What is a Constellation By Jenny Loveridge A

What is a Constellation? By: Jenny Loveridge

A Constellation is… Ø A set of objects especially structurally or systematically related group – in this case, stars Ø Stars make up pictures in the sky – Imaginary

History Ø Ø Greeks recognized and named 48 constellations Recognized many of same by Arabs, Egyptians, and Babylonians

History Continued… Ø Ø Astronomers since 1700’s had named 23 constellations 1928 The International Astronomical Union fixed boundaries of eighty-eight constellations

This is Orion in Picture Form

Constellations Have Purpose Can only be seen during certain parts of the year Ø http: //www. astro. wisc. edu/~dolan/con stellations/constellationmonth_list. html Ø May have been used to help farmers know when to plant and reap Ø Have been used as guides on journeys for thousands of years Ø

Purpose Continued… Ø Ø Can be used as mnemonics, or memory aids to remember the stars Used to break up the sky into more manageable bits

This is Orion Drawn in Map Form

This is Orion in the Sky

Sources Ø Ø The World Book Encyclopedia © 1975, by Field Enterprises Educational Corporation The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition © 1982 by Houghton Mifflin Company http: //www. dibonsmith. com/stars. htm http: //www. astro. wisc. edu/~dolan/constella tions/