CONSTELLATION SUMMARY

CONSTELLATION: Any of certain groupings of stars that were imaged

- They help astronomers and navigators to locate certain stars
Earths 2 types of motion
- Rotation : earth rotates on its own axis, causing day and night
- Revolution : earth revolves around the sun, under this we have
1. Celestial sphere: an imaginary sphere where people can observe the heavenly bodies.
2. Ecliptic : the sun is moving in an imaginary sphere inside the celestial sphere
Circumpolar constellation: constellations observed in a year
- Celestial poles(north and south) : they never set below the horizon because they are close to
the Celestial poles
Northern Circumpolar constellation: constellations closer to the North Pole
Cassiopeia: named after the Greek goddess Cassiopeia, recognized with its “W” pattern
Cepheus: named after the king of Ethiopia, husband of Cassiopeia and ether of Andromeda
Draco: (dragon)
- dragon that guards the garden of Hesperides
- Draconids: can be observed during Oct 16 to 10
Ursa Minor: (small bear)
- The brightest stars forms the asterism
- Polaris: end of the handle of the dipper
Ursa Major: (the great bear)
- Three leaps of gazelle: the stars Dubhe and Morak with Polaris
Southern Circumpolar constellation: Constellation closer to the South Pole
Carina: (the kneel)
- Part of greater constellation called Argo navis
Centaurus: (centaur)
- Half man, half horse
Crux: (the cross)
- The smallest of all the 88 modern constellation

Constellations that cross the ecliptic are zodiac constellation

ζῳδιακός κύκλος: the circle of animals
Constellations in December to February
Canis Major: (the great dog)
- A constellation that holds the brightest star in the sky, sirius with magnitude -1.46
And VY canis majoris
Cetus: (the whale)
- Sea creature that Hercules and Perseus slayed
Eridanus: (Celestial River)
- Has 7 major stars
Gemini: (the twins)
- 1 of the zodiac constellations
- Represents the stars Castor and Pollux
Orion: (the hunter)
- Brightest and easiest to spot
- Orion’s belt has three stars Delta Epsilon and Zeta
- Holds 2 of the brightest stars Rigel and Betelgeuse
Perseus: Greek god (Perseus)
- Perseids: meteor shower
Taurus: (bull)
- One of the zodiac constellations
- Well known of its stars Aldebaran, Elnath and Alcyone
- Pleides: star cluster
March to June
Boötes: (ox driver or herder)
- This holds the star Arcturus one of the brightest with a magnitude of -0.04
Cancer: (the crab)
- The faintest in the zodiac constellations
Leo: (Nemean lion)
- Holds two bright stars Regulus 1.35, Denebola 2.11
- Part of the zodiacs constellations
Virgo: (the virgin)
- Part of the zodiacs constellations
- Holds one of the brightest stars Spica 0.97
Hydra: (giant water snake)
- Lies in the southern hemisphere
June to September
Aquila: (the eagle)
- Represents the eagle of roman god Jupiter
- Holds the stars Altair 0.77 and Tarazed 2.71
Cygnus: (the swan)
- Holds the star Deneb 1.25 one of the brightest
Hercules: (roman hero Hercules)
- Associated with the last labor of Hercules
- Its upside down
Scorpius: (GIRT-TAB or scorpion)
- Part of the zodiac constellations
- Holds two bright stars called Antares 1.09 and Shaula 1.62
Lyra: (lyre)
- Associated with Orpheus
- Holds the star Vega part of the asterism called summer tringle
Libra: (the scales)
- Part of the zodiac constellations
- Associated by the Greek goddess Astraea
- Only one that represents an inanimate object
Ophiucus:
- Associated by the healer Asclepius
- Resemble a man holding a giant snake (serpens)
- Part of the zodiac constellations
- Serpens has 2 parts Serpens cauda ( the tail ) Serpens caput(the head)
Sagittarius
- Centaur holding a bow and arrow
- Associated by Crotus
September to December
Andromeda:
- Named after Andromeda daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus and wife of Perseus
- Holds the Andromeda galaxy
Aquarius:
- Water bearer or cup bearer
- Can be observed in an area in the sky called the sea
- Part of the zodiac constellations
Pisces: (the fish)
- Represents Venus and cupid when they escaped typhon
- Part of the zodiac constellations
Aries: (Ram)
- Associated with the story the golden fleece
- Part of the zodiac constellations
Capricornus: (the goat)
- Part of the zodiac constellations
Pegasus:
- Winged horse
- Famous because of the great square of Pegasus
Members of the zodiac signs
- Aries, Taurus ,Gemini, cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn Aquarius and
Pisces
42 constellations are named after animals and 29 named by roman astronomers 48 can be traced back
to Greek