Editing Aquarius (constellation) (section)

==History and mythology==
Aquarius is identified as {{lang|sux-Latn|GU.LA}} "The Great One" in the [[Babylonian star catalogues]] and represents the god [[Ea (god)|Ea]] himself, who is commonly depicted holding an overflowing vase. The Babylonian star-figure appears on entitlement stones and [[cylinder seals]] from the [[2nd millennium BC|second millennium]]. It contained the [[winter solstice]] in the Early Bronze Age.{{sfn|Thurston|1996}} In [[Old Babylonian astronomy]], Ea was the ruler of the southernmost quarter of the Sun's path, the "Way of Ea", corresponding to the period of 45 days on either side of winter solstice. Aquarius was also associated with the destructive floods that the Babylonians regularly experienced, and thus was negatively connoted.{{sfn|Thompson|Thompson|2007}} In [[Egyptian astronomy#Ancient Egypt|Ancient Egypt astronomy]], Aquarius was associated with the annual [[flood of the Nile]]; the banks were said to flood when Aquarius put his jar into the river, beginning spring.{{sfn|Staal|1988|pp=42–44}}

In the [[Ancient Greek astronomy|Greek tradition]], the constellation came to be represented simply as a single vase from which a stream poured down to [[Piscis Austrinus]]. The name in the [[Hindu zodiac]] is likewise ''kumbha'' "water-pitcher".<ref name=Rogers-1/>

In Greek mythology, Aquarius is sometimes associated with [[Deucalion]], the son of [[Prometheus]] who built a ship with his wife [[Pyrrha]] to survive an imminent flood. They sailed for nine days before washing ashore on [[Mount Parnassus]].{{sfn|Thompson|Thompson|2007}}{{sfn|Star Tales}} Aquarius is also sometimes identified with beautiful [[Ganymede (mythology)|Ganymede]], a youth in [[Greek mythology]] and the son of [[Troy|Trojan]] king [[Tros (mythology)|Tros]], who was taken to [[Mount Olympus]] by [[Zeus]] to act as cup-carrier to the [[Greek pantheon|gods]].{{sfn|Moore|2000}}{{sfn|Ridpath|2001}}{{sfn|Star Tales}} Neighboring [[Aquila (constellation)|Aquila]] represents the eagle, under Zeus' command, that snatched the young boy;<ref>{{citation |first= John H. |last= Rogers |title= Origins of the ancient constellations: II. The Mediterranean traditions|url= http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1998JBAA..108...79R&amp;data_type=PDF_HIGH&amp;whole_paper=YES&amp;type=PRINTER&amp;filetype=.pdf |journal= Journal of the British Astronomical Association |volume= 108 |issue= 2 |date= April 1998 |pages= 79–89  |bibcode= 1998JBAA..108...79R}}</ref> some versions of the myth indicate that the eagle was in fact Zeus transformed. One tradition, stated that he was carried off by Eos.<ref>{{Cite web |title=(Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. iii. 115.) |url=https://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/Ganymedes.html}}</ref> Yet another figure associated with the water bearer is [[Cecrops I]], a king of Athens who [[libation#Ancient Greece|sacrificed]] water instead of [[wine]] to the gods.{{sfn|Star Tales}}

===Depictions===
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[[File:Sidney Hall - Urania's Mirror - Aquarius, Piscis Australis & Ballon Aerostatique.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.25|A representation of Aquarius printed in 1825 as part of ''[[Urania's Mirror]]'' (including a now-obsolete constellation, [[Ballon Aerostatique]] south of it)]]
In the first century, [[Ptolemy]]'s ''[[Almagest]]'' established the common Western depiction of Aquarius. His water jar, an asterism itself, consists of Gamma, Pi, Eta, and [[Zeta Aquarii]]; it pours water in a stream of more than 20 stars terminating with [[Fomalhaut]], now assigned solely to Piscis Austrinus. The water bearer's head is represented by 5th magnitude [[25 Aquarii]] while his left shoulder is Beta Aquarii; his right shoulder and forearm are represented by [[Alpha Aquarii|Alpha]] and [[Gamma Aquarii]] respectively.{{sfn|Star Tales}}

===In Eastern astronomy===
In [[Chinese astronomy]], the stream of water flowing from the Water Jar was depicted as the "Army of Yu-Lin" (''Yu-lim-kiun'' or ''Yulinjun'', [[Hanzi]]: 羽林君). The name "Yu-lin" means "feathers and forests", referring to the numerous light-footed soldiers from the northern reaches of the empire represented by these faint stars.{{sfn|Staal|1988|pp=42–44}}{{sfn|Star Tales}} The constellation's stars were the most numerous of any Chinese constellation, numbering 45, the majority of which were located in modern Aquarius. The celestial army was protected by the wall ''Leibizhen'' (垒壁阵), which counted Iota, Lambda, Phi, and Sigma Aquarii among its 12 stars.{{sfn|Star Tales}} 88, 89, and 98 Aquarii represent ''Fou-youe'', the axes used as weapons and for hostage executions. Also in Aquarius is ''Loui-pi-tchin'', the ramparts that stretch from 29 and 27 Piscium and 33 and 30 Aquarii through Phi, Lambda, Sigma, and Iota Aquarii to Delta, Gamma, Kappa, and Epsilon Capricorni.{{sfn|Staal|1988|pp=42–44}} Similarly in the [[Hindu calendar]] Aquarius is depicted as [[Kumbha]], and [[Kumbha]], which means a pot or a jug, stands for the zodiac sign of [[Aquarius (astrology)|Aquarius]].

Near the border with Cetus, the axe ''Fuyue'' was represented by three stars; its position is disputed and may have instead been located in [[Sculptor (constellation)|Sculptor]]. ''Tienliecheng'' also has a disputed position; the 13-star castle replete with ramparts may have possessed Nu and Xi Aquarii but may instead have been located south in Piscis Austrinus. The Water Jar asterism was seen to the ancient Chinese as the tomb, ''Fenmu''. Nearby, the emperors' [[mausoleum]] ''Xiuliang'' stood, demarcated by Kappa Aquarii and three other collinear stars. ''Ku'' ("crying") and ''Qi'' ("weeping"), each composed of two stars, were located in the same region.{{sfn|Star Tales}}

Three of the Chinese [[lunar mansion]]s shared their name with constellations. ''Nu'', also the name for the 10th lunar mansion, was a [[handmaiden]] represented by Epsilon, Mu, 3, and 4 Aquarii. The 11th lunar mansion shared its name with the constellation ''Xu'' ("emptiness"), formed by Beta Aquarii and Alpha Equulei; it represented a bleak place associated with death and funerals. ''Wei'', the rooftop and 12th lunar mansion, was a V-shaped constellation formed by Alpha Aquarii, Theta Pegasi, and Epsilon Pegasi; it shared its name with two other Chinese constellations, in modern-day [[Scorpius]] and [[Aries (constellation)|Aries]].{{sfn|Star Tales}}