What are constellations?

1. CONSTELLATIONS

2. Constellation Education

3. What did the ancient people
use stars (patterns of stars)
for?
• Navigation – sailing, travel
• Seasons – when to plant and harvest
• Preserve myths, traditions, etc
• Group the brighter stars into
patterns, - constellations

4. Patterns of stars
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/
Boundaries

5. Constellation
• One of the 88 named Regions of sky
defined by the International
Astronomical Union (IAU)
• Identified with the officially
recognized Patterns of Stars that lie
within the boundaries of the region

6. What are the 88 Constellations?
o 14 men and women
o 9 birds
o 19 land animals
o 2 insects
o 10 water creatures
o 2 centaurs
o 1 head of hair
o 1 serpent
o 1 dragon
o 1 flying horse
o 1 river
o 29 inanimate objects, include scientific instruments (Microscopium,
Telescopium)

7. ORION

9. 9/24/2015 9
Asterism
• A generally recognized smaller/cuter
pattern of stars that is not one of
the officially recognized
constellations
• Whether or not a region of sky is
named after it – yes: constellation;
no: asterism

11. What are Circumpolar
Constellations?

12. Circumpolar Constellations
• A Constellation that NEVER rises or sets as seen
at a certain latitude
• Six circumpolar constellations seen in Pasco (28º
N, 82º W)
– Ursa Major – Larger Bear
– Ursa Minor – Smaller bear
– Cassiopeia – Queen
– Cepheus – King
– Draco – Dragon
– Camelopardalis – The Giraffe

13. Circumpolar Constellations in Pasco
• www.acmecompany.com
Ursa Major Ursa Minor Cassiopeia
Cepheus Draco Camelopardalis

15. Constellation Resources
• Workshop CD
• Websites:
– http://earth.google.com./sky
– http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/
– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation
– http://amazing-space.stsci.edu
• Especially http://amazing-
space.stsci.edu/tonights_sky/index.php
– http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/learnsky.html
• Books
– Constellations Dot-To-Dot
– Astronomy & More (StarLab Manual)