Cosmic Tales

00:32:04

Episode 12: Cassiopeia - Cassiopeia vs Makeda

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/10/05

A queen who boasted once too often. A legendary ruler who traveled to test the wisdom of a king.In Episode 12 of Cosmic Tales, we explore Cassiopeia — the unmistakable W-shaped constellation of the northern sky. We follow the Greek queen whose pride put an entire kingdom in danger, then travel to Ethiopia for the story of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and her famous encounter with King Solomon.Then we turn to the science: a star named backward for an Apollo astronaut, one of the most luminous stars in

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00:32:48

Bonus Episode 3: Centaurus, Lupus, Ara, Sagittarius

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/09/28

The constellations may be finished. The stories aren't.In this bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we return to Centaurus, Lupus, Ara and Sagittarius for three stories that didn't quite fit the stars — but were far too good to leave behind.First, Šullat and Haniš run ahead of the great Mesopotamian Flood as divine heralds of the coming storm.Then we turn to Norse mythology and Fenrir, the monstrous wolf the gods tried to bind before he could fulfill the fate they feared.And finally, we meet

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00:28:47

Episode 11: Sagittarius - Crotus vs Nergal

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/09/21

Who is the archer in Sagittarius?In Greek tradition, one answer was Crotus — a satyr, hunter and companion of the Muses who found his place among the stars. But long before the Greeks told their stories about this part of the sky, Mesopotamian tradition connected it with Pabilsag, a strange composite figure closely associated with the god Nergal.In Episode 11 of Cosmic Tales, we follow Sagittarius from Greek mythology into ancient Mesopotamia before turning to the astronomy hidden inside one of the

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00:24:51

Episode 10: Ara - Greek Altar vs Babylonian Altar

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/09/14

What happens when two ancient cultures look toward the same stars—and both see an altar?In Greek mythology, Ara was connected to the great war between the Olympians and the Titans. In ancient Mesopotamia, the stars carried an altar tradition of their own, with a very different story behind it.In Episode 10 of Cosmic Tales, we explore both traditions before turning from mythology to the remarkable astronomy hidden within Ara—including massive star clusters, glowing nebulae, the Fighting Dragons

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00:25:42

Episode 9: Lupus - The Wolf vs The Dragon

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/09/07

What happens when the same patch of sky becomes a wild beast in one culture—and part of an empire in another?In Greek tradition, Lupus is the mysterious animal caught beneath Centaurus, carried toward a waiting altar. Later generations would turn that nameless beast into a wolf, opening the door to darker tales of transformation and punishment.But Chinese astronomers saw something entirely different. These stars belonged to a much larger celestial world of dragons, soldiers, banners, officials, and

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00:29:41

Episode 8: Centaurus - Chiron vs Yacana

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/08/31

Half human. Half horse. A creature that has fascinated civilizations for thousands of years.In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we explore the constellation Centaurus and the very different stories found among its stars. From the wise teacher Chiron of Greek mythology to the great celestial llama Yacana of the Inca tradition, this constellation reveals how cultures across the world looked at the same sky and found their own legends written there.We begin with Chiron, the most famous of the Greek

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00:25:06

Bonus Episode 2: Orion, Scorpius, Canis Major and...

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/08/24

The night sky is filled with more stories than one episode can hold.In this special bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we return to some of the most recognizable constellations from our journey through the winter sky—not to revisit the main stories, but to uncover the myths and legends that didn’t make it into the original episodes.These are the extra tales hidden behind the stars.We begin with Orion, the legendary hunter, and explore stories beyond the famous Greek myth—including traditions that

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00:26:48

Episode 7: Lepus - The Hare vs The Hare

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/08/17

A small hare hides beneath the feet of one of the most famous hunters in the night sky. But the story of Lepus, the Hare constellation, is not just one tale—it is a reminder that the same stars can inspire completely different legends across cultures.In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we begin with the Greek mythology surrounding Lepus, the celestial hare forever placed among the stars near Orion the Hunter. Discover the legends connected to this elusive creature and why ancient skywatchers imagined a

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00:34:58

Episode 6: Canis Major and Canis Minor vs The...

