Weapons changed slowly over the millennia, when combat was man to
man. All that changed overnight with the Gun. Once Guns became
reliable, they became the great equalizer among humankind (the physically
strong could no longer dominate the weak with impunity). For several
centuries, Guns were the primary weapons of battle (individuals) and
war (armies). The aristocracy, seeing their power, forbade the lower
classes from possessing Guns. Aggression or defense, hunting or
sport, the Gun has many uses.
7 stars – 4 from Cetus, 2 from Taurus, 1 from Eridanus.
Right Ascension = 02h56m
Declination = +2.1 degrees
Mira, the Miracle star, (Cetus) is the hammer of the Gun. At
the southwest corner of this asterism, Mira varies in magnitude from
2.0 to 10.1 every 332 days, determining when the Gun fires. Why the
ancients regarded variable Mira as a miracle, and variable Algol as a demon
is uncertain. Perhaps Algol’s reddish color and speed seemed more
threatening than Mira. The equator passes through the middle of
this asterism.
Copyright © 2004-2009, Joseph Schreiner
