Three Marys: Discover the origin of the name of the stars in Orion’s belt

Ancient astronomers defined a constellation as a grouping of stars that could present shapes similar to objects, people or animals in the sky. Among the best-known formations is Três Marias, a trio of giant and bright stars located about 1,500 light-years from Earth, forming the so-called stars. Orion’s beltPart of it orion constellation.

Such a cluster is an important reference point in identifying other celestial bodies in the galaxy. The ease of viewing is a result of the stars being much more massive than our Sun, being aligned and having similar light intensity. Their Arabic origin names are Mintaka, Alnilan and Alnitaka. belt of the famous greek hunter.

The Arch of Orion and the Three Marys

The origin of the constellation’s name varies with the season in different cultures around the world. In Greek mythology, one of the theories says that Orion was placed in a constellation by the Gods so that he would not be forgotten. For the ancient Egyptians, Orion’s belt It represented the resting place of Osiris’ soul.

The same goes for Três Marias. In Christian religious tradition, the star triad also refers to the three women who visited Christ’s tomb at the resurrection, just as Jesus refers to the biblical story about the Three Wise Men who brought him gifts after his birth. For Guarani in South America, Três Marias is Joykexo, a fertility symbol whose presence and movement in the sky aids geographic orientation.

It is worth noting that Orion’s belt It has other stars, the spaces between which are dominated by a region filled with colliding dust and gas. The concentration of these materials results in the formation of the so-called most powerful nebulae. hunter nebula – one of the most studied phenomena in astronomy. More recent analyzes of this field show that it acts as a “cradle” in the galaxy responsible for the formation of stars and planets.