Perhaps it is difficult to find another object in the night sky, endowed with the same mystical, religious and astrological significance as the constellation Cygnus. This combination of stars is clearly visible in the sky over the northern hemisphere of the Earth. The brightest
Swan's sun, his "alpha", is named Deneb. In terms of brightness, it is quite a bit inferior to Vega, although it is located six hundred light years from Earth. "Beta" Cygnus, that is, the second brightest star in this constellation, is called Albireo. This double white-yellow luminary, together with two minor stars, forms a cruciform pattern, thanks to which the constellation received its first name - the Cross. Sadr shines at the intersection of two imaginary lines.
Besides very bright luminaries, the Cygnus constellation contains several more mysterious objects, such as Cygnus X-1. Scientists suggest that this X-ray source is the first "black hole" discovered by astronomers. In addition, the constellation contains a diffuse nebula, given the name "North America" due to its shape.
It is noteworthy that the names of all the starsthat make up the constellation Cygnus, are of Arabic origin, and in Russian they denote the organs of a chicken. For example, Deneb is translated as "chicken tail", and Sadr in Russian means "chicken breast". Unlike the Arabs, the Hellenes saw in the cruciform pattern
beautiful swan. It was this bird that Zeus turned into when he was going on a date with Leda. This bird is found not only in Hellenic, but also in Indian mythology. One of the main gods of Hinduism, Brahma, is called the Great Swan, and his wife is called the Swan Goddess. It was from this legend that the expression "swan fidelity" was born.
If other peoples invested in the constellation Cygnus mainly a mythological meaning, then the Russians gave it an isoteric meaning as well. They considered this celestial object Iriy, a place where the souls of ancestors live, and where the soul goes after the funeral pyre. Of course, the constellation was also identified with the mythological character - the pagan Swan Goddess, however, some sources call it the birthplace of the Svyatorus. According to ancient records, the ancestors of the Svyatorus, the blue-eyed people of the Sva-ga clan, moved to Midgard from this constellation. The ancient families of Tibet and India are also associated with this constellation.
The swan bird itself was revered by the Russians. The constellation named after her symbolized good luck. In the famous Altai mounds, figurines in the form of swans made of felt were found. Protective, "swan" totems were considered women's amulets. Such talismans endowed a woman with delicate taste, beauty andcharm, helped to meet a true lover. The Vikings considered the swan a bird of good luck and judged the future campaign by its flight.
The same high meaning is put into the constellation Cygnus and modern astrologers. It is considered the conductor of the highest universal spirituality. The fate of not only humanity, but the entire planet is connected with this constellation. This object was not ignored by ufologists who believe that extraterrestrial guests come to us from one of the Cygnus stars.
