| Orion's Belt is part of a larger constellation called The | | | | Orion's Belt was configured roughly 1.5 million years |
| Hunter. Orion is a very prominent and popular | | | | ago due to the relatively slow movements of the stars |
| constellation, perhaps being the best-known and most | | | | within the constellation. Orion is estimated to remain |
| conspicuous constellation in the sky. Orion's three "belt" | | | | visible for the next one to two million years. This |
| stars are found on the celestial equator and are visible | | | | makes it one of the longest observable constellations |
| throughout the worlds. The three belt stars are of | | | | parallel to the rise of human civilization. |
| medium brightness and are the medium part of the | | | | Because of the correlation between Orion's age and |
| constellation. In mid-northern latitudes, the constellation is | | | | the birth of human civilization, Orion is recognizable |
| visible in the evening from October to early January, | | | | throughout mythology. The three stars of Orion's Belt |
| and in the morning from lat July to November. | | | | were at one point associated with Osiris, the god of |
| Orion is not the only name for The Hunter. In Australia | | | | death and the underworld by the ancient Egyptians. |
| the belt and sword of Orion are sometimes called the | | | | Sumerians saw this patter as part of a shepherd or |
| Saucepan. It is called the Drie Konings (Three Kings) by | | | | chariot while in China Orion was on e of the twenty |
| Afrikaans and Trois Rois (The Three Kings) by the | | | | eight lunar mansions. |
| French. Both of these names are founds in 17th and | | | | References in the ancient Middle East were to the |
| 18th century seaman's guides. Historically it is also | | | | best and sword, which echoes throughout modern |
| referred to as Babylonian "Shepherd of Anu." | | | | western literature. |