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/08/10

Cosmic Tales: Canis Major and Canis Minor vs. The Celestial WolfTwo dogs. A celestial wolf. One of the brightest stars in the night sky.In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we explore the stories hidden in the constellations Canis Major and Canis Minor, the two faithful companions that have followed humanity's gaze across the stars for thousands of years.We begin with the Greek myths behind these canine constellations, including the legendary hunting dog Laelaps, a creature destined to never miss

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00:25:57

Episode 5 - Scorpius: Phaethon vs Maui

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/08/03

What do a reckless son who nearly set the world on fire and a legendary demigod who fished islands from the sea have in common?They both left their mark among the stars of Scorpius.In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we journey through two very different traditions. First, we follow the Greek story of Phaethon, whose attempt to drive the chariot of the Sun ended in catastrophe. Then we cross the Pacific to meet Māui, the trickster-hero whose legendary feats shaped the islands and skies of

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00:23:58

Episode 4 - Orion: Orion vs Nimrod

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/27

Few constellations are as instantly recognizable as Orion, the mighty hunter. His bright stars have inspired stories across civilizations for thousands of years, but the hunter's identity changes depending on where you look.In this episode of Cosmic Tales, we begin with the legendary Orion of Greek mythology—a hunter of unmatched skill whose pride, adventures, and tragic fate earned him a place among the stars. Explore the myths surrounding Orion and the gods and creatures that shaped his

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00:16:55

Bonus Episode 1: Ursas Major, Minor, and Crux

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/20

The stars above us hold more than one story. ✨In this special bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we step beyond the familiar Greek myths and explore three remarkable stories from cultures around the world that the main episodes didn't have time for.🌌 The Quillwork Girl — a Cheyenne tale of a young woman, a promise, and a journey that reaches the stars.🌟 Dhruva — an ancient Indian story of devotion, determination, and the child who became the eternal North Star.✨ Tama Rereti — a Māori legend that

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00:22:20

Episode 3 - Crux: Trishanku vs The Emu

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/13

In episode three, we head south — to the smallest constellation in the sky and one of the most important. Crux carries a Hindu king who gate-crashed heaven and got stuck upside down for eternity, and an Aboriginal emu drawn from darkness rather than stars, whose changing posture across the seasons told people exactly when to find eggs, when to leave them alone, and when the year had turned. Plus the science of the southern pole — why there's no southern Polaris, how the Southern Cross solves that

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00:25:33

Episode 2 - Ursa Minor: Nymphs vs Imperishable Ones

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/13

Ursa Minor is the smaller bear — less famous than its neighbor, easier to overlook, and home to the single most useful star in the northern sky. In episode two, we follow the Little Dipper from the cave in Crete where Zeus was hidden as an infant, through the Egyptian theology of stars that never die, to Polaris itself — the fixed point around which everything else turns. Small constellation. Enormous significance.

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00:24:34

Episode 1 - Ursa Major: Callisto vs the Great Bear

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/13

Seven stars. Countless stories. In our first episode, we follow Ursa Major and the Big Dipper from Greek tragedy to Indigenous hunting myth, from the Islamic Golden Age to the Underground Railroad — and then into the stars themselves, where a galaxy is bullying its neighbors and a black hole is eating a star. The bear who never sets has been overhead every clear night for all of human history. Tonight we find out why that matters.Sources:Asiatic Parallels in North American Star Lore: Ursa Major —

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00:01:05

Trailer

Cosmic Tales ·

2026/07/08

Seven stars. Countless stories. In our first episode, we follow Ursa Major and the Big Dipper from Greek tragedy to Indigenous hunting myth, from the Islamic Golden Age to the Underground Railroad — and then into the stars themselves, where a galaxy is bullying its neighbors and a black hole is eating a star. The bear who never sets has been overhead every clear night for all of human history.

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