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在古埃及的傳說裡，歐西里斯是大地的統治者，他的王后艾西斯其實是其妹。歐西里斯後來被其弟賽特所殺，從此留在陰間成為冥神。在古埃及的夜空，獵戶座的腰帶三星就是歐西里斯的化身。每年這3顆星總會有70天消失於夏夜的星空。人們相信，歐西里斯在這段時間已下降到陰間，準備重生。同樣，法老王死後，亦經過70天的殯葬儀式，以讓他及時轉世。在吉薩大金字塔內，法老王胡夫的墓室就有直指向獵戶座腰帶三星的通風管道，以助其靈魂能飛上星空與歐西里斯會合。
追隨獵戶之後是全天最光亮的天狼星，也是艾西斯的化身。每年約於夏至期間，艾西斯會在黎明的天空升起，向埃及人預告尼羅河汛期的到臨，亦標誌一年之始。
Orion and Sirius
Osiris was the ruler of the earth and Isis was his sister and also the queen. Osiris's brother Seth was jealous. He killed Osiris. Osiris stayed in the underworld and ruled over the dead. In the Egyptian sky, the 3 stars of Orion's belt was the embodiment of Osiris. Each year the 3 stars disappear from the summer night sky for 70 days. It was believed that Osiris died and sank to the underworld to prepare for rebirth. When a pharaoh died, his mummification process(from death to burial)also took 70 days, so he would be ready to be reborn. Inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, Khufu's burial chamber had a shaft pointing at Orion's belt.
Following Orion is Sirius, the brightest star and the embodiment of Isis. Its appearance in the dawn sky at around summer solstice heralded the coming of the Nile flood season and marked the beginning of a new year. ■甄枝強 資深天文愛好者
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