"The Crab"
Mythology:
Cancer the Crab plays a minor role in the story of Hercules. Hercules
was the son of the Greek God Zeus and a mortal woman named Alcmene.
Because of Zeus' infidelity, Hera (Zeus' wife) hated Hercules, which was
compounded by the fact that Zeus made Hera breast-feed Hercules.
By suckling the divine milk, Hercules became part immortal. At one
point, Hera cast a spell over Hercules, and he slew his own children.
The Gods punished him by making him a slave for 12 years to Eurystheus
of Mycenae, who sent Hercules on many difficult tasks, that became known
as the twelve labors of Hercules.
Hercules' second task was to slay the Hydra, a multi-headed serpent that
would grow back two heads for every one that Hercules cut off. It
was only with the help of his Charioteer Iolaus that Hercules was able
to defeat the Hydra. During the battle, Hera sent Cancer the Crab
to distract Hercules. The crab pinched at Hercules' ankles, but Hercules
was able to crush the Crab under his heel. Hera rewarded the Crab
by placing it among the stars.
Other Interesting
Sights: The Sun used to reside in Cancer during
the Summer Solstice, when the Sun is highest above the Celestial Equator.
On the globe, this is represented by the Tropic of Cancer, which marks
the Sun's northern most elevation. The southern analog is the Tropic
of Capricorn.
The star cluster called the Praesepe (M44) is in Cancer. Also called
the Beehive (because it resembles a swarm of bees around a busy hive) or
the Manger, the Praesepe is one of the brightest and nearest star clusters.
It is easily seen through even through a pair of binoculars.
M44 - The Praesepe