Norma Nilotica Asterism in Constellation Aquarius Honors Nile Flooding

Summary: Norma Nilotica asterism in constellation Aquarius honors the yearly Nile flooding signaled by the starry Water Bearer’s downturned urn in July.

Aquarius the Water Bearer with Norma Nilotica asterism (center right), as depicted in A Celestial Atlas (1822), Plate XXI: Alexander Jamieson, Public Domain, via U.S. Naval Observatory Library

Introduced in 1822 by Scottish rhetorician Alexander Jamieson (1782-July 1850), Norma Nilotica asterism honors the annual Nile River flooding signaled by a downturned water jar as the asterism’s parent constellation, Aquarius the Water Bearer, sets headfirst in July.

Jamieson’s star catalog, A Celestial Atlas, presents Norma Nilotica asterism in Plate XXI as a component in a prominent depiction of Aquarius the Water Bearer constellation. Norma Nilotica denotes a gauge, or ruler, for measuring the height of the Nile River. The asterism’s name is carefully labeled along the golden-colored gauge’s eastern length.

Norma Nilotica asterism appears in the upper western region of Aquarius the Water Bearer constellation. Delphinus the Dolphin constellation perches to the asterism’s north. Capricornus the Sea Goat constellation nudges Norma Nilotica asterism from the south.

Jamieson’s depiction places Norma Nilotica on a slight northwest/southeast slant. The slender asterism points northwestward toward the bow in the neighboring constellation of Antinous the Youth. Roman Emperor Hadrian (Jan. 24, 76-July 10, 138 CE) created the constellation in 132 CE as a starry memorial to his favorite companion, Antinous (ca. November 111-October 130 CE), a purported Nile River drowning victim. Constellation Antinous became obsolete after its exclusion in 1922 from the 88 modern constellations established by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Antinous the Youth constellation’s stars now belong to Aquila the Eagle constellation.

Norma Nilotica’s southern end is not visible in Jamieson’s depiction. A Celestial Atlas buries the asterism’s southern end within the thick mane collaring the neck of the Water Bearer’s neighbor to the west and southwest, Capricornus the Sea Goat.

Jamieson’s Norma Nilotica asterism comprises six stars. Red giant 3 Aquarii (3 Aqr) resides not quite one-third of the distance from the Nile River gauge’s northern end. The irregular, pulsing variable star is designated as k Aquarii in the system of stellar nomenclature devised by celestial cartographer Johann Bayer (1572-March 7, 1625). K Aquarii lies at a distance of over 445 light years.

Aquarius the Water Bearer holds Norma Nilotica in his left hand. Mu Aquarii (μ Aquarii; Mu Aqr; μ Aqr) marks his left index and middle fingers. The fifth magnitude star lies at a distance of about 155 light years. Mu Aquarii is actually a binary star system. Its companion completes its orbit of the primary star every 4.88 years.

Aquarius the Water Bearer constellation largely resides in the southern celestial hemisphere. As the 10 largest of the 88 modern constellations, Aquarius spreads about 25 degrees southward from the celestial equator, the imaginary circle projected from Earth’s equator outward into space. The Water Bearer’s northern claims, which are dramatically smaller than its southern claims, reach only to about 2.5 degrees northern celestial.

Norma Nilotica asterism lies below the celestial equator. The slender asterism spans southern celestial latitudes of minus 2.5 to minus 10 degrees.

Aquarius the Water Bearer constellation is visible to Earth’s stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere as well as in the Southern Hemisphere. The constellation’s area of visibility stretches from 65 degrees north latitude to 90 degrees south latitude.

At mid-northern latitudes in October, Aquarius the Water Bearer appears well above the southern horizon. The Water Bearer’s eastern asterism, the Water Jar, lies south of the prominent Great Square of Pegasus the Winged Horse. Norma Nilotica asterism rests to the southeast of the Great Square.

The takeaway for Norma Nilotica asterism in constellation Aquarius is that both the starry nilometer and its eastern counterpart asterism, the Water Jar, honor ancient Egypt’s welcoming response to the annual Nile flooding.

Aquarius the Water Bearer with Norma Nilotica asterism (center right), as depicted by British cartographer and engraver Sidney Hall (1788-1831) in Urania’s Mirror (1825), a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards: U.S. Library of Congress, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Aquarius the Water Bearer with Norma Nilotica asterism, as depicted in A Celestial Atlas (1822), Plate XXI: Alexander Jamieson, Public Domain, via U.S. Naval Observatory Library @ http://aa.usno.navy.mil/library/

Aquarius the Water Bearer with Norma Nilotica asterism, as depicted by British cartographer and engraver Sidney Hall (1788-1831) in Urania’s Mirror (1825), a set of 32 astronomical star chart cards: U.S. Library of Congress, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sidney_Hall_-_Urania%27s_Mirror_-_Aquarius,_Piscis_Australis_%26_Ballon_Aerostatique.jpg

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