#markab

Pegasus, named after the winged horse from Greek mythology, is one of the original 48 constellations set down by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It is easily recognizable thanks to the square shape four of its brightest stars form.

In Greek mythology, Pegasus was born from the head of Medusa, after Perseus cut it off. He was said to have magical powers: his hooves dug out a spring, Hippocrene, that blessed those who drank its water with the ability to write poetry.

In order of brightness, the named stars are:

Enif (ε Pegasi), a solitary orange supergiant star about 690 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word meaning "nose" since it marks the muzzle of Pegasus.

Scheat (β Pegasi) is a solitary red giant star about 196 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word Al Sā'id meaning "the upper arm," marking its position in Pegasus. It is the upper right corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.

Markab (α Pegasi) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 133 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word markab meaning "the saddle of the horse." It is the lower right corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.

Algenib (γ Pegasi) is a binary star system about 470 light years away. The primary star is a blue giant star. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-janb meaning "the side." It marks the lower left corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.

Matar (η Pegasi) is a binary star consisting of a yellow giant and a yellow-white giant star. The system lies about 214 light years away. The name comes from the Arabic phrase Saʽd al Maṭar meaning "lucky star of rain."

Homam (ζ Pegasi) is a solitary blue giant star about 204 light years away. Its name comes the Arabic phrase sa'd al-humam meaning "the lucky star of the hero."

Sadalbari (μ Pegasi) is a solitary yellow giant star about 113 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase saʿd al-bāriʿ meaning "the lucky star of the splendid one."

Biham (θ Pegasi) is a binary star system consisting of a blue-white giant and a red dwarf star. The system lies about 92 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase s'ad al Biham meaning "the lucky stars of the young beasts."

Alkarab (υ Pegasi) is a solitary yellow giant star about 170 light years away. Its name comes from the Arabic word Al Karab meaning "the bucket-rope."

Salm (τ Pegasi) is a solitary blue-white giant star about 162 light years away.

Helvetios (51 Pegasi) is a Sun-like star about 51 light years away. It was the first Sun-like star found to have an exoplanet orbiting it, named Dimidium. Both names come from the people of Switzerland: "Helvetios" is the Latin word for the Celtic tribe that lived in Switzerland, and "Dimidium" is Latin for "half", since this planet has half the mass of Jupiter.

Solaris (BD+14 4559) is a red dwarf star about 161 light years from Earth. It has a single confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, named Pirx. Both names were given by the people of Poland: "Solaris" refers to a 1961 sci-fi novel written by Stanisław Lem, and "Pirx" refers to the character "Pilot Pirx" in Stanisław Lem's novels.

Tangra (WASP-21) is a Sun-like star about 834 light years away. It has a single exoplanet orbiting it, named Bendida. Both names were given by the people of Bulgaria: "Tangra" is a god of heaven worshiped by early Bulgars, and "Bendida" is a lunar goddess worshiped by the Thracians.

Anadolu (WASP-52) is a red dwarf star about 570 light years from Earth. It has a single confirmed exoplanet orbiting it, named Göktürk. Both names were given by the people of Turkey: "Anadolu" is the Turkish word for Anatolia, and "Göktürk" is a historical group of Turkic people.

I’d be remiss not to mention that I, along with most of the planet, am sheltering at home at the moment in fear of Covid19. I’ll try not to dwell on it considering present-day readers are being inundated with not only news of the pandemic, but also rewatches of this episode which have been popping up on the facebook group like crazy. That said, on with the likes/liked lesses.

Things I like about Confessions and Lamentations

1, this is one of the best episodes in the entire show. It’s subtle and tragic and well acted even though a large portion of the dramatic weight is carried by people in full prosthetic. Special tribute to the Markab child who does an excellent job on what I’m going to assume was a very strange role for them, and Lazerann who is MVP of this episode. He was so genuine and sweet, and you really felt the friendship between him and Franklin which is tough with one-episode appearances. The fact that he sacrificed himself for the cause, then offered his body to science, he’s such a genuine person. Then for him to die before telling Franklin who to send his love to... he’s one of the best episode characters. Lazerann even calls Franklin on his drug addiction, furthering his plotline casually in a logical way. Also they gave him one of the best lines. “That seems to be the rule, doesn’t it? Analyze the problem, choose whatever strategy that makes the least sense and do it.” Okay it’s decided, in my headcanon, Laz and Stephen hang beyond the rim. They meet up for drinks and toast to no more death.

