1. The Life Cycle of a star By Ramunė Stabingytė and
Neutron star • Neutron stars spin rapidly giving of
Kotryna Bieliauskaitė Kaunas “Vyturys” cathalic
secondary school
2. Birth of a star • In space, there are huge clouds of gas
and dust called nebulas. • These clouds are made up of
hydrogen and helium and are the birthplace of new stars.
• Gravity pulls the hydrogen gas in the nebula together
and it begins to spin, • As the gas spins faster and faster,
it heats up and is known as a protostar.
3. Protostar • The second stage of star creation. • At this
point the temperature eventually reaches 15,000,000 °C.
• The cloud begins to glow brightly. • At this stage, it
contracts a little and becomes stable and is called a main
sequence star.
4. Main sequence star • A star will remain in this stage,
shining for millions or billions of years to come. • As the
main sequence star glows, hydrogen in the core is
converted into helium by nuclear reactions. • Our sun is a
main sequence star.
5. Red giant phase • When the hydrogen supply in the
core begin to run out, the core becomes unstable and
contracts. • The outer shell of the star starts to expand. •
As it expands, it cools and glows red. • The star has now
reached the red giant phase.
6. White dwarfs • Gravity causes the last of the star’s
matter to collapse inward and compact, this is the white
dwarf stage. • At this stage the star’s matter is extremely
dense. • White dwarfs shine with a white hot light. • The
star has now reached the black dwarf phase in which it
will forever remain.
7. Massive stars • Once massive stars reach the red giant
phase, the core temperature increases. • Gravity
continues to pull carbon atoms together as the
temperature increases forming oxygen, nitrogen, and
eventually iron. • At this point, fusion stops and the iron
atoms start to absorb energy. • This energy is eventually
released in a powerful explosion called a supernova.
8. Supernova • A supernova can light up the sky for
weeks. • The temperature in one can reach
1,000,000,000 °C. • The supernova then either becomes a
neutron star or a black hole.
9.
radio waves. • If the radio waves are emitted in pulses,
the neutron star is called a pulsar.
10. Black hole • The core of a massive star that has 8 or
more times the mass of our Sun remains massive after
the supernova. • It has now become a black hole which
readily attracts any matter and energy that comes near it.
• Black holes are not visible, they are detected by the X-
rays which are given off as matter falls into the hole.
PHILIPPINE CONSTELLATION
The constellations serve as a map during the early years
and it tells about countless stories about heroes and
monsters, thru the years of humankind and cultures. Like
in other countries, our Filipino ancestors did worship
stars before as their gods, they have their own version of
names, prayers, and stories depend on what region they
from.
The origin of names of different astronomical bodies
some from deities in ancient Philippine mythology. “Tala”
is a very good example and very common to hear. “Tala”
is a goddess of the stars. Other examples are; “Mayari” is
a goddess of the moon, and “Hanan” the goddess of the
morning, they are the daughters of “Bathala” and a
mortal woman. Another example is “Apolaki” who is the
god of the sun, he was the son of “Anagolay” and
“Dumakulem”.
An artist’s view of Tala, Hanan, Miyari, & Apolaki.
(trixdraws.dviantart.com)
The constellations and their movements, and as the
season and time changed, our ancestors somehow
practiced following the star movements as a sign of good
harvest, fishing, hunting, and other activities in the tribe.
It’s either a good or a bad omen when something is
changing in the night sky.
Philippine Constellations and Asterisms
There is a book called “Balatik: Etnoastronomiya,
Kalangitan at Kabihasnang Pilipino” by Dr. Dante L.
Ambrosio. It is about the link between astronomy and
ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines (known as
Ethnoastronomy).
“Moroporo” is connected to sea navigation but, like
“Balatik”, it was primarily used to signal the beginning of
the planting season.
Here are some of the constellations and asterisms
commonly known in the Philippines
“Tres Marias” (The Three Marias) in Tagalog, “Magbangal”
in Bukidnon, and “Seretar” in Teduray, “Balatik” is
composed of perfectly aligned and evenly spaced stars
which act as the belt of the constellation of Orion. In
Palawan and Ibaloi however, “Balatik” is seen as both the
sword and belt of Orion. Start of planting and setting of
traps to protect the crops from animals.
“Supot ni Hudas”, “Mapolon” in Tagalog, “San Apon” in
Ibaloi, and “Kufukufu” in Teduray. In western, it is known
as the star cluster Pleiades (The Seven Sisters) located in
the constellation of Taurus. The Tagalogs consulted this
star cluster to know the shifting of time and season. Start
of the planting season.
“Lepu”, by the “Matigsalug Manobo” of Bukidnon. In the
western equivalent, it is known as the constellation of
Aquila. It signifies the time to clean or clear the fields
while waiting for the harvest time.
Tagalogs had a constellation called “Talang Batugan”
(Lazy), named for its characteristic of slow motion, large
size, and low brightness and usually known as a guiding
star for shepherds.
