ORION

in Greek mythology, a giant and very handsome hunter who was identified as early as Homer with the constellation known by his name. The story of Orion has many different versions. He is considered to be Boeotian by birth, born (according to a late legend) of the earth (from a buried bull hide on which three gods had urinated). Some legends have him as the son of Poseidon. He is associated with the island of Chios, from which he is said to have driven the wild beasts. There he fell in love with Merope, daughter of the king of Chios. The king, who disapproved of Orion and continually deferred the nuptials, eventually had Orion blinded. His vision restored by the rays of the rising sun, Orion is said to have gone to Crete to live with Artemis as a hunter. Accounts of his death vary widely: some legends have him a victim of Artemis' jealousy, others of Apollo's jealousy over Artemis' love of Orion; still other legends have him killed by a monstrous scorpion. After his death he was placed among the stars, and he can be identified (somewhat fancifully) by his club, lion's skin, girdle (or belt), and sword. in astronomy, major constellation lying at about 5 hours 30 minutes right ascension (the coordinate on the celestial sphere analogous to longitude on the Earth) and zero declination (at the celestial equator), named for the Greek mythological hunter. Orion is one of the most conspicuous constellations and contains many bright stars. One of these, Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis), a variable star, is easily distinguished by its reddish colour. The total brightness of Rigel, in the hunter's leg, when measured over all visible light, is greater than that of Betelgeuse. The third brightest star in the constellation is Bellatrix. Orion's girdle, or beltconsisting of three bright starslies nearly on the celestial equator. His sword, south of the belt, contains the great Orion Nebula, visible to the unaided eye, an emission nebula containing hundreds of young stars. Faint extensions of this nebula fill almost the whole constellation.