Gemini () ( , Latin for "

twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...

s") is the third

astrological sign In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. ...

in the

zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pat ...

. Under the tropical zodiac, the sun transits this sign between about May 21 to June 21. Gemini is represented by the twins,

Castor and Pollux Castor; grc, Κάστωρ, Kástōr, beaver. and Pollux. (or Polydeukes). are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri.; grc, Διόσκουροι, Dióskouroi, sons of Zeus, links=no, from ''Dîos'' ('Z ...

, known as the

Dioscuri Castor; grc, Κάστωρ, Kástōr, beaver. and Pollux. (or Polydeukes). are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri.; grc, Διόσκουροι, Dióskouroi, sons of Zeus, links=no, from ''Dîos'' ( ...

Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...

. It is a

positive Positive is a property of positivity and may refer to: Mathematics and science * Positive formula, a logical formula not containing negation * Positive number, a number that is greater than 0 * Plus sign, the sign "+" used to indicate a posi ...

, mutable sign.

Mythology

In Babylonian astronomy, the stars Pollux and Castor were known as the Great Twins. Their names were Lugal-irra and Meslamta-ea, meaning "The Mighty King" and "The One who has arisen from the Underworld". Both names are titles of Nergal, a major Babylonian god of plague and pestilence, who was king of the underworld. In

, Gemini is associated with the myth of Castor and Pollux. Pollux was the son of

Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label= genitive Boeotian Aeolic and Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label= genitive el, Δίας, ''Días'' () is the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek reli ...

, who seduced Leda, while Castor was the son of

Tyndareus In Greek mythology, Tyndareus (; Ancient Greek: Τυνδάρεος, ''Tundáreos''; Attic: Τυνδάρεως, ''Tundáreōs''; ) was a Spartan king. Family Tyndareus was the son of Oebalus (or Perieres) and Gorgophone (or Bateia). He married ...

, the king of Sparta and Leda's husband. When Castor died, because he was a mortal, Pollux begged his father Zeus to give Castor immortality, which was done through uniting them together in the heavens.

In popular culture

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

named its two-person space capsule Project Gemini after the zodiac sign because the spacecraft could carry two astronauts.

Gallery

File: Gemini (medieval Georgian astrological treatise).jpg, From the medieval Georgian manuscript of a 12th-century astrological treatise File:Illustration-zodiac-gemini.jpg, Ornamentation from an altar cloth from 13th-century Germany. The two figures are depicted with the heads of dogs. File:Book of Wonders folio 5b.jpg, Gemini (al-Gawzaa) depicted in the 14th/15th-century Arabic astrology text ''

Book of Wonders The ''Kitāb al-Bulhān'' (), or ''Book of Wonders'', is a 14th and 15th century mainly Turkish and some Arabic manuscript, compiled by Hassan Esfahani (Abd al-Hasan Al-Isfahani) probably bound during the reign of Jalayirid Sultan Ahmad (1382–1 ...

'' File:Tvillingarnas stjärntecken, 1602 - Skoklosters slott - 102429.tif, Gemini by

Willem Blaeu Willem Janszoon Blaeu (; 157121 October 1638), also abbreviated to Willem Jansz. Blaeu, was a Dutch cartographer, atlas maker and publisher. Along with his son Johannes Blaeu, Willem is considered one of the notable figures of the Netherlandis ...

, 1602 File:Geminis, Blanco y Negro, de Arija, 07-05-1904 (cropped).svg, White and Black Geminis by Arija, 1904

Notes

References

* Longitude of Sun, apparent geocentric ecliptic of date, interpolated to find time of crossing 0°, 30°.... * * * * *

External links