mythological hero Perseus. It was one of 48 listed by the 2nd-century
astronomer Ptolemy and is among the 88 modern constellations defined by
the International Astronomical Union. It is located in the northern
celestial hemisphere near several other constellations named after
legends surrounding Perseus, including Andromeda and Cassiopeia. The
galactic plane of the Milky Way passes through Perseus but is mostly
obscured by molecular clouds. The constellation's brightest star is the
yellow-white supergiant Alpha Persei, which shines at magnitude 1.79. It
and many surrounding stars are members of the Alpha Persei Cluster. The
best-known star is Algol, an eclipsing binary linked with ominous
legends because of its variability, which is noticeable to the naked
eye. Other notable features in Perseus include X Persei (a binary system
containing a neutron star), GK Persei (a nova that peaked at magnitude
0.2 in 1901), the Double Cluster (comprised of two open clusters near
each other in the sky), and the Perseus Cluster (a massive galaxy
cluster). Perseus also hosts the radiant of the annual Perseids meteor
shower.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_(constellation)>
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
660 BC:
According to tradition, Emperor Jimmu founded Japan and
established his capital in Yamato.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Jimmu>
1826:
University College London (Main Building pictured) was founded
as the first secular university in England.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College_London>
1929:
To help settle the "Roman Question", Italy and the Holy See of
the Roman Catholic Church signed the Lateran Treaty to establish Vatican
City as an independent sovereign enclave within Italy.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateran_Treaty>
1968:
After two black employees were killed on the job, about 1,300
black sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, US, began a strike that
lasted over two months.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Sanitation_Strike>
1990:
Anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela, a political prisoner
for 27 years, was released from Victor Verster Prison near Paarl, South
Africa.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela>
_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:
gourmandise:
To eat food in a gluttonous manner; to gorge; to make a pig of oneself.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gourmandise>
___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:
Even in times of war, you can see current events in their
historical perspective, provided that your passion for the truth
prevails over your bias in favor of your own nation.
--Leó Szilárd
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Le%C3%B3_Szil%C3%A1rd>
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