Position
in the Sky
Right Ascension: 17 hours Declination: 30 degrees Visible between latitudes
90 and -50 degrees Best seen in July (at 9:00 PM)
Hercules
was perhaps the greatest hero in all mythology. He was the son of Jupiter and
Alcmena, and was hounded all his life by Juno. (This is deliciously ironic,
because in the original Greek myths, Juno is named Hera and Hercules is Heracles,
which means "glory of Hera.") Juno was unhappy with Jupiter's infidelity, and
saw Hercules as a living, breathing symbol of her shame. She delayed his birth,
and when Hercules was a mere baby (but a big one!) sent two snakes into the
crib he shared with his mortal half-twin Iphicles. Hercules killed them both
with his bare hands, marking the beginning of his career as a monster-killer.