In Bicol, there are stars such as “Pogot” used as a sign for
fishing and incoming storms, “Soag” is a four-star that
resemble a four-sided figure, which signals the beginning
of night time, and “Torong” three stars that show an
approaching storm.
“Sipat” and “Tudong” are mentioned in a ritual known as
“kentan” conducted by ethnic groups in the Cordillera to
bless rice seedlings. “Binabbais”, another star named by
the people of Cordillera, is heard in prayers chanted
during their ritual sacrifice of a chicken.
Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky that
humans have used since antiquity to navigate and to
learn about space. Sort of like a game of cosmic connect-
the-dots, stargazers draw lines between bright stars to
form familiar shapes. Some stars are much brighter than
others but the brightest stars in a constellation are visible
to the unaided eye so it's possible to see constellations
without the use of a telescope.
There are 88 officially recognized constellations, which
are visible at different times throughout the year. Each
season has distinctive star patterns because the stars
that are visible in the sky change as Earth orbits the Sun.
The Northern and Southern Hemisphere skies are very
different from each other, and there are some patterns in
each that cannot be viewed between hemispheres. In
general, most people can see about 40-50 constellations
over the course of a year.
The easiest way to learn the constellations is to see
seasonal star charts for both the north and south
latitudes. Northern Hemisphere seasons are the opposite
for Southern Hemisphere viewers so a chart marked
"Southern Hemisphere winter" represents what people
south of the equator see in winter. At the same time,
Northern Hemisphere viewers are experiencing summer,
so those southern winter stars are actually summer stars
for northern viewers.
Helpful Tips for Reading Charts
Keep in mind that many star patterns do not look like
their names. Andromeda, for example, is supposed to be
a lovely young lady in the sky. In reality, however, her
stick figure is more like a curved "V" extending from a
box-shaped pattern. People also use this "V" to find
the Andromeda Galaxy.
You should also bear in mind that some constellations
cover large swaths of the sky while others are very small.
For example, Delphinus, the Dolphin is tiny compared to
its neighbor Cygnus, the Swan. Ursa Major is medium-
sized but very recognizable. People use it to find
Polaris, our pole star.
It's often easier to learn groups of constellations together
in order to be able to draw connections between them
and use them to locate one another. (For
example, Orion and Canis Major and its bright star
Sirius are neighbors, as are Taurus and Orion.)
Successful stargazers "star hop" from one constellation
to another using bright stars as stepping stones. The
following charts show the sky as seen from latitude 40
degrees North at around 10 p.m. in the middle of each
season. They give the name and general shape of each
constellation. Good star chart programs or books can
provide more information about each constellation and
the treasures it contains.
Northern Hemisphere Winter Stars, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
In the Northern Hemisphere, winter skies hold some of
the loveliest constellation views of the year. Looking
north gives skygazers a chance to see the brightest
constellations Ursa Major, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia. Ursa
Major contains the familiar Big Dipper, which looks very
much like a dipper or soup ladle in the sky with its handle
pointing directly to the horizon for much of the winter.
Directly overhead lie the star patterns of Perseus,
Auriga, Gemini, and Cancer. The bright V-shaped face of
Taurus the Bull is a star cluster called the Hyades.
Northern Hemisphere Winter Stars, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
In the Northern Hemisphere, looking south during the
winter provides a chance to explore the rest of the bright
constellations available during December, January, and
February each year. Orion stands out among the largest
and brightest of the star patterns. He's joined by Gemini,
Taurus, and Canis Major. The three bright stars at Orion's
waist are called the "Belt Stars" and a line drawn from
them to the southwest leads to the throat of Canis Major,
home to Sirius (the dog star), the brightest star in our
night-time sky that is visible around the world.
Southern Hemisphere Summer Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
While Northern Hemisphere skygazers experience colder
temperatures during winter skygazing, Southern
Hemisphere gazers are reveling in warm summer
weather. The familiar constellations of Orion, Canis
Major, and Taurus are in their northern sky while directly
overhead, the River Eridanus, Puppis, Phoenix, and
Horologium take over the sky.
Southern Hemisphere Summer Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The summer skies of the Southern Hemisphere feature
incredibly beautiful constellations that run along the
Milky Way to the south. Scattered among these star
patterns are star clusters and nebulae that can be
examined with binoculars and small telescopes. Look for
Crux (also known as the Southern Cross), Carina, and
Centaurus—which where you'll find Alpha and Beta
Centauri, two of the closest stars to the Sun.
Northern Hemisphere Spring Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
With the return of spring temperatures, Northern
Hemisphere skygazers are greeted with a panoply of new
constellations to explore. Old friends Cassiopeia and
Cepheus are now very low on the horizon, while new
friends Bootes, Hercules, and Coma Berenices are rising
in the East. High in the northern sky, Ursa Major, and the
Big Dipper command the view as Leo the Lion and Cancer
claim the view high overhead.
