Aquarius.
Aquarius
Ganymede, the most beautiful of mortals, carried up to Olympus by an eagle.
Jan 20 – Feb 18
Aquarius · 980 sq° of sky, brightest star Sadalsuud
Aquarius (Aquarius) covers 980 square degrees of the southern sky. Its brightest star is Sadalsuud, a yellow supergiant 540 light-years from Earth. The constellation lies in a region of sky long called "the Sea", surrounded by Pisces, Cetus, and Eridanus.
Aquarius, the Water Bearer, is one of the oldest recognised constellations. In Babylonian astronomy (c. 2000 BCE) it was called GU.LA, identified with the god Ea pouring out the heavenly waters.
Greek myth identifies the figure with Ganymede, a Trojan prince so beautiful that Zeus took the form of an eagle and carried him up to Olympus to serve as cupbearer to the gods.
"Zeus took the form of an eagle and carried Ganymede up to Olympus to serve as cupbearer."
Ganymede was placed among the stars holding his amphora, eternally pouring water — the constellation lies in a region of the sky long called "the Sea", surrounded by Pisces, Cetus, and Eridanus.
Where this comes from.
Mythology
- Aratus Phaenomena 283-299
- Hyginus Astronomica 2.29
- Apollodorus Bibliotheca 3.12.2
Paintings & illustrations
- The Abduction of Ganymede — Rembrandt (1635) · Wikimedia · PD
- Aquarius, Piscis Australis %26 Ballon Aerostatique — Sidney Hall (engraver), Jehoshaphat Aspin (text) (1825) · Wikimedia · PD
For fun · sources cited. We don’t publish horoscopes, personality readings, or compatibility takes — just astronomy + classical mythology, with public-domain art where available. See all 88 constellations.