What's in a name?

For many people, the name "Orion" probably brings to mind Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, rather than astronomy or Greek mythology. Rest assured that it's not scenes from Men In Black that we had in mind when naming the school. And there's really no grand aspirations of "reaching for the stars" when we decided to adopt the name of a constellation.

Quite simply, Orion is just a nice name. Like Mothergoose.

Wikipedia describes Orion as "a giant huntsman in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion." There are variations of this theme on the internet, with images plotting the stars of the Orion constellation within the outline of a hunter, raising either a club or a sword in the right hand, while holding a shield, bow, or a carcass of a dead lion in the left hand. The three stars across the mid-section form the distinctive Orion's Belt.

The stars of the Orion constellation (Picture from Time for Physics)

Many others before us apparently found the Orion name pretty likeable, hence its use in a multitude of endeavours, including a film production company, a publishing group, a now-defunct record label, and an also defunct UK airline (we're seeing an uncomfortable pattern here). But the name must really mean something purposeful when NASA uses it for their "New Spacecraft for Human Exploration."

"Orion with ATV SM" whatever that means (Picture from NASA). The Orion spacecraft is intended to take humans deeper into space to an asteroid or even to Mars. And back, of course.

And then there is the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft that was developed for the US Navy in the 1960s, and continues to serve faithfully in various air forces and navies around the world.

Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (Picture from wikipedia)

It's fascinating to share a name with a confectionery, but we're sure that the Orion brand of Soft Cup Cakes plays its part in providing an energy rush to tired office workers during tea-time.

Orion Tiramisu Soft Cup Cake. Comes in Custard flavour too. Delightful!

Well, looks like Orion Preschool is in good company!