Crater Constellation Meaning

Crater Constellation [Stellarium]

Constellation Crater the Cup is located south of Virgo Constellation and north of Hydra. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. Crater spans 15 degrees of the zodiac, in the Signs of Virgo and Libra.

Crater Constellation Stars

2000	2050	Star	Name	Sp. Class	Mag.	Orb
23♍41	24♍23	α Crt	Alkes	K1	4.08	1°20′
26♍15	26♍57	ε Crt		K5	4.81	1°00′
26♍41	27♍23	δ Crt	Labrum	K0	3.56	1°40′
27♍28	28♍10	κ Crt	Al Sharasif I	F4	5.93	1°00′
28♍33	29♍15	β Crt	Al Sharasif II	A1	4.46	1°10′
28♍36	29♍18	θ Crt		B9	4.70	1°00′
29♍14	29♍56	γ Crt		A9	4.06	1°20′
04♎04	04♎46	ζ Crt		G8	4.71	1°00′

Crater Astrology

Robson

Legend. This constellation represents the cup given by Apollo to the raven (see CORVUS) to fetch water.

Influence. According to Ptolemy it is like Venus and in some degree like Mercury. It gives a kind, generous, cheerful, receptive, passionate and hospitable nature, with good mental abilities, but subject to apprehension and indecision. There is a disordered life full of sudden and unexpected events, and great danger of unhappiness, but usually some eminence. ^[1]

Noonan

The constellation gives good mental abilities, but there can also be sudden changes and unexpected events. ^[2]

Crater Constellation [Urania’s Mirror]

Allen

Crater, the Cup… formed by several 4th- and 5th‑magnitude stars above the Hydra’s back, just westward from Corvus, and 30° south of Denebola, in a partly annular form opening to the northwest. This was long considered a part of the threefold constellation Hydra et Corvus et Crater; but modern astronomers catalogue it separately, Argelander assigning to it 14 stars, and Heis extending the number to 35.

In early Greek days it represented the Κάνθαρος, or Goblet, of Apollo, but universally was called Κρατήρ, which in our transliterated title obtained with all Latins, Cicero writing it Cratera; while Manilius described it as gratus Iaccho Crater, so using the mystic, poetical name often applied to Bacchus. In ancient manuscripts it appears as Creter. The Greeks also called it Κάλπη, a Cinerary Urn; Ἀργεῖον, Ὑδρεῖον, and Ὑδρία, a Water-bucket.

The Romans additionally knew it as Urna, Calix, or Scyphus, and, poetically, as Poculum, the Cup, variously, of Apollo, Bacchus, Hercules, Achilles, Dido, Demophoön, and Medea; its association with this last bringing it into the long list of Argonautic constellations.

Hewitt connected it with the Soma‑cup of prehistoric India; and Brown with the Mixing-bowl in the Euphratean myth of Istar-Kirke.

But any connection here would seem doubtful, although the Jews knew it as Cōs, a Cup. Hewitt also identifies it with “the Akkadians’ Mummu Tiāmut, the chaos of the sea, the mother of heaven and earth, and the child of Tiamut, the mother (mut) of living things (tia)”; but all this better suits Corvus.

In early Arabia it was Al Ma’laf, the Stall, — a later title there for the Praesaepe of Cancer; but when the astronomy of the Desert came under Greek influence it was Al Bāṭiyah, the Persian Badiye, and the Al Batinah of Al Achsasi, all signifying an earthen vessel for storing wine. Another title, Al Kās, a Shallow Basin, — Alhas in the Alfonsine lists, — has since been turned into Alker and Elkis; but Scaliger’s suggestion of Alkes generally has been adopted, although now applied to the star α. These same Tables Latinized it as Patera, and as Vas, or Vas aquarium.

Its more conspicuous stars, with χ and others in Hydra, twenty-two in all, formed the 10th sieu, Yh, Yih, or Yen, Wings or Flanks; and the whole constellation may have been the Chinese Heavenly Dog shot at by Chang, the divinity of the 9th sieu in Leo, which also bore that god’s name.

Astrologically it portended eminence to those born under its influence. ^[3]

Manilius

He will join your vines, Bacchus ‘grapevines for the production of wine’, in wedlock to your elms; or he will arrange them on props, so that the fronds resemble the figures in a dance or, allowing your vine to rely on its own strength, he will lead it to spread out its branches as arms, and entrusting you to yourself will forever protect you from the bridal bed, seeing how you were cut from your mother. ^[4]

Crater Constellation [Bullinger]

Bullinger

This is no fabled wine-cup of Bacchus; but it is “The cup of His indignation” (Rev 14:10); “The cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” (Rev 16:19). This is what we see set forth in this constellation. The Cup is wide and deep, and fastened on by the stars to the very body of the writhing serpent. The same stars which are in the foot of the Cup form part of the body of Hydra, and are reckoned as belonging to both constellations.

This Cup has the significant number of thirteen stars (the number of Apostacy). The two — Al Ches (α), which means the Cup, and (β) — determine the bottom of the Cup. ^[5]