#sansuna

[quiltofstars]

The constellation of Sagitta, the Arrow // E. Slawik/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Zamani

Click below for some information on this small constellation as well as an annotated image!

Sagitta, which is Latin for "arrow", is one of the original 48 constellations set down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. Don't confuse it with Sagittarius, the Archer!

This is the third-smallest constellation in the night sky. In Greek mythology, this arrow is supposedly the arrow Hercules used to kill the eagle that perpetually ate at Prometheus' liver.

There are only three officially named stars in Sagitta! In order of brightness, they are:

Sham (α Sagittae) is the third-brightest star in Sagitta, a solitary yellow supergiant star about 382 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word sahm meaning "arrow."

Uruk (HD 231701) is a yellow-white solitary star about 354 light years away. It has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about the mass of Jupiter, named Babylonia. These names were given by the people of Iraq: Uruk was an ancient city in the Sumerian and Babylonian empires, and Babylonia refers to one of these empires.

Sansuna (HAT-P-34) is a yellow-white solitary star about 838 light years away. it has one confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, about 3 times the mass of Jupiter, named Ġgantija. Both names were chosen by the people of Malta: Sansuna is a mythological giant from Maltese folk tales that carried the stones for the temples on the island of Gozo, while Ġgantija is the name of the temple complex.

[thegenxorcist]

Giants of Malta

Underneath the surface of Malta’s rich culture is a world of folklore, stories passed down through the years about enigmatic creatures, mythical heroes, and ingrained superstitions. These tales provide insights into the island’s history and continuing cultural identity, while also serving as a source of entertainment and reflection on the Maltese people’s collective consciousness.

The Ġgantija temples on the island of Gozo are associated with one of the most well-known tales in Malta. These megalithic ruins are thought to have been constructed by a race of giants and are older than the Egyptian pyramids. Local legend holds that the temples were built in a single night by a giantess called Sansuna, who carried her infant on her shoulder. The idea that only extremely strong beings could have built these temples has been reinforced by the size of the stones and their enigmatic function...

The Legends Behind Malta’s Mysterious Sites