Star trails above Ramsey's Island, Pembrokeshire
A 30 second exposure of the Milky Way above Ramsey Island, PembrokeshireThe star map [included with print] shows the location of constellations in the night sky. The meteorite, marked on the map, runs from Altair (Aquila constellation), through Sagitta and Velpecula constellations, toward Albireo, in the Cygnus constellation.
Aquila is Latin for 'eagle' and it represents the bird who carried Zeus's/Jupiter's thunderbolts in Greco-Roman mythology. The Greek Aquila is probably based on the Babylonian constellation of the Eagle, which is located in the same area as the Greek constellation. Altair is the brightest star in the constellation.
Sagitta is Latin for 'arrow', and its shape has been interpreted thus by many cultures including the Persians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. In ancient Greece, Sagitta was regarded as the weapon that Hercules used to kill the eagle (Aquila) of Jove that perpetually gnawed Prometheus' liver. As the star map shows, The Arrow is located beyond the north border of Aquila, the Eagle.
Vega is an important star with a rich cultural history. It is the fifth brightest star in the night sky and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. Due to its luminosity, Vega was the first star other than the Sun to be photographed. For the Roman Empire, the start of autumn was based upon the hour at which Vega set below the horizon. Vega was also the northern pole star around 12,000 BC, will be again around AD 13,727, and is the brightest of the successive northern pole stars.
Cygnus derives its name from the Latinized Hellenic (Greek) word for swan.
At the bottom of the image, you can see part of the Sagittarius constellation, most notably the set of four stars that includes Nunki.
In Welsh, Ramsey Island is named after Saint David (Dewi Sant)m the patron saint of Wales. It was the home of David's confessor, Saint Justinian, a 6th-century hermit who lived on this island.
Tradition states that Justinian was a Breton nobleman who settled on the island of Ramsey as a hermit. He was visited by Saint David who was so impressed with his holiness that he made him his confessor and Abbot of St David's Cathedral. However, Justinian became disillusioned with the poor attitude of the monks at St Davids and took himself away the short distance to remote Ramsey Island to establish a more holy spiritual community.
This image is a Limited Edition Print of 500 for all prints larger than 12"x8".
Location: Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire
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