The Legend of Hydra Hydra: seen variously as a water serpent or other monster. This long star group covers fully ninety five degrees of arc and underlies four of the constellations of the zodiac. Hydra forms one of the boundaries of the portion of the sky referred to as the Sea. Ancient astronomers added only aquatic constellations to this portion of the sky. Modern astronomers added such non-aquatic features as the furnace, the sculptor, the compressed air pump and the clock. Go figure! In 4000 BC, this constellation appeared to be centered in the sky at midnight on the winter solstice. Its entire length rested on the celestial equator and it took seven out of twenty four hours to pass the meridian. This is no haphazard collection of random stars designed to fill in empty space.
Mesopotamia: Marduk's defeat of the dragon goddess Tiamat, mistress of the primordial chaos, is shown through this star group. Marduk placed half of Tiamat's body on the celestial horizon forming the earth from Hydra, the heavenly vault from Draco. In this way, the sun conquers her each year with the return of the summer solstice. It is a continuing celebration of the eternal battle of light over chaos. See the Mesopotamian legends of Andromeda, Cetus, Draco, Hercules, Ophiuchus and Perseus.
Greece: associated with the Lernean Hydra, slain by Hercules. As one head was removed, two took its place. He eventually cauterized each severed neck to keep the heads from regenerating, until he reached the final, immortal head. This was buried under a rock. A second story concerning Hydra also incorporates the constellations Corvus the crow and Crater the cup. See the Greek legends of Corvus and Hercules.
India: known as the serpent Vritra, representation of evil and night, this constellation is prominent during the time of the winter solstice. As the sun, Indra, enters the constellation, its light conquers Vritra, making him invisible and therefore powerless. Indra's power is derived from the drink, soma represented by the moon, brought to him by Aquila in Crater. The victory of the sun over the darkness occurs on the Summer Solstice, the return of the monsoon season. See the Indian legends of Aquarius, Aquila, Crater, Leo and Pegasus.
China: the seventh, eighth and ninth lunar nodes or sieu were found here. The seventh node, Lieu the Willow Wreath, was located on Hydra's head. It ruled the planets. The eighth node, Sing or Star, located at the star Alphard, is the house of the sun. Chang the Bow, the ninth node, is the house of the moon.Back to the Constellations
