The Hero
Perseus
Brightest star: Mirfak
Overview
Perseus is a large and rich northern constellation covering about 615 square degrees in the Milky Way between Cassiopeia and Auriga. Its brightest star, Mirfak (Alpha Persei), shines at magnitude 1.8 and is surrounded by a beautiful cluster of young blue stars called the Alpha Persei Cluster. The constellation contains the famous variable star Algol (Beta Persei), which represents the eye of Medusa in the hero's hand and was one of the first variable stars discovered. Perseus lies in a dense region of the Milky Way and is one of the richest constellations for binocular and telescopic observation. It is best observed during autumn and winter evenings.
Mythology
Perseus was one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal Danae. King Polydectes sent Perseus on what he thought was an impossible quest to bring back the head of Medusa, a Gorgon whose gaze turned people to stone. With gifts from the gods, including Athena's polished shield, Hermes' winged sandals, and Hades' cap of invisibility, Perseus succeeded by looking at Medusa's reflection and beheading her while she slept. On his return, he rescued Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus by showing it Medusa's head. He married Andromeda and they had many children, founding the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.
Astrological Significance
Perseus carries astrological symbolism of courage, resourcefulness, and the triumph of the hero's journey. The star Algol has been known as the Demon Star or the Ghoul for centuries, associated in stellar astrology with a Saturn-Jupiter nature and themes of strong passions, intensity, and transformation. Ancient astrologers considered Algol one of the most dangerous fixed stars. However, its energy also represents the power to face one's deepest fears and emerge victorious. Mirfak carries a more benefic Jupiter-Saturn influence associated with leadership and enduring accomplishment. Perseus as an archetype represents the journey of confronting shadows and claiming one's power.
Observing Tips
Perseus is best observed from September through February in the Northern Hemisphere. Look for Mirfak and its attendant star cluster between Cassiopeia's W-shape and the bright star Capella. The Double Cluster (NGC 869 and NGC 884) is one of the finest sights in the sky, two dense open clusters side by side visible to the naked eye as a hazy patch and breathtaking through binoculars. Algol varies between magnitudes 2.1 and 3.4 every 2.87 days, with its minimum lasting about ten hours. The August Perseid meteor shower, one of the year's best, radiates from this constellation with peak rates of 100 or more meteors per hour.