AQUARIUS

Aquarius, a zodiacal constellation situated between Capricornus and Pisces, derives its name from the Latin words “water-carrier” or “cup-carrier.” Its ancient astronomical symbol is ♒︎, representing water. Aquarius holds a place as one of the oldest recognized constellations along the zodiac, which is the apparent path of the Sun. This constellation was part of the 48 constellations cataloged by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations we recognize today. Aquarius resides in a region often referred to as the Sea due to its abundance of constellations associated with water, such as Cetus the whale, Pisces the fish, and Eridanus the river. Among its stars, Beta Aquarii shines the brightest with an apparent magnitude of 2.9.

History and mythology

Aquarius, known as GU.LA “The Great One” in Babylonian star catalogues, is a constellation that symbolizes the god Ea, often depicted holding an overflowing vase. This Babylonian star figure is evident on entitlement stones and cylinder seals from the second millennium. It marked the winter solstice during the Early Bronze Age. In the realm of Old Babylonian astronomy, Ea governed the southernmost quarter of the Sun’s path, known as the “Way of Ea,” corresponding to the 45 days on either side of the winter solstice. Aquarius was also linked to the devastating floods frequently experienced by the Babylonians, carrying a negative connotation.

In Ancient Egyptian astronomy, Aquarius was associated with the annual flooding of the Nile; it was believed that the river’s banks would overflow when Aquarius dipped his jar into the water, signifying the onset of spring.

In Greek tradition, the constellation evolved into a single vase from which a stream flowed down to Piscis Austrinus. In the Hindu zodiac, it is referred to as “kumbha,” signifying a water pitcher.

In Greek mythology, Aquarius has several associations. It is sometimes linked to Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, who, alongside his wife Pyrrha, constructed a ship to survive an impending flood and landed on Mount Parnassus after sailing for nine days. Additionally, Aquarius is occasionally identified with the beautiful Ganymede, the youth and son of Trojan king Tros. Zeus brought Ganymede to Mount Olympus to serve as the cup-bearer to the gods, with neighboring Aquila representing the eagle that transported him. Some versions of the myth suggest that the eagle was, in fact, Zeus in disguise. Another tale involves Ganymede being abducted by the goddess of dawn, Eos, due to her affection for young men, and subsequently, Zeus taking him from Eos to serve as a cup-bearer. Another figure associated with the water bearer is Cecrops I, a king of Athens who offered water instead of wine to the gods in a sacrificial ritual.

In Eastern astronomy

In Chinese astronomy, the flow of water emanating from the Water Jar constellation was symbolically represented as the “Army of Yu-Lin” (Yu-lim-kiun or Yulinjun, Hanzi: 羽林君). The name “Yu-lin” translates to “feathers and forests,” alluding to the numerous agile soldiers hailing from the northern reaches of the empire, symbolized by these faint stars. This celestial formation boasted the highest number of stars among all Chinese constellations, totaling 45, with the majority situated within the boundaries of the modern Aquarius constellation.

The celestial army was safeguarded by the protective wall known as Leibizhen, consisting of stars like Iota, Lambda, Phi, and Sigma Aquarii among its 12 constituent stars. Stars 88, 89, and 98 Aquarii symbolized Fou-youe, the axes used as both weapons and for hostage executions. Loui-pi-tchin, the ramparts, extended from stars 29 and 27 Piscium, through 33 and 30 Aquarii, encompassing Phi, Lambda, Sigma, and Iota Aquarii, before reaching Delta, Gamma, Kappa, and Epsilon Capricorni.

Close to the border with Cetus, the axe Fuyue was represented by three stars, although its precise location remains a subject of debate, potentially being located in the Sculptor constellation. Tienliecheng, a 13-star castle with ramparts, may have included Nu and Xi Aquarii, but there is uncertainty, as it might instead have been positioned further south in Piscis Austrinus. The Water Jar asterism was perceived as the tomb, Fenmu, with the nearby emperor’s mausoleum Xiuliang marked by Kappa Aquarii and three other aligned stars. Ku (“crying”) and Qi (“weeping”), each composed of two stars, were located in the same vicinity.

Additionally, three of the Chinese lunar mansions shared their names with constellations. Nu, also representing the 10th lunar mansion, was personified as a handmaiden and embodied by Epsilon, Mu, 3, and 4 Aquarii. The 11th lunar mansion, known as Xu (“emptiness”), corresponded to the constellation formed by Beta Aquarii and Alpha Equulei, symbolizing a desolate place associated with death and funerals. Wei, the rooftop and 12th lunar mansion, took on a V-shaped constellation shape comprising Alpha Aquarii, Theta Pegasi, and Epsilon Pegasi, and was shared in name with two other Chinese constellations, found in modern-day Scorpius and Aries.