Constellations

SLIDE ONE

To many people, a constellation is a group of stars which appears to form a

picture in the sky. However, astronomers define a constellation as a specific region
in the sky. There are eighty-eight different recognized constellations.
The cluster of stars in a constellation is actually separated by considerable
distances although they may look very close to each other from here on Earth.
There are also numerous stars amongst them which are too distant or dim to be
seen.
Since the ancient times, star-gazers have tried to bring some order into the
sky by fitting the stars into patterns, the constellations, to which names were given.

SLIDE TWO

Orion is one of the most easily recognized constellations in the southern sky
on winter nights.
Orion:
he is the son of the god Poseidon and the gorgon Euryale
he has the power to walk on the surface of the sea
he was engaged to Merope, but was then blinded by her father for
consummating their union prior to the marriage ceremony
he was eventually healed by Helios, the sun god
Orion journeyed to Crete, where he met the goddess of the
hunt, Artemis
they hunted happily together for a time

 How his life ended was either Orion threatened to kill every creature so
mother earth, not being happy with that outcome, sent a scorpion to kill him
or Apollo became jealous of his sisters pleasure in this mortals company
and tricked her into shooting him

Rigel:

7th brightest star in the sky

40,00050,000 times brighter than the sun

forms Orions right foot, and Rigel, in fact, means foot in Arabic.

Betelgeuse:

12th brightest star in the sky

10,000 times more luminous than the Sun

Orions belt:
Mintaka; means the belt
Alnitak; means the girdle
Alnilam; means the string of pearls
-

Alnilam is further away than the other two stars but however, it is still the
most massive and luminous of the three. It is about 10,00 times brighter
than the Sun.