Betelgeuse
Sabrina Gaytan
Betelgeuse Sabrina Gaytan
Betelgeuse Copyright Š Design 2020 by Sabrina Gaytan All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, contact Sabrina Gaytan sgaytan@masonlive.gmu.edu
Este libro estรก dedicado a mis padres, Sandra & Saul
2 Betelgeuse 7 Arab
15 Egypt
11 China
19 Hawaii
31 South Africa
23 Inuit
27 Navajo
35 Japan
40 Appendices
INTRODUCTION
For thousands of years, we have approached the stars hoping to find meaning and answers. Humanity has been draped beneath a tapestry of wonder, and the names given to the heavens vary from culture to culture. Despite being hundreds of light-years away, a star like Betelgeuse has become a vessel of meaning when we look up towards the sky. It is one of the largest and brightest stars in the night sky, which allows us to see it with our naked eye. Being one of the most recognized patterns in the sky, it has been read by different cultures around the world for centuries. As humans, we have found a fascination in deciphering the night sky. This book is a diverse collection of myths, legends, and beliefs from many cultures that have interpreted the bright star, Betelgeuse. It explores the cultural history of the sky and what meaning they have found. Each story holds its lineage and honor; there is no one way or correct way to narrate these stories.
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PHENOMENA
While I was writing my book for my Senior Design Project course, something unexpected happened. I began my research at the beginning of February on the star, Betelgeuse. My research process began as normal, like many of my projects. However, from the start of February and to the end of February, the information of my star subject changed drastically. Although it did not change the course of my project and storyline, it changed the history of this star. Near the end of 2019, a phenomenon occurred. The star, Betelgeuse, started dwindling in brightness. Between the months of October and December of 2019, the star began to dim significantly. The constellation outline of Orion became less and less visible due to the faintness of Betelgeuse. It’s important to note that Betelgeuse is a variable star, meaning it shifts in brightness through its life cycle. However, the significant loss in brightness was unusual even for this star. Many believed it was ending its life cycle and was on the verge of exploding–similar to a supernova. Nevertheless, Betelgeuse persevered. In February 2020, the star began to regain brightness and remained consistent for about 10 days. Soon after that, the star stopped dwindling and remained bright once again. Betelgeuse has no recorded history of this type of phenomenon ever occurring. Although many believe it’s beginning its death cycle, it’s still unknown why the star dimmed or how long of its life is left to live.
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Betelgeuse
(noun)
1. a first-magnitude red supergiant in the constellation Orion.
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The celestial dialogue of Arab culture.
In Arab culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, The Giant (Yad al-jawzar).
Arab The Giant Arab scientists and astronomers heavily contributed to the field of astronomy throughout the medieval period. While much of their contributions were influenced by Greece, Iran, and India, Arab contributions were modernized versions of previous methods of measuring and calculating. Today, more than half of the star names root from the Arabic language, including Betelgeuse. The origin of Betelgeuse roots from the Arabic word, yad al-jawza, meaning “The Giant.� For centuries now, Arab culture has closely looked at the sky and studied stars and constellations. While most stars appeared as a shimmer of white at night, Betelgeuse became very distinctive due to its ruby color and became effortless to distinguish among the other stars. In Arab culture, the bright star Betelgeuse was pinned as the shoulder of a human figure in the sky. The string of stars that formed Orion in the night sky was an image of a giant, human figure. Influenced by Greek mythology, the story behind The Giant tells the story of a huntsman who was blinded and exiled from his village after committing crimes. During the night, his figure can be seen from earth as he draws back his bow and arrow into the night sky.
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The celestial dialogue of Chinese culture.
In Chinese culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, Three Stars (Shēn Sù).
