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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | Equ |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Little Horse |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | ih-KWOO-lee-us |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | ih-KWOO-lee-eye |
| Best Month | September |
| Visibility | Global |
| Origin | AncientThese figures are rooted in the classical Greek and Mesopotamian traditions cataloged by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. |
| Author | PtolemyPtolemy, a 2nd-century Greco-Egyptian astronomer, cataloged the 48 classical constellations in his landmark work, the Almagest. These form the core of the 88 modern constellations recognized today. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Expert |
| Description | The Little Horse is the second smallest constellation and one of the most ancient — appearing in Ptolemy's original 2nd-century catalog. It represents Celeris, the brother of the great winged horse Pegasus, gifted by Hermes to Pelops; some traditions say it is the foal of the wind-horse given to Castor by Mercury. Despite its tiny size and lack of bright stars it has been recognized as a distinct constellation for over 2,000 years. The brightest star, Kitalpha (Alpha Equulei), meaning 'part of the horse' in Arabic, is a binary system about 186 light-years away — a yellow giant orbited by a smaller companion every 98.8 years. |
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