For Global Astronomy Month 2020 (281): Inertia of Inertia (127)

By Andrei Dorian Gheorghe and Valentin Grigore

Published: Friday, September 25 2020 19:57

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ANDROMEDA
By Andrei Dorian Gheorghe (poem) and Valentin Grigore (photo)

CHAINED WOMAN’S FASCINATION
Princess, galaxy
and constellation… but you’re
only one being!

CONSTELLATION
I greet Claudius Ptolemy,
who listed you among the constellations
in the 2nd century.
I’d put a crown of flowers on your head,
the star Alpheratz,
at the risk of being burned,
Andromeda!

GREAT NEBULA
I greet Simon Marius,
who observed you through a telescope
in the 17th century.
Although you “have become” a galaxy
in the meantime,
you continue to remain
as beautiful as a nebula,
Andromeda!

GALAXY
I greet all those who
have identified you as a galaxy.
I admire your spiral arms,
your Giant Stellar Stream,
your star clusters,
even your dark matter
and especially your halo.
You are the first galactic gate
for the lovers of deep sky objects,
Andromeda!

CONCLUSION
Andro’, I’d praise your beauty more
(I don’t care about your parents Cassiopeia and Cepheus,
I respect them only as constellations),
but I’m afraid of your lover Perseus.