music

Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

The night sky is filled with more stories than one episode can hold.

In this special bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we return to some of the most recognizable constellations from our journey through the winter sky—not to revisit the main stories, but to uncover the myths and legends that didn’t make it into the original episodes.

These are the extra tales hidden behind the stars.

We begin with Orion, the legendary hunter, and explore stories beyond the famous Greek myth—including traditions that connected this brilliant constellation with powerful figures from other cultures and eras.

Then we follow the eternal rivalry between Orion and Scorpius, discovering why these two constellations appear forever separated across the sky and how their myth became one of the most memorable stories of the zodiac.

Next, we return to Canis Major and Canis Minor, the celestial dogs of the heavens, to explore additional legends surrounding faithful companions, legendary hunters, and the brightest star in the night sky: Sirius.

Finally, we revisit Lepus, the Hare, to uncover more stories connected with this small constellation hiding beneath Orion’s feet, including traditions and interpretations beyond the main episode.

Along the way, we explore:
✨ Additional myths and cultural traditions connected with these constellations
✨ Forgotten stories that were too fascinating to leave behind
✨ How different civilizations looked at the same stars and created different legends

The constellations have always held more than one story.

Join Cosmic Tales for these extra journeys through mythology, history, and the science written among the stars.

Music: Ethereal Galaxy by Konstantin Pazuzu Studio

Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

A small hare hides beneath the feet of one of the most famous hunters in the night sky. But the story of Lepus, the Hare constellation, is not just one tale—it is a reminder that the same stars can inspire completely different legends across cultures.

In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we begin with the Greek mythology surrounding Lepus, the celestial hare forever placed among the stars near Orion the Hunter. Discover the legends connected to this elusive creature and why ancient skywatchers imagined a rabbit racing across the heavens.

Then we travel to Japan, where the stars of Lepus connect with the tradition of Sakka, the celestial rabbit. Explore how the image of a rabbit in the sky became linked with stories of the Moon, devotion, and transformation in Japanese folklore.

Finally, we uncover the astronomy behind the constellation Lepus:
- Arneb, a massive aging star shining from the feet of Orion
- The red giant stars that reveal the life cycles of stars
- Messier 79, an ancient globular cluster containing some of the oldest stars in the Milky Way
- How astronomers study these distant treasures hidden in the night sky

One constellation. Two hares. Countless stories.

Join Cosmic Tales as we explore the mythology, history, and science written among the stars.

Sources:

https://www.brelief.org/jataka/sasa/sasa.html

https://rebelstargazer.substack.com/p/lepus-the-hare

https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/lepus-constellation/

Music: Distant Galaxy by SP Music

Sound Engineer: Ian Evans

Cosmic Tales: Canis Major and Canis Minor vs. The Celestial Wolf

Two dogs. A celestial wolf. One of the brightest stars in the night sky.

In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we explore the stories hidden in the constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor, the two faithful companions that have followed humanity's gaze across the stars for thousands of years.

We begin with the Greek myths behind these canine constellations, including the legendary hunting dog Laelaps, a creature destined to never miss its prey, and the faithful hounds associated with the hunter Orion. Discover how these dogs earned their place among the stars and why Canis Major, home to the brilliant star Sirius, became one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky.

Then we travel east to ancient China, where the stars of this region were connected not with a hunting dog, but with Tianlang—the Celestial Wolf. Explore how Chinese astronomy divided the night sky into different celestial regions and how this powerful wolf represented protection, military strength, and the guardianship of the empire.

Finally, we uncover the astronomy behind these famous constellations:
- Sirius, the brightest star visible from Earth
- The science behind binary stars and stellar companions
- Procyon, the “Little Dog Star” of Canis Minor
- Star clusters and deep-sky objects hidden within Canis Major

The same stars can tell very different stories depending on who is looking up. Join Cosmic Tales as we explore the mythology, history, and science written across the night sky.

As always, please excuse any bad pronunciations.

Sources:

https://www.theoi.com/Ther/KuonLailaps.html

https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Laelaps/laelaps.html

https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Figures/Maera/maera.html

https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Teumessian_fox/teumessian_fox.html

http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canismajor.html

https://www.atnf.csiro.au/research/colearnia/public/co-learnium_20210520.pdf

https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/canis-major-constellation/

https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/canis-minor-constellation/

Music: "Distant Galaxy" by SP Music

Sound Engineer: Ian Evans