Draco

7th century bc, Athenian statesman and lawmaker, whose code of laws (621) prescribed death for almost every offence

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Draco

(dray -koh) (Dragon) An extensive straggling constellation in the northern hemisphere near Ursa Major. The brightest stars are the 2nd-magnitude yellowish giant Eltanin (γ) and several of fainter 2nd and 3rd magnitude including Thuban (α), which was the pole star around 2700 bc and will assume that role again in 21 000 years' time because of precession. The area occupied by Draco contains several binaries, such as Epsilon (Ɛ) and Eta (η) Draconis, and the bright planetary nebula NGC 6543 (see Cat's-eye nebula). Abbrev.: Dra; genitive form: Draconis; approx. position: RA 9.5 – 20.5h, dec 50° – 85°; area: 1083 sq deg.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

Draco

[′drā‚kō]

(astronomy)

A long, serpentine constellation that surrounds half of the Little Dipper in the north. Abbreviated Dra; Drac. Also known as Dragon.

Draco

(fl. 621 B.C.) codified Athenian law. [Gk. Hist.: Benét, 286]

See: Lawgiving

draco

A blend of Pascal, C and ALGOL 68 developed by Chris Gray in 1987. It has been implemented for CP/M-80 and Amiga.

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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Draco

a genus of lizards of the family Agamidae of the order Lacertilia. These lizards attain a length of up to 30 cm; their bodies are narrow and flat, with long, thin tails. They are arboreal and can glide through the air: the folds of skin along the sides of the body are stretched by means of elongated false ribs, forming ’’parachutes” that enable them to fly a distance of 20 m or more. The males have a well-developed fold of skin on the throat, and this throat pouch can be inflated and pushed forward with the aid of appendages of the hyoid bone. They are vividly multicolored, with a metallic sheen. There are 14 species, found mainly in the Malay Archipelago but also in south Asia (India). They live mostly in treetops and feed on insects and their larvae. The best known species is the flying dragon (D. volans).