Durin's Crown

"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.

References

1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Lothlórien"
3. ↑ Vinyar Tengwar, Number 13, p. 3

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 · Eä · Timeless Halls · Two Lamps · Two Trees · Void