China Three Stars Dating back to the Shang Dynasty (ca. 1600 BC–ca.1046 BC), Chinese astronomers have been recording and analyzing the celestial dialogue. In contrast to Western astronomy, Chinese astronomy is different in many ways. The structure of astronomy was based on four major constellations that center on the equator. Blue Dragon, the Red Bird, the White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise are the four constellations that inspired by beasts. Chinese civilizations have been cataloging every star that was spotted in the night sky. Utilizing and integrating the stars into daily life, the most prominent use of understanding the stars was for time-keeping. Chinese culture saw Betelgeuse in their constellation, Three Stars. This constellation totals to a stream of seven stars binding together and only appears during winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The cultural significance behind Three Stars refers to asterisms, a pattern of stars that can be seen in the night sky. The individual names of the Three Stars are Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak. The Three Stars can be seen in the head of the White Tiger, one of their most recognized beasts in the night sky. Not only did China use the Three Stars for celestial interpretation, but it was also used as a calendar system. It was popular to cultivate rice and millet during the phase of the Three Stars. The glistening pattern of the Three Stars is still illustrated as one of the most significant stars in Chinese culture.
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The celestial dialogue of Egyptian culture.
In Egyptian culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, Sah.
Egypt Sah Ancient Egyptian astronomy dates back to 500 BCE. For thousands of years, the Ancient Egyptian faith has been connected to the patterns of stars in the sky. Constellations and individual stars would often represent Pharaohs, deities, and everyday artifacts that were native to the Egyptian lifestyle. The stars became important details of daily and religious reflections. In Ancient Egyptian astronomy, Betelgeuse is not distinctively recognized as an individual star but an alliance with the belt of stars that form the constellation, Orion. More than half of Ancient Egyptian constellation history can be traced to the myth ‘The Tragedy of Osiris.’ This myth tells the story of the first human death on Earth and reveals thematic elements such as conspiracy and treachery. Ancient Egyptians view Orion as another entity known as Sah. Sah was known as “the Father of Gods”, according to the Old Kingdom’s Pyramid Texts. The Pyramid Texts are sacred writings that were carved into the walls of pyramids in Saqqara, an ancient burial ground in Egypt. The god, Sah, is believed to travel to the constellation, Orion, after being the first death on Earth and now embodies his sacred presence in the stars of Orion. In the vault of infinity, Betelgeuse flickers in the belt of stars that represent the ascension of Sah, which is where his soul is seized in the night sky.
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The celestial dialogue of Hawaiian culture.
In Hawaiian culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, The Cat’s Cradle (Kauluakoko).
Hawaii The Cat’s Cradle Being an island surrounded by the vast sea, Hawaiians were highly skilled sailors who conquered the ocean. Using the sky and stars as their map, they voyaged the ocean for thousands of miles between the Pacific Islands, such as Easter Island, the Marquesas, and New Zealand. Carefully observing the motifs of natures and the characteristics of the weather, stars, animal and fish population, Hawaiians were able to successfully navigate the Pacific ocean. For many centuries, Hawaiians honored the human and animal figures in the night sky by giving them names. The honorable names root from Hawaiian and Polynesian mythology. Unfortunately, the mythological stories became lost and forgotten due the nature of oral tradition. However, several Hawaiian constellation names remain today, like their name for Betelgeuse. Hawaiian culture recognizes Betelgeuse as Kaulua-koko, which means “the Cat’s Cradle” in English. Originating from the string figure game, a children’s hand game, the star can be found in the cradle. The appearance of the game closely resembles the constellation Hawaiians saw in the starry sky. Glistening above the Polynesian islands, Kaulua-koko, or “the Cat’s Cradle” bounded the islands together.
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The celestial dialogue of Inuit culture.
In Inuit culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, Two Placed Far Apart (Akuttujuuk).
Inuit Two Placed Far Apart Inuit are an indigenous people traditionally from Alaska, Canada, Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, and sub-Arctic regions of Greenland. Although each society has its subculture and dialects, they have all shared a unifying relationship with the night sky. Inuits for centuries have used celestial objects, such as the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, as indicators for the passage of time and navigational wayfinding. Two Placed Far Apart or known as, Akuttujuuk, in Inuit dialect, was particularly used for time-keeping. During twilight in the dark season, it was known to say “the Akuttujuuk has caught up”, as a sign that days were getting longer. The mythology behind the title, Two Placed Far Apart (Betelgeuse), roots from Western Greenland Inuit society, depicting the star and its neighbor star, Bellatrix, as two people struggling from far apart. Throughout voyages, hunts, and journeys, Two Placed Far Apart was a symbolic sign in Inuit culture representing the return of daylight.
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The celestial dialogue of Navajo culture.
In Navajo culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, First Slender One (Átsé Ets’ózí).
