Starwatch: Corvus, Crater and Hydra tangled in ancient tale of figs and lies

Faint constellations representing crow, cup and serpent feature in classical Greek and Roman myth

This week offers us the opportunity to locate three of the fainter constellations that are linked by myth: Corvus, the crow; Crater, the cup; and Hydra, the serpent. Corvus is one of the oldest recognised constellations, dating back to Babylonian star charts from at least 1100BC. Hydra was also recognised by the Babylonians, although Crater is a slightly later invention.