"The Dove (of Noah)"
Mythology:
Originally, the stars of Columba were not considered to be part of the
large constellation Argo Navis, the ship that carried Jason and
the Argonauts on the Black Sea on their quest for the golden fleece of
Aries. Interestingly, it was not just Greek mythology that created
this constellation: Petrus Plancius first described Columba, or the
Dove, in 1592. Plancius renamed the Argo Navis to represent
Noah's Ark, and Columba became the famous dove that was sent by Noah to
find land.
However, the original story of Jason and the Argonauts is the basis for
this constellation, and, in fact, the Argo Navis. According
to the stories, the passageway from the Aegean Sea to the Black Sea was
riddled with sharp rocks and banged into each other. Jason sent the
Dove ahead to see if it could traverse the distance without being smashed
between the rocks. When the Dove was able to make it successfully,
Jason was able to get his ship through the rocks before they smashed together
again.