Talking about myth, one cannot leave behind the world of constellations. Every formation of stars has got a popular story behind it. One can start to tell stories that go on for a long time and still not be finished with the things that are associated with such constellations.
This article is focused towards one of such constellations, the Sagitta, or more popularly known as the archer. It is clearly visible in the night sky and is the part of an even bigger formation (constellation). It lies at about 13000 light years from Earth and was discovered in 1745. Myths and symbolism have given birth to each other and over the course of years; the folklore has greatly expanded to include a lot many things.
Many people say that the arrow is one that was shot by Hercules to kill the neighboring bird, Jove that ate at the liver of Prometheus. The complete constellation consists of an archer holding his bow and arrow in one hand while trying to ward off the eagle with the other. In other myth, people say that it is the arrow that Apollo used to kill Cyclops; Apollo being the God and Cyclops being the monster.
Popular symbolism:
Not only stories but also films and television episodes have gotten popular. Popular culture has adopted these measures to conjure up stories and entertainment for their beliefs. All this talk brings one question to the mind, where did all this originate from? What has been the source of all these legends?
Well, the story goes quite a bit far back in time. It started when people had no other option to take up as their form of entertainment. They used to gaze up in the sky and make shapes and figures out of constellation that they saw. The practice was quite popular when the skies were clear and have no layers of pollution blocking the view from up above.
A lot many stars were visible back then. And a free mind had no other task then to let its imagination run free. Shapes and forms came of their own and then it was not much difficult for the stories that originated latter. Mythology was popular as there was no source to corroborate the evidence present and hence make plausible statements.
Sagitta or Sagittarius as it is popularly known as the archer in mythology. According to popular belief, he used to be a hero who protected the heavenly abode but was cast into the cosmos as a punishment for disobeying the command of a god. This was an eternal punishment with no respite; he is bound to stay in there for all times to come. Over the time, a lot of other celestial beings were banished too. The suffered the wrath of the Gods too. And that is how the constellations were formed.
Stargazing:
What got people started on to this culture was the hobby of stargazing. Looking up at the night sky is not only romantic but also introspective. You get to explore so many thoughts, Sagitta which represents an archer who is a symbol of concentration, has been adopted by many people who wish to gain accuracy and focus like them. Concentration and skill have elevated the skills of many a talented person. They attribute their success to the philosophy of the archer.
In modern day culture, special camps are organized by people who wish to promote the common knowledge about such constellations and the place that they hold in our history. If you are one of them too, then you should probably get in touch with an organization that has been based on this fandom.