Coyote's Family - Shoshone
Constellation: Tau & M45
Source: https://vesperreport.weebly.com/blog-unplugged/the-stars-a-oral-history-of-the-shoshone
Finder Chart:
Date: 4/8/21 9:09 PM Local Time
Location: Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus near Crowell, TX
Seeing: Good
Transparency: Good
Instrument Used: 8x50 Binoculars
Notes/Description: None
Sketch
Questions
1. Does the selected and sketched pattern resemble any known asterism or official constellation that we use today? If so, which one(s)?
It matches M45 in Tau.
2. Did the culture in this section have a similar mythology (e.g. dogs, hunter, boat, etc.)?
Lots of cultures used M45 when grouping individuals or items.
3. If yes, describe any material differences in either the figure's star pattern as imagined by the culture, and / or the difference in the mythology.
No. They used M45 and the brighter stars in their lore.
4. Is it likely that this star group, for this culture, may have been influenced by older or adjacent cultures? If so, whom?
Not for this Coyote Family. This is the only culture that used M45 for coyotes.
5. If, for this culture, this group was significant for calendar, crop, or social events, describe what was involved, and how the timing or the appearance of the group was important or useful.
Nothing I can think of.
