Greek historian, Herodotus, was contradicted 500 years later when Tacitus and Plinius investigated the chronology of the Phoenix. Through their studies, they concluded that the Phoenix lived the equivalent of a Platonic year. Calculations were determined by the alignment of the Sun, Moon and the five planets, known in their time, orbited returning to their original positions. This translated to our calendar, represents a period of 12.994 years.
The ancients believed that this astronomical cycle would be repeated and was complete provided, all conditions of the planetary influence were the same. The Phoenix was considered similar to a mirror of the universe. By the end of the 4th century, Claudianus had written some verses about an immortal bird, able to reborn from its ashes, an heir to itself, and a witness of that time.
Phe (Phoenix) is a constellation in the Southern Hemisphere, lies between Grus and Eridanus near Tucana and Sculptor. The Atlas Coelestis seu Harmonia Macrocosmica Andreas Cellarius, 1660 details the Phe constellation in Southern Sky.
Phoenix was introduced and named by Johann Bayer in 1603 in his catalogue, Uranometria. This constellation, almost universally recognized as a large bird, rising into the air. The constellation has been known as "The Boat" by the Arabs, then it became an eagle or other type of bird, so Bayer's decision to call it a phoenix does have some historical beginnings. The constellation has also been called The Griffin, The Eagle, The Young Ostriches (Arabic), and The Fire Bird (Chinese). ÊThe Phoenix cluster is a dense expanse of unexplored stars, named for the Phoenix Asteroids in the 20th Century film "Dark Star", by John Carpenter.
