Gemini (constellation)
| Constellation | |
|
|
| Abbreviation | Gem |
|---|---|
| Genitive | Geminorum |
| Pronunciation |
/ˈdʒɛmᵻnaɪ/ genitive /ˌdʒɛmᵻˈnɒrəm/ |
| Symbolism | the Twins, Castor & Pollux |
| Right ascension | 7 |
| Declination | +20 |
| Family | Zodiac |
| Quadrant | NQ2 |
| Area | 514 sq. deg. (30th) |
| Main stars | 8, 17 |
|
Bayer/Flamsteed stars |
80 |
| Stars with planets | 8 |
| Stars brighter than 3.00m | 4 |
| Stars within 10.00 pc (32.62 ly) | 4 |
| Brightest star | Pollux (β Gem) (1.15m) |
| Nearest star |
Gliese 251 (17.99 ly, 5.52 pc) |
| Messier objects | 1 |
| Meteor showers |
Geminids Rho Geminids |
| Bordering constellations |
Lynx Auriga Taurus Orion Monoceros Canis Minor Cancer |
|
Visible at latitudes between +90° and −60°. Best visible at 21:00 (9 p.m.) during the month of February. |
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Gemini is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It was one of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd century AD astronomer Ptolemy and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. Its name is Latin for "twins," and it is associated with the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology. Its symbol is 
(Unicode ♊).
Gemini lies between Taurus to the west and Cancer to the east, with Auriga and Lynx to the north and Monoceros and Canis Minor to the south.
The Sun resides in the astrological sign of Gemini from June 20 to July 20 each year (though the zodiac dates it May 21 - June 21). By mid August, Gemini will appear along the eastern horizon in the morning sky prior to sunrise. The best time to observe Gemini at night is overhead during the months of January and February. By April and May, the constellation will be visible soon after sunset in the west.
The easiest way to locate the constellation is to find its two brightest stars Castor and Pollux eastward from the familiar “V” shaped asterism of Taurus and the three stars of Orion’s belt. Another way is to mentally draw a line from the Pleiades star cluster located in Taurus and the brightest star in Leo, Regulus. In doing so, you are drawing an imaginary line that is relatively close to the ecliptic, a line which intersects Gemini roughly at the midpoint of the constellation, just below Castor and Pollux.
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Wikipedia