Alkes
Alpha Crateris · Crater
Position (2026)
♍ 24°04' Virgo
Magnitude
4.08
Planetary Nature
Venus / Mercury (robson)
Robson: Venus and Mercury. Alpha Crateris, the Cup.
Spectral Type
K1III
Alkes in Astrology
Alkes, in the Cup of Crater, carries Venus-Mercury energy that bestows a talent for hospitality, social grace, and the creation of nourishing environments. It grants the native an instinct for gathering people together and providing the emotional or physical sustenance they need. The home and table are centers of warmth and generosity.
Mythology & History
Alkes, also known as Alpha Crateris, takes its name from the Arabic al-Ka's, meaning 'the cup,' the same root from which the constellation name Crater derives. In Greek mythology, the Cup was associated with Apollo and a tale of deception: the god sent a crow to fetch water in the cup, but the crow delayed to eat figs and then brought a water serpent as a false excuse. Apollo saw through the lie and placed all three in the sky as a warning. Alkes represents the vessel itself, the container of truth that reveals dishonesty.
Crater Context
Alkes is the brightest star in Crater the Cup, a small constellation south of Leo. Crater represents the drinking cup of Apollo, placed in the sky alongside the crow (Corvus) and the water serpent (Hydra) that features in the tale of the crow's deception. The cup sits on the back of Hydra, the great water serpent that stretches across the southern sky. The constellation's association with truth, deception, and the consequences of dishonesty gives Alkes a quality of moral discernment and the revealing of hidden motivations.
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