"The Water Monster"
Mythology : Hydra was rumored to have anywhere
from 100 to nine heads, with the central head being immortal. The snake was
destroyed by Hercules as one of his twelve labors. He used a torch to burn the
neck of the mortal heads so no new ones could grow, and buried the immortal head
beneath a rock. Hercules then dipped his arrows in the snake's blood, and forever
after those arrows inflicted only mortal wounds. In another story, Corvus the Crow
was sent by Apollo to fetch water, but became lazy and returned days late. He
explained that the delay was caused by a snake attack, but Apollo was not fooled.
He became so angry that he threw Corvus, Crater (the Cup), and Hydra into the sky.
Main Attractions :
Hydra is by far the longest constellation, stretching across nearly one-third of
the sky. Notable deep-sky objects are the bright star cluster M48 and the spiral
galaxy M83.