2, Delenn’s romance with Sheridan is officially getting started, and it is very cute. Side note... Lennier really is the show’s woobie. He spent two days of his life preparing this meal for Delenn and John, and went with Delenn into the isolation zone. We know in retrospect that he’s doing it out of duty and especially love for Delenn, which makes it seem even more torturous for him to prepare a meal for 2 days on a purification diet only to watch the object of his affection use it to flirt with her potential boyfriend. Lennier aside, though, the touching moments between Sheridan and Delenn are so well done. When she asks to go into the quarantine zone and he refuses to protect her, it’s great subtle scripting and acting, you see how the true meaning simmers beneath. Actually brought a tear to my eye as she promised to see him in the beyond “where no shadows lie”

3, Delenn’s bravery in the quest to give comfort and care to the sick and afraid is a deep and beautiful thing. It should not be overlooked. The tears on the faces of both she and Lennier at the end are not equal to the price paid by the dead, but the value placed on the emotional support of the suffering emphasizes the importance of nurses in times like these. People deserve respect, and to be treated with value and dignity especially when they are sick. When the rest of the station was jeering and spitting on the Markab, these two very important people humbled themselves to treat them kindly and that’s very important. As is her line on the matter: “I didn’t know that similarity was required for the exercise of compassion.”

Things I like less

1, If I’ve learned anything from watching this during the Covid19 outbreak its that those doctors would be in full hazmat but they’d still be in the iso-lab helping. Nurses helping. Doctors helping. Maybe not all of them, but at least some would do it. Medical responders are strong.

2, That asshat barkeep at the end who makes a joke about genocide and spreads conspiracy theories about the vorlons, and how right/accurate/applicable Franklin’s final line to the episode is. We never learn. Never learn. 

other random thoughts:

Ivanova walks into CNC and is like Warren Keffer is doing something useful and Sheridan makes a frog face and is like “Put a stop to it.” Shitting on Keffer is always funny knowing he was a studio mandate JMS didn’t want in the first place. His quest to hyperspace is important to the end of the season, but the metanarrative is so transparent.

Franklin’s surgical outfit looks like his garndma made it with a crochet hook. You gotta laugh at what you can in such an emotionally affecting episode.

Scene:

Lazerann: We have a right to privacy!

Sheridan: No you don’t!

Franklin: I’m here! Give us some privacy!

Me (as Lazerann): RUDE!

WHO ARE THESE LADIES IN EARTH FORCE UNIFORMS? I need to know all of their names RIGHT NOW.

Starting with Pegasus first, in order of brightness:

Scheat (β Pegasi) is a red giant star that forms the upper right corner of the Great Square. It is about 196 light years away and has swelled to over 100 times the size of the Sun. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Al Sā'id meaning "the upper arm".

Markab (α Pegasi) is a blue-white star located about 133 light years away, marking the lower right corner of the Great Square. Its name comes from an Arabic word markab meaning "the saddle of the horse".

Algenib (γ Pegasi) is a blue subgiant star about 470 light years away and marks the lower left corner of the Great Square. It has a mass of about 9 times that of the Sun. Its name comes from the Arabic word al-jānib meaning "the flank".

Matar (η Pegasi) is a yellow-white star about 196 light years away. It is a binary system, with the primary being about 25 times larger than the Sun. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase Saʽd al Maṭar meaning "lucky star of rain".

Homam (ζ Pegasi) is a blue star about 204 light years away. It is only about 4 times as large as the Sun, but is emitting over 200 times the light. The origin of the name is unclear, but it likely comes from the Arabic phrase Sa'd al Humam meaning "lucky star of the hero."

Sadalbari (μ Pegasi) is a yellow giant star about 113 light years from Earth and is about 9 times the size of the Sun. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase saʿd al-bāriʿ meaning "the lucky star of the splendid one."

ι Pegasi is a binary star system about 39 light years away. The primary is a yellow-white star about the mass of the Sun but 1.5 times the size.

λ Pegasi is a yellow giant star about 365 light years away. It is about 1.5 times the mass of the Sun, but over 28 times the size of the Sun.

Next up are the few stars in Andromeda, in order of brightness:

Alpheratz (α Andromedae) is a binary star system that forms the upper left corner of the Great Square. The primary is a blue-white star with about 3.5 times the mass of the Sun. The entire system is located about 97 light years from Earth. Its name comes from the Arabic phrase surrat al-faras meaning "navel of the horse".

Mirach (β Andromedae) is a red giant star about 200 light years from Earth. It is only about 2.5 times as massive as the Sun, but has swelled to over 85 times that of the Sun. Its name comes from the Arabic word mīzar meaning "girdle".

δ Andromedae is a triple star system about 105 light years from Earth. The primary is a orange giant star about the mass of the Sun, but about 13 times the size.

μ Andromedae is a blue-white star about 130 light years from Earth. It is about twice the mass and three times the size of the Sun.

ν Andromedae is a binary star system about 620 light years from Earth and appears very close to the Andromeda Galaxy on the sky. The primary is a blue star about six times as massive as the Sun.

Finally, two stars in Pisces:

ν Piscium is a binary star system about 365 light years away. The primary is an orange giant star about 1.6 times the mass of the Sun with almost 35 times the size.

τ Piscium is an orange giant star about 169 light years away. It is slightly more massive than the Sun, but 10 times the size.