The constellation, Pegasus. To see the Winged Horse, you must imagine the constellation in the image flipped over. Click on image for full size (99K JPG) Windows Original

The constellation Pegasus represents the white, winged horse of Greek mythology. This beautiful figure can be seen high in the sky starting near the end of summer and continuing through autumn if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. If you are below the Equator, look for Pegasus in late winter and through spring. When looking at the image, it is difficult to see the figure as a horse. That is because the constellation is actually upside-down! Imagine it flipped over, and you can see what could be the neck and head of a horse and two legs sticking out from the famous "Square of Pegasus".

This square represents the front half of the horse's body. Mythologists are still not sure what happened to the other half of the constellation, but some believe a part of Pegasus was used to create the image of Aries the Ram. The square is very easy to find in the night sky. The neck and legs of the horse shine brightly on clear nights.

The story behind Pegasus begins with the battle between Perseus and Medusa. When Perseus severed Medusa's head, drops of blood fell into the sea. They mixed with sea foam, and Pegasus was born. The white sea foam gave the horse his brilliant color. Pegasus became friends with the warrior, Bellerophon. One day, Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus. This angered Zeus so much that he sent a gadfly to bite Pegasus. When the horse was stung, Bellerophon fell to the Earth. Pegasus made it to the home of the gods, where he still remains.

Pegasus is home to the globular cluster, M15. This is a great object to view with a telescope because it is one of the brightest in the sky. M15 lies slightly northwest of the head, which is made of the star, Enif. Approximately one dozen galaxies are within Pegasus, the brightest one being NGC 7331. It is located just north of the "knees" of Pegasus.

The constellation, Pegasus. To see the Winged Horse, you must imagine the constellation in the image flipped over. Click on image for full size (99K JPG) Windows Original

The constellation Pegasus represents the white, winged horse of Greek mythology. This beautiful figure can be seen high in the sky starting near the end of summer and continuing through autumn if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. If you are below the Equator, look for Pegasus in late winter and through spring. When looking at the image, it is difficult to see the figure as a horse. That is because the constellation is actually upside-down! Imagine it flipped over, and you can see what could be the neck and head of a horse and two legs sticking out from the famous "Square of Pegasus".

This square represents the front half of the horse's body. Mythologists are still not sure what happen to the other half of the constellation. The square is very easy to find in the night sky. The neck and legs of the horse shine brightly on clear nights.

The story behind Pegasus begins with the battle between Perseus and Medusa. When Perseus severed Medusa's head, drops of blood fell into the sea. They mixed with sea foam, and Pegasus was born. The white sea foam gave the horse his brilliant color. Pegasus became friends with the warrior, Bellerophon. One day, Bellerophon tried to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus. This angered Zeus so much that he sent a gadfly to bite Pegasus. When the horse was stung, Bellerophon fell to the Earth. Pegasus made it to the home of the gods, where he still remains.

Pegasus is home to several galaxies and even a bright globular cluster.

The constellation, Pegasus. To see the Winged Horse, you must imagine the constellation in the image flipped over. Click on image for full size (99K JPG) Windows Original

The constellation, Pegasus, is a winged horse. Only the front half of the horse is in the sky. Can you see a horse in the picture? Imagine it upside-down! Then you will see a body with a neck and two legs. The body is called the "Square of Pegasus". It is easy to find the constellation if you first find the square.

The story of Pegasus is found in Greek mythology. The horse became friends with the warrior Bellerophon. Once, Bellerophon tried to fly to Mount Olympus on top of Pegasus. Zeus got very angry, and sent a fly to sting Pegasus. Bellerophon fell off of the horse, but Pegasus made it to Mount Olympus, where he stays.

If you live north of the Equator, look for Pegasus starting in the summer and through most of the fall. If you live south of the Equator, the winged horse shines near the end of winter and through spring.