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Gemini: The Twins |
The twins of the constellation Gemini are in fact half-brothers: Castor and Pollux. Castor was the son of the King of Sparta, and Pollux was the son of Zeus. In Greek myths Leda the mother of the half-brothers was seduced by Zeus in the form of a swan on her wedding night, this magical union meant that the half-brothers were born as twins. Both of the twins have stars in the constellation named after them, in fact they are some of the most famous stars in the night sky.
Many people become confused with the legends surrounding the twins as they are both said to be one of a boy-girl twin set themselves. Leda gave birth to quads, with Pollux and Helen born of Zeus and Castor and Clytemnestra born of the King of Sparta. Pollux's twin sister Helen is famous from the stories of Troy.
Location: around RA 7h 00min DEC +20 degrees
Visible Period: August to May