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Perseids 2022: Who Was Perseus? The wild story behind Shooting Stars Night

2022-08-10T15:50:25.896Z


Perseids 2022: Who Was Perseus? The wild story behind Shooting Stars Night Created: 08/10/2022, 17:37 By: Katja Kraft A look at the sky is very worthwhile on the night of August 12th to 13th - then a particularly large number of shooting stars should be visible. © Archive On the night of August 12-13, 2022, many shooting stars can be seen. The reason for this is the Perseid meteor shower. The


Perseids 2022: Who Was Perseus?

The wild story behind Shooting Stars Night

Created: 08/10/2022, 17:37

By: Katja Kraft

A look at the sky is very worthwhile on the night of August 12th to 13th - then a particularly large number of shooting stars should be visible.

© Archive

On the night of August 12-13, 2022, many shooting stars can be seen.

The reason for this is the Perseid meteor shower.

The name refers to the Greek mythical figure Perseus.

A wild story!

They just don't learn.

Dear Greek people, if you consult an oracle, then you will also be able to cope with the prophecies that it has in store for you.

Escape useless.

But no, Acrisius, king of Argos, also thought he could outwit his fate.

When he learned that one day a son of his daughter Danaë would be his undoing, he locked the girl in the basement, well guarded by monstrous, bloodthirsty dogs.

That no potential fathers of offspring come into the house.

But then he reckoned without Zeus.

Anyone who is a real father of the gods will find ways and means: Zeus turned into a shower of gold, which fertilized Danaë.

In his blunt way, Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) vividly fantasized what that might have looked like in a painting in 1907.

And there was born: Perseus.

Perseus cut off Medusa's head

Anyone who looks up at the sky tomorrow night can also experience divine moments.

Not that Zeus would come over you.

But a shooting star rain that intoxicates.

As reported, the Perseids then reach their climax.

The meteor shower that recurs annually in the first half of August, which has a particularly large number of sniffles in the days around August 12th.

The radiant, the apparent origin of this stream, lies in the eponymous constellation Perseus.

The fact that the boy, who was unloved by his grandfather, was given his own symbol in the sky by the gods and goddesses was something he worked out quite courageously.

The oracle was right when it warned Acrisios about the grandson.

Although he accidentally killed his grandfather with a discus during a fighting game, Perseus was not squeamish when it came to deliberate murder.

Headless?

At least Medusa is after this act of Perseus.

But he used his brains to attack the monster.

Benvenuto Cellini created this bronze sculpture, it is in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.

© WIKIMEDIA

The guy actually took on Medusa.

Medusa, the ghastly beast: known to be a monster with snake hair, pig tusks, scale armor, glowing eyes and a tongue hanging out.

A sight that immediately turned every viewer into stone.

Not so Perseus.

When he sneaked up to her, he didn't look at her, but at a shield of the goddess Athena - and was able to cut off Medusa's head unhindered.

Fun Fact: Giant Chrysaor and the winged Pegasus sprang from the bleeding wound.

Perseus rode with him to the beautiful Andromeda, who was to be sacrificed to the sea monster Ketos, chained to a rock.

He saved her and got her as his wife as a reward.

Someone is supposed to claim that religious studies are boring.

Even mountaineers can be grateful to Perseus

Perseus clearly had brains and with Medusa's head he now had the perfect weapon.

Whenever he got into trouble, he held out the ugly skull to the enemy.

Today's mountaineers can be grateful to the ancient hero: As Greek mythology teaches us, the Atlas Mountains are actually the Titan Atlas, solidified to stone.

One that is fantastic to climb on.

But Perseus did not overdo it and, when he had defeated all enemies and found his home with Andromeda, gave the weapon to the goddess Athena, who henceforth wore it in her coat of arms.

Perhaps that is why Perseus had something that is rare in the sagas of the ancient Greeks: luck.

Andromeda and he fathered a colorful group of children in their long lives - and were gifted with plenty of grandchildren.

The almost invincible Heracles is one of many of her descendants.

And when Perseus and Andromeda passed after all, they made the goddesses and gods immortal in the heavens: together they flash side by side as constellations in the darkness.

If you look up on the night of August 12th to 13th, 2022, you can see it particularly brightly in good weather conditions.

And then, when the first shooting star rushes in,

wish for.

Perhaps this: a wild life like the gods.

Source: merkur

All life articles on 2022-08-10

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