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Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Constellations, especially signs of the Zodiac, have influenced human culture and folklore since
the time of the Babylonians, although most of the constellations we know today are of Greek
and Roman names. Most people have looked up their horoscope once or twice to see what the
stars say their day is going to be like. So, what is your sign? What is the history of your
sign? Can you find the constellation that is your sign in the night sky? What are the stars in
your sign’s constellation? If you don’t know, by the end of this activity, you will.
Objectives
1. Find out where to find your zodiac sign constellation or another constellation.
2. Diagram your sign’s (or other) constellation
3. Determine characteristics of the stars in your constellation
4. Compare characteristics of stars by plotting their characteristics on an H-R diagram
5. Research the future of our Sun and apply to H-R Diagram
You can pick your constellation that is your zodiac sign, or you can choose one from the list
below:
Zodiac Constellations
Aires
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces
Other constellations
Ursa Major
Cassiopeia
Perseus
Cepheus
Cygnus
Pegasus
Orion
Canis Major
Bootes
Draco
Hercules
Hydra
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Part 1:
Diagram or describe where you can find your constellation in the sky. Record your answer on
the results page. Include:
1. Time of year when it is visible
2. What direction you should look and at what time
3. How high above the horizon you should look.
Part 2
1. What does your constellation look like?
2. Draw a diagram or include an image in the space on the results pages.
Part 3
Look up what stars are in your constellation. Use this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_stars_by_constellation
a. Scroll down and click “show” stars by constellation.
b. Choose your constellation.
c. The list of stars will appear, most with strange looking names.
*****If your constellation has more than ten stars, just do the first ten listed*****
You only need to record the information from the columns with the same headings as the table
below.
1. Record the Star Name
2. Absolute Magnitude
3. Spectral Classification
4. Distance
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Follow these special instructions for Temperature and Type of Star the following
characteristics for all stars in the table below the appropriate heading.
Deciphering the Spectral classification:
Here is an example: The Sun is classified as a G2V.
a. G2 is the temperature class
1. To determine the star temperature go to this link:
Star temperatures by Spectral Class
http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section2/spectraltemps.html
2. On this site, find the Star luminosity, Roman numeral V, III, or I.
3. Then look at the spectral type O, B, A, F, G, K, or M and number.
4. If your star is a II, default to the chart for III stars.
b. V is the luminosity class
1. To determine star luminosity class, go to this link:
Star Classification System.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/startypes.shtml
2. Scroll down to the Yerkes luminosity classes table.
3. The Type of Star will be the same as the luminosity classification.
4. Record that on the table.
Part 41. For each star, pick one of the pre-cut stars that matches the star type for that star.
2. Write the following on it:
a. star name
b. temperature
c. absolute magnitude
3. Place the star in the appropriate location on the wall graph.
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
4. Once all the stars are up, we will photograph the wall, observe patterns, and answer the
analysis and conclusion questions below.
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Results Page
Part 1:
Diagram or describe where you can find your constellation in the sky. Include time of year when it is
visible, what direction you should look and at what time, and how high above the horizon you should look.
Part 2
What does your constellation look like? Draw a diagram or include an image in the space below.
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Star Name
Absolute
Magnitude
Spectral
Temperature
Classification
Color
Type of star
(main sequence,
giant, etc.)