orion

/ə'raiən/

Thân thiện

Orion is one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky.

Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A prominent constellation: A large and conspicuous constellation located on the celestial equator, containing many bright stars including Betelgeuse and Rigel. It is visible from both hemispheres and is one of the most recognizable star patterns.
   • A figure from Greek mythology: A giant and skilled hunter, often said to be the son of Poseidon. According to myth, he was killed, either by the goddess Artemis or by a scorpion sent by Gaia, and was subsequently placed among the stars as the constellation that bears his name.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Astronomy):
  • We looked up and easily found the constellation Orion in the winter sky.
  • The three stars that form Orion's Belt are a famous asterism.
• Proper noun (Mythology):
  • In the myth, Orion boasted he could hunt and kill any creature on Earth.
  • The story of Orion and the Pleiades explains the arrangement of several constellations.

Advanced Usage

• "Orion's Belt": The prominent line of three bright stars (Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka) in the center of the Orion constellation.
  • To find Sirius, draw an imaginary line through Orion's Belt and extend it downward.
• "The Sword of Orion": A nebula-rich region hanging from Orion's Belt, containing the Orion Nebula (M42).
  • Through a telescope, the Sword of Orion reveals a spectacular stellar nursery.

Variants and Related Words

• Orionid (n): A meteor shower that appears to radiate from the constellation Orion, occurring annually in October.
  • The Orionid meteor shower is debris from Halley's Comet.

Synonyms

• The Hunter: A common nickname for the Orion constellation, derived from its mythological identity.
  • Last night, I pointed out the shape of The Hunter to my friends.

Related Phrases and Terms

• "Orion Molecular Cloud Complex": A vast group of molecular clouds and star-forming regions located in the Orion constellation.
  • Astronomers study the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex to understand how stars are born.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a constellation on the equator to the east of Taurus; contains Betelgeuse and Rigel
2. (Greek mythology) a giant Boeotian hunter who pursued the Pleiades and was eventually slain by Artemis; was then placed in the sky as a constellation

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Orion
• Hunter