Draco
Quick Facts| Name: | Draco
DRAY-ko | | Meaning: | Dragon | | Abbreviation: | Dra | | Genitive: | Draconis | | Visible in Latitudes: | 90° thru -15° | | Viewing Season: | All year (circumpolar) | | Best Seen In: | July, 9:00 pm | | Transit Date: | April 23 | | Right Ascension: | 17.75 hours | | Declination: | 62.5 degrees | | Area: | 1082.952 sq. degrees |
Star Diagram
About DracoDraco, the Dragon, used to hold special significance as the location of the pole star, but due to the earth's precession, the pole has shifted to Polaris in Ursa Minor. The Dragon is usually associated with guardian's of the temples and treasures. Draco was important as it was the guardian of the star that never moves, the celestial pole. The celestial pole in ancient times was the doorway between the mortal world and the eternity. In Greek mythology the dragon is Ladon, the guardian of the 'golden apples' of immortality which grew in the garden of Hesperides, beyond the River of Time, in the land of death. It is Ladon which Hercules kills in his 11th labor to get the golden apples.
Named Stars | | | | Name | Star |
|---|
| Thuban | Alpha Dra | | Rastaban | Beta Dra | | Etamin | Gamma Dra | | Nodus Secundus | Delta Dra | | Tyl | Epsilon Dra | | Aldhibah | Zeta Dra | | Ed Asich | Iota Dra | | Gianfir | Lambda Dra | | Arrakis | Mu Dra | | Kuma | Nu 2 Dra | | Grumium | Xi Dra | | Alsafi | Sigma Dra | | Dsiban | Psi 1 Dra |
Messier Objects
Neighboring Constellations | 
