Cancer Baby Zodiac

Cancer is a constellation on the ecliptic. Cancer is an inconspicuous constellation formed by relatively faint stars. The brightest, β Cancri (Altarf), reaches only the 3rd magnitude class. The constellation is therefore somewhat difficult to spot. It is best found by following an imaginary line between the prominent constellations Gemini (Gemini) and Leo (Leo). The stars of Cancer form an upside-down Y. Cancer belongs to the zodiacal signs, those signs of the zodiac through which the ecliptic passes. The Sun is in the constellation of Cancer from July 21 to August 10 each year. The constellation contains two interesting open star clusters: M 44 (Praesepe, Nativity), already visible to the naked eye, and M 67. The constellation of Cancer is visible on the Slovenian 50 euro cent coin.

Already around 3000 BC, the constellation of Cancer was known in Ancient Egypt under the name Ab-Schetui, symbolizing a turtle. In the New Kingdom, the constellation of the turtle was supplemented with the scarab, which represented immortality and, like the turtle, stood for death and rebirth of the Nile in connection with the Nile flood. The Babylonians also saw a turtle in the constellation of Cancer. The ancient Greeks saw a cancer in the constellation. Under this designation Ptolemy included it in his description of the 48 constellations. In an astronomical manuscript from the 12th century, the constellation is depicted as a water beetle. In a work published in 1489, the Arab astronomer Albumasar describes it as a crayfish. In the 17th century maps of Jakob Bartsch, it is depicted as a lobster.

In ancient times, the Sun reached the highest point of its orbit in Cancer, which marks the summer solstice. At this point the declination is + 23° 26', which corresponds to the angle by which the ecliptic is inclined with respect to the celestial equator. From this point the sun begins again the descent on its orbit. This is the origin of the name Tropic of Cancer for the northern tropic (23.5° North), which is still used today. In all places that lie on this latitude, the sun passes through the zenith on the day of the summer solstice.

However, as a result of the precession of the Earth's axis, the summer solstice already changed to Gemini in 15 BC and to the constellation Taurus in 1990 (according to today's constellation boundaries).  Cancer appears as a minor character in several Greek myths and poems. For example, Zeus is said to have placed him in the sky as a reward for preventing the escape of a nymph from the meddlesome father of the gods by pinching her.

According to another origin, he is associated with the heroic deeds of Heracles. During his battle with the many-headed Hydra, a giant crab emerged from the swamps and attacked the hero. However, Heracles managed to crush the beast. In gratitude, the crab was moved to the sky by Hera, Zeus' wife. Heracles was hated by Hera because he was an illegitimate son of Zeus. Heracles and the Hydra were also immortalized in the sky as the constellations Hercules and Water Serpent. The names of the two stars Asellus Borealis (γ Cancri) and Asellus Australis (δ Cancri) mean northern and southern donkey in Latin. According to mythology, they are supposed to represent two beasts of burden that carried the god Dionysus through several countries.

According to another myth, Dionysus rode the donkeys into a battle between the gods and giants. The giants, who had never seen such animals before, were so panicked by the screaming of the gray animals that they lost the battle.