Pegasus Pegâsus (#), asb-e bâldâr (#) Fr.: Pégase The Winged Horse. A large constellation in the northern hemisphere at 22h 50m right ascension, 20° north declination. The stars → Markab, → Scheat, and → Algenib form three corners of the famous Great → Square of Pegasus, which is completed by the star → Alpheratz from neighboring → Andromeda. Abbreviation: Peg; Genitive: Pegasi. In Gk. mythology, Pegasus is the winged horse that was fathered by Poseidon with Medusa. When the head of Medusa was cut off by Perseus, the horse sprang forth from her pregnant body. Pegasus aided Perseus in his fight against both the Chimera and the Amazons. Pegâsus, from Gk., as above; asb-e bâldâr "Winged Horse," referring to the Gk. mythology, from asb→ horse; bâl, → wing; dâr "having, possessor" (from dâštan "to have, to possess," Mid.Pers. dâštan, O.Pers./Av. root dar- "to hold, keep back, maintain, keep in mind," Skt. dhr-, dharma- "law," Gk. thronos "elevated seat, throne," L. firmus "firm, stable," Lith. daryti "to make," PIE *dher- "to hold, support"). |
Square of Pegasus Chahârguš-e Pegasus Fr.: Carrée de Pégase A large → asterism of four stars, approximately square in shape, in the northern sky. Three of the stars, → → Markab, → Scheat, and → Algenib, belong to the constellation → Pegasus. The fourth, → Alpheratz, was lost to Pegasus when the constellation boundaries were formalised, and now lies just within the borders of → Andromeda. |