Navajo First Slender One Passed down through multiple generations, the history of astronomy in Navajo tribes lives in the form of traditional knowledge. From the beginning of storytelling in Navajo tribes, the subject has also been esoteric. Today, there is very little knowledge known about Navajo astronomy, and the little that is known survives within the tribe. The storytelling of the celestial dialogue was typically taught within a traditional setting. Wise elders would tell the stories of the sky and share its legacy as traditional knowledge. These stories were not just an oral lecture, but an experience. These traditional stories told by the elders were shared through voices, sounds, and movements. The structure of astronomy in Navajo tribes is based on the geographical location of the mountains. Four sacred mountains surround the Navajo Nation and were used as markers for north, south, east, and west. Organizing the stars on the mountains, Navajo tribes were able to create a structure for cardinal directions. The star, Betelgeuse, or as Navajo tribes recognize it, First Slender One (Átsé Ets’ózí), was used as an agricultural indicator. When the First Slender One would set at dusk during the spring, Navajo tribes would plant their crops under the twilit sky. The mythology behind First Slender One represents a young man during his prime moment in life. Carrying a bow and arrow, the young man protects his people and is seen as a warrior to his tribe. This visual presentation of the warrior can be seen in the string of stars in the night sky.
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The celestial dialogue of South African culture.
In South African culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, The Three Zebras.
South Africa The Three Zebras Home to over 6,000 different tribes, Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Throughout history, South Africa has always had a close relationship with interpreting the celestial dialogue and reflected meaning into it. Being located in the southern hemisphere, South Africa has a different perspective of the night sky from the northern hemisphere and observed Betelgeuse under a separate outlook. South African tribes have used the sky in many different ways. The sun has been used for time-keeping, the horizon has been used for keeping track of the year, and the stars have been used for ceremonies, agriculture calendar, and cultural events. Stars and star patterns projected into the night sky were often associated with natural elements and animals in South Africa. In South African culture, Betelgeuse can be seen with two other bright stars and are known as “The Three Zebras.� The meaning behind the names tells the story of a hunter with one arrow and is sent to hunt by his beloved wife. The hunter spots three zebras in the wild, one male and two females, and decides to go in for the kill with his one remaining arrow. Startled by the sound of the arrow, all three zebras ran away from the hunter and run west, leaving Earth and jumping into the night sky. All three zebras are now seen in a row of three stars in the sky, escaping from the hunter throughout eternity.
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The celestial dialogue of Japanese culture.
In Japanese culture, Betelgeuse is known as the star, Investigator (Heike Boshi).
Japan Investigator Many cultures throughout centuries have often translated the stars of the night sky as gods, humans, or animals figures that resonate with cultural mythology and tradition. However, Japanese culture has seen the stars and constellations as symbols. Stars specifically have played an important role in Japan and even have earned a common expression called “Yowatashi Boshi”, meaning “passing of the night stars.” The expression applies to a group of stars that would normally appear during sunset from the East coast. Although there is no singular way to interpret the stars in Japanese culture, the stars represent a variety of different objects, events, seasonal markers, and religious values. Betelgeuse is known as the Investigator, or Heike Boshi in Japanese culture. The origin behind the name Investigator is unclear, however, the history of the star is rich and compelling. The story of the Investigator is still passed on to children to this day. The anecdote of this lore specifically speaks about two important stars. The stars are Betelgeuse and Rigel, which both live in the string of stars in the constellation Orion. In Japanese culture, these stars are known as Heike Boshi (Betelgeuse) and Genji (Rigel). Both of these stars represent a family in Japanese history that combated each other during a legendary war. At the end of the war, the Genji family claimed victory. However, the moral of the story was not who won or why they fought; it was about the honorable actions all the families showcased when they fought. The notable actions are now valuable lessons taught in Japanese tradition, and the stars, Rigel and Betelgeuse, serve as symbolic reminders of the importance of duty, sacrifice, bravery, and loyalty.
