Durin's Crown

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Durin's Crown on the Doors of Durin
"He stooped and looked in Mirrormere
And saw a crown of stars appear
"
Gimli singing the Song of Durin in Moria.[1]

Durin's Crown was perhaps a constellation in the northern hemisphere of Arda. It appeared as a crown above Durin's reflection in Mirrormere despite the fact it was day; he saw it as a good omen and built Khazad-dûm in the valley. Durin's Stone was set to commemorate the location and the event.

Ages later, in T.A. 3019, Gimli, Frodo and Sam looked in the lake, but whether they saw the crown is unclear[2].

Identity

The form of the constellation is not known. It's possible that the seven stars on Doors of Durin around the crown signify the constellation. Valacirca is also a constellation of seven stars. Steve Gardner concluded that it could also have been Auriga or the Northern Crown.[3]

On the other hand, since the constellation was a miraculous event, it's possible that its stars were only a vision, and not an actual constellation set on menel.

Middle-earth Cosmology
 Constellations  Anarríma · Durin's Crown · Menelmacar · Remmirath · Soronúmë · Telumendil · Valacirca · Wilwarin
Stars  Alcarinquë · Borgil · Carnil · Elemmírë · Helluin · Luinil · Lumbar · Morwinyon · Nénar · Star of Eärendil · Til 
The Airs  Aiwenórë · Fanyamar · Ilmen · Menel · Vaiya · Veil of Arda · Vista
Narsilion  Arien · Moon (Isil, Ithil, Rána) · Sun (Anar, Anor, Vása) · Tilion
See also  Abyss · Arda · Circles of the World · · Timeless Halls · Two Lamps · Two Trees · Void

References