4. The following is a completely different view of Sagittarius (but very much like that in my astronomy book). I have rotated the image to make time flow downwards, the natural way to view the night sky close to the horizon in the west:  For easier orientation I have inserted letters and numbers for most of the Sagittarius stars and delineated the curve described by the Corona Australis stars. η is a little higher up in the picture than δ, ε, and λ. From λ down to φ there is a gap corresponding to the time of Vega far up in the north, and φ marks 'December 30:
At the top one can imagine a bow described by μ, λ, δ, ε, and η, with the line from γ to δ as its arrow. The target seems to be in a direction leading between Ascella (ζ) and Nunki (σ). Possibly the target is τ Sagittarii close to the 19h line and at the bottom of the V formed by σ, ζ, and τ. On the other hand, these things are complicated. Allen says Nunki is at the tail end of the arrow: "In India it [σ] marked the junction of the nakshatra Ashādhā with Abhihjit. It lies on the vane of the arrow at the Archer's hand. σ, with ζ and π, may have been the Akkadian Gu-shi-rab-ba, the Yoke of the Sea. The 5th magnitude stars ψ¹, χ¹, and χ² were the Chinese asterism Kow, the Dog." |