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Appendices
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Articles Abdelbaki, Mo. “Sirius: A Luminous Star Important to Ancient Egypt.” Gaia, 2016, www.gaia.com article/star-sirius-and-egypt. “Astronomical Innovation in the Islamic World : Modeling the Cosmos: Articles and Essays : Finding Our Place in the Cosmos: From Galileo to Sagan and Beyond: Digital Collections: Library of Congress.” The Library of Congress, 2020, www.loc.gov/collections/ finding-our-place-in-the-cosmos-with-carl-sagan/articles-and-essays/modeling-thecosmos/astronomical-innovation-in-the-islamic-world. “Astronomy and Astrology in the Medieval Islamic World.” Metmuseum.org, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/astr/hd_astr.htm. “Astronomy and Mythology in Ancient Japan.” Ancient Japanese Astronomy and Mythology, 2020, www.crystalinks.com/japanastronomy.html. Bremer, Nadieh. “Figures in the Sky.” Datasketch.es, Nadieh Bremer, www.datasketch.es/ maycode/nadieh/. “Chinese Astronomy.” Chinese Astronomy - New World Encyclopedia, Feb. 2017, www. newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Chinese_astronomy. “The Constellation Orion the Hunter.” Amazing Space: Orion the Hunter Constellation, The Star Witness, 2013, amazing-space.stsci.edu/news/archive/2013/01/ill-01.php. “Constellation Orion.” Chandra, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 2013, chandra harvard.edu/photo/constellations/orion.html. Deif, Assem. The Sirius lore. Cairo University. 2008, www.hiddenmysteries.net/newz/article php?story=20080627225036789. Dempsey, F. “Aboriginal Sky Lore of the Constellation Orion in North America.” Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 2009, adsabs.harvard.edu/full/2009JRASC.103...65D. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Betelgeuse.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 14 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/place/Betelgeuse-star. Harper, GM, Brown, A, Guinan, EF, O’Gorman, E, Richards, AMS, Kervella, P, and Decin, Leen. “An Updated 2017 Astrometric Solution for Betelgeuse.” Astrophysical Journal, 2017, Web.
“IfA Hilo Outreach - Koa’s Resources.” Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, www.ifa.hawaii edu/hilo/Outreach-KoaNavStars.htm. Lebling, Robert W. “Saudi Aramco World : Arabic in the Sky.” AramcoWorld, Oct. 2010, archivearamcoworld.com/issue/201005/arabic.in.the.sky.html. Leeuwen, Van. “Validation of the New Hipparcos Reduction.” ArXiv.org, 2007, arxiv.orgabs/0708.1752. Jackson, Francine. “February Constellations & Folklore.” Skyscrapers, Inc., Feb. 2011, www theskyscrapers.org/february-constellations-and-folklore. MacDonald, John. “Planets in Inuit Astronomy.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Planetary Science, 26 Feb. 2018, oxfordre.com/planetaryscience/view/10.1093 acrefore/9780190647926.001.0001/acrefore-9780190647926-e-59. Maddalena, Ronald. “Betelgeuse.” Betelgeuse, Green Banks Observatory, 1998, www greenbankobservatory.org/~rmaddale/Education/OrionTourCenter/betelgeuse.html. “Meet Betelgeuse, the Red Giant of Orion.” Sky & Telescope, 25 Feb. 2020, skyandtelescope org/astronomy-resources/stargazing-basics/learn-the-sky/meet-betelgeuse-red-supergiantorion/. “Meet the Workaholic Star, Betelgeuse.” NASA, NASA, 2020, nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/news display.cfm?News_ID=560. Nemiroff, Robert, et al. “APOD: 2020 February 17 - The Changing Surface of Fading Betelgeuse.” NASA, NASA, 17 Feb. 2020, apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200217.html. “ORION.” ORION - Boeotian Giant of Greek Mythology, 2017, www.theoi.com/Gigante GiganteOrion.html. O’Gorman, E., and P. Kervella. “A Giant Star Is Acting Strange, and Astronomers Are Buzzing.” Betelgeuse Is Acting Strange, and Astronomers Are Buzzing, National Geographic, 26 Dec. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/betelgeuse-is-acting-strangeastronomers-are-buzzing-about-supernova/. “Post-Captain Cook.” Post Captain Cook, 2020, www.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/steiger/ post-cook.htm. Renshaw, Steve, and Saori Ihara. “Yowatashi Boshi; Stars That Pass in the Night.” Japanese Lore Associated with Orion, 200AD, www.renshaworks.com/jastro/orion.htm.
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Schreiner, Jason. “Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse!” The Museum of Arts & Sciences, Jan. 2020, www.moas.org/Betelgeuse--Betelgeuse--Betelgeuse--1-5903.html. “Science/Nature, ’Oldest Star Chart’ Found.” BBC News, BBC, 21 Jan. 2003, news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi science/nature/2679675.stm. “SL-322 – Ancient Egyptian Culture.” StarLab, 2019, www.starlab.com/cylinders/sl-322 ancient-egyptian-culture/. “SL-359 – African Mythology.” StarLab, 2019, www.starlab.com/cylinders/sl-359african-mythology/. “SL-361 – Navajo Skies.” StarLab, 2019, www.starlab.com/cylinders/sl-361-navajo-skies/. “SL-363 – Polynesian Voyaging.” StarLab, 2019, www.starlab.com/cylinders/ sl-363-polynesian-voyaging/. Student Reading: About Constellations. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2020, amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/print/classroom_activities/stud_read_cnstlatn.pdf. Xu, Junjun. “Ancient Chinese Constellations.” NASA/ADS, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, June 2011, ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011IAUS..260..107X/abstract.
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Moore, Patrick., and Wil. Tirion. Cambridge Guide to Stars and Planets. Rev. and expanded ed., 2nd ed. Cambridge, U.K. ;: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Print. Sun, Xiaochun., and Jacob Kistemaker. The Chinese Sky During the Han: Constellating Stars and Society. Leiden ;: Brill, 1997. Print. Thomson, C. Claire. Northern Constellations : New Readings in Nordic Cinema . Norwich, UK: Norvik Press, 2006. Print.
Digital Images “18th Century Lithograph of Hawaii.” Fagan Arms, 2020, www.faganarms.com/products/hawaiian-print-1. Hall, Charles F. “Community of Igloos.” Wikipedia - Igloo, 2008, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igloo. Hunt, Ernest, and Wayne Hunt. “Navajo Sand Painting.” The Cobbs Auctioneers , 1996, www thecobbs.com/auction-2017-01-14-lot-173.html. “Rare Japanese Work on Astronomy & Geography.” Daniel Crouch Rare Books LLP, 2020, www. crouchrarebooks.com/books/view/you-yi-tenkai-wakumon-jap.-fragen-und-antworten-zurastronomie. “Running Zebras.” Wallpapers to Desktop, 2019, www.eng.namonitore.ru/blog/page1/africa_best_walls.html. Lü, Fu, Active, and Weifan Lü. San Cai Yi Guan Tu. [Shaoxing China: Map. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/89691027/>. Stünkel, Isabel. “The Temple’s Cult and Decoration.” The Met, 2020, www.metmuseum.org/about the-met/curatorial-departments/egyptian-art/temple-of-dendur-50/cult-and-decoration. Sūfī, ‘Abd Al-Rahmān Ibn ‘Umar, 903-986. Suwar Al-Kawākib, Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2008401028/>. Sui, Brandon. “Icy Mountains Under A Starry Night.” Unsplash, 2018, unsplash.com/photos nI7knd5sQfo.
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COVID-19
In late December of 2019, COVID-19 turned everything we knew from day to night. The first cases began in China and rapidly began to spread throughout the world. By March 2020, everything in the normalcy of everyday routine halted indefinitely. It all flipped when spring break began, what we all thought that would be a normal week-long break became our last day of school without anyone knowing. The last day I went to George Mason University was March 18, 2020. I went to the School of Art to pick up my materials from my locker. I only saw one person in the building. Everything was still. Seeing the life extracted from the hallway was heart-wrenching. I have now been at my house for about 3 weeks nowâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; and have only left my house once to get groceries. Tucked away in Delaplane, Virginia, where peaceful rural life, has suddenly been substituted with the feeling of desolation. However, I am safe and well. I am lucky and grateful. Everyday, turning on the tv is a nightmare. Millions of jobs lost, thousands dying, and many barely scraping by to get to the next day. There is no sign of the virus slowing down in America. The number of infected keeps growing along with the fear. There is no known cure or vaccination for COVID-19. I am scared for others, scared for my family, and scared for the world. I would have never thought of this ever happening in my lifetime. Writing and designing this book helped me get my mind off the global crisis. What lies in this book was created during a pandemic.