Northern Hemisphere Spring Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The southern half of the spring skies show Northern
Hemisphere skygazers the last of the winter
constellations (such as Orion), and bring new ones into
view: Virgo, Corvus, Leo, and a few of the more northerly
Southern Hemisphere star patterns. Orion disappears in
the west in April, while Bootes and Corona Borealis make
their evening appearance in the east.
Southern Hemisphere Autumn Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
While Northern Hemisphere folks enjoy the spring season,
people in the Southern Hemisphere are entering the
autumn months. Their view of the sky includes the old
summer favorites, with Orion setting in the west, along
with Taurus. This view shows the Moon in Taurus,
although it appears in different places along the zodiac
throughout the month. Eastern sky shows Libra and Virgo
rising, and along with the stars of the Milky Way, the
constellations of Canis Major, Vela, and Centaurus are
high overhead.
Southern Hemisphere Autumn Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The southern half of the Southern Hemisphere sky in
autumn showcases the bright constellations of the Milky
Way overhead and the far south constellations of Tucana
and Pavo along the horizon, with Scorpius rising in the
East. The plane of the Milky Way looks like a fuzzy cloud
of stars and contains many star clusters and nebulae that
can be spied with a small telescope.
Northern Hemisphere Summer Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The skies of summer in the Northern Hemisphere bring
the return of Ursa Major high in the northwestern sky,
while its counterpart Ursa Minor is high in the northern
sky. Closer overhead, stargazers see Hercules (with its
hidden clusters), Cygnus the Swan (one of the harbingers
of summer), and the sparse lines of Aquila the Eagle
rising from the east.
Northern Hemisphere Summer Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The view toward the south during Northern Hemisphere
summer shows the brilliant
constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius low in the sky. The
center of our Milky Way Galaxy lies in that direction
between the two constellations. Overhead, Hercules,
Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila, and the stars of Coma Berenices
surround some deep-sky objects such as the Ring Nebula,
which marks the spot where a star similar to the Sun died.
The brightest stars of the constellations Aquila, Lyra, and
Cygnus form an unofficial star pattern called the Summer
Triangle, which remains visible well into autumn.
Southern Hemisphere Winter Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
While Northern Hemisphere viewers enjoy summer
weather, skygazers in the Southern Hemisphere are in
the throes of winter. Their winter sky contains the bright
constellations Scorpius, Sagittarius, Lupus, and Centaurus
directly overhead, along with the Southern Cross (Crux).
The plane of the Milky Way is overhead, as well. Farther
north, southerners see some of the same constellations
as northerners do: Hercules, Corona Borealis, and Lyra.
Southern Hemisphere Winter Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The winter night sky to the south from the Southern
Hemisphere follows the plane of the Milky Way to the
southwest. Along the southern horizon are smaller
constellations such as Horologium, Dorado, Pictor, and
Hydrus. The long stanchion of Crux points down to the
southern pole (although it has no star equivalent to
Polaris at the north to mark its location). To best see the
hidden gems of the Milky Way, observers should use a
small telescope or binoculars.
Northern Hemisphere Autumn Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
The viewing year ends with brilliant skies for Northern
Hemisphere autumn. The summer constellations are
sliding west, and the winter constellations are starting to
appear in the east as the season wears on. Overhead,
Pegasus guides viewers to the Andromeda Galaxy,
Cygnus flies high in the sky, and tiny Delphinus the
Dolphin glides along the zenith. In the north, Ursa Major
is sliding along the horizon, while W-shaped Cassiopeia
rides high with Cepheus and Draco.
Northern Hemisphere Autumn Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
Northern Hemisphere autumn brings skygazers a look to
some Southern Hemisphere constellations that are just
visible along the horizon (depending on where the viewer
is located). Grus and Sagittarius are heading south and
west. Scanning the sky up to the zenith, observers can
see Capricornus, Scutum, Aquila, Aquarius, and parts of
Cetus. At the zenith, Cepheus, Cygnus, and others ride
high in the sky. Scan them with binoculars or telescope to
find star clusters and nebulae.
Southern Hemisphere Spring Skies, North View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo
Spring skies in the Southern Hemisphere are enjoyed
with warmer temperatures by the folks south of the
equator. Their view brings Sagittarius, Grus, and Sculptor
high overhead, while the northern horizon glitters with
the stars of Pegasus, Sagitta, Delphinus, and parts of
Cygnus and Pegasus.
Southern Hemisphere Spring Skies, South View
Carolyn Collins Petersen, ThoughtCo

The Southern Hemisphere spring sky view to the south

features Centaurus on the far southern horizon, with
Sagittarius and Scorpius headed west, and the river
Eridanus and Cetus rising in the east. Directly overhead
are Tucana and Octans, along with Capricornus. It's a
great time of year for stargazing in the south and brings
the year of constellations to a close.