For the first time he identified Fish in a separate constellation by astronomer Claudius Polemey in "Almagesta" (catalogue of star sky).
The fish constellation includes countless stars, only 75 of which are visible in the telescope and ranked fourteenth in the table of largest constellations.
According to one Greek legend, the monstrous Tiphon, who held even the gods in fear, forced them to flee to Egypt and to get rid of his persecution, Aphrodite and her son Erot sought help from the fish in the river, two of them responded and turned to the fish they ascended to heaven. This formed one of the largest constellations of the zodiac, Fish, located between Water and Aries.
Of particular interest to scientists is the fact that thanks to modern equipment a massive black hole has been discovered, the huge glow of which is due to the combination of ultraviolet and X-ray glow, capable of absorbing the Sun.
Being in Russia it is most convenient to observe it in autumn months, in a period of high humidity.
It divides the constellation, as if, into two groups: the Northern fish, which combined three stars around it and the Western fish, consisting of seven stars.
The point called spring equinox, through which the Sun passes, noting the increase of light day, is located in Fish.
The most noteworthy star is Al pherg (Kullat nunu), the human eye sees it as a blue light, it is 316 times brighter than the sun and is 294 years away from Earth.
Alrisha is another interesting star, the place of intersection of the legendary rope, which, allegedly, is connected by fish.
A little closer, 45 light years from Earth, is the Yota star, a yellow dwarf.
The closest van Maanen is located, named after a scientist from Holland, before it only 14 light years.
Of particular interest among amateur astronomers is the spiral galaxy - Messia74, similar to ours in structure. It has two clearly expressed sleeves, swirling in a spiral, from where the name went - spiral. About 100 billion stars make up its mass. And also, quite recently, American astronomers discovered three supernova stars, which dramatically increased interest in studying this constellation
The constellation of Fish is one of the twelve constellations that make up the zodiacal circle through which the Sun passes in its one-year cycle. The sun enters the constellation of Fish on March 12 and leaves it on April 18. At this time, the visible movement of the Sun (ecliptic) crosses the celestial equator, and we see a spring equinox.
The earliest reference to individual stars of the constellation Fish is found in texts created in ancient Phoenix. Babylonian wedge texts clarified and supplemented these observations, and modern form - this constellation was described by Greek philosopher Claudius Ptolemy in the star catalogue "Almagest."
Myths explain the name "Fish" differently. In one myth, the gods, fleeing a terrible monster, rushed into sea waves and turned into fish. Another story tells of two fish that came to the aid of the gods and took them away from danger. In later times, the name of the constellation was associated with fish, which was an early Christian symbol.
The fish are located in the northern part of the sky, between the Aries, Aquolea, Andromeda and Pegasus and occupy a very vast area in the sky. In September-October, if the weather is favorable for observations, about 75 non-bright stars can be distinguished in this area.
Cullat Nunu is best seen. This name, which can be translated as a "bundle of fish," was invented in ancient Babylon. The first observers saw two fish in the sky, the tails of which are bound by a long rope.
In the southeast area, the chain of stars has an angle, as if a rope tied by a knot. There is alpha Fish, Al-Risha (Arabic "rope"). Another name for this star, Okda, means "knot." It 's a double star, it 's made up of two white dwarfs.
The star closest to the solar system bears the name Van-Maanen, after the scientist who discovered it in 1917. It 's the closest white dwarf to us.
Very interesting is the М74 galaxy located near the brightest star of Fish. It is convenient to observe because it is turned to us by a plane. In studying it, astronomers learned a lot about how our native galaxy, the Milky Way, is arranged, because it belongs to the М74 type - spiral. In the center of the М74 is a huge energy X-ray source. He is seen as a sign of a massive black hole. More recently, three supernova stars were found in the М74.
"Fish" in Latin "Pisces." Named after the constellation, it was named a meteor stream flying from the side of the Fish - Piscides. It can be observed in mid-autumn.