A 

constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms a perceived

outline or pattern, typically representing an animal, mythological person or creature, or an inanimate
object.[1]
The origins of the earliest constellations likely go back to prehistory. People used them to relate
stories of their beliefs, experiences, creation, or mythology. Different cultures and countries adopted
their own constellations, some of which lasted into the early 20th century before today's
constellations were internationally recognized. The recognition of constellations has changed
significantly over time. Many changed in size or shape. Some became popular, only to drop into
obscurity. Some were limited to a single culture or nation.
The 48 traditional Western constellations are Greek. They are given in Aratus'
work Phenomena and Ptolemy's Almagest, though their origin probably predates these works by
several centuries. Constellations in the far southern sky were added from the 15th century until the
mid-18th century when European explorers began traveling to the Southern Hemisphere. Twelve
ancient constellations belong to the zodiac (straddling the ecliptic, which the Sun, Moon,
and planets all traverse). The origins of the zodiac remain historically uncertain;
its astrological divisions became prominent c. 400 BC in Babylonian or Chaldean astronomy.[2]
In 1922, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally accepted the modern list of 88
constellations, and in 1928 adopted official constellation boundaries that together cover the entire
celestial sphere.[3][4] Any given point in a celestial coordinate system lies in one of the modern
constellations. Some astronomical naming systems include the constellation where a given celestial
object is found to convey its approximate location in the sky. The Flamsteed designation of a star, for
example, consists of a number and the genitive form of the constellation name.
Other star patterns or groups called asterisms are not constellations under the formal definition, but
are also used by observers to navigate the night sky. Asterisms may be several stars within a
constellation, or they may share stars with more than one constellation. Examples of asterisms
include the Pleiades and Hyades within the constellation Taurus and the False Cross split between
the southern constellations Carina and Vela, or Venus' Mirror in the constellation of Orion.[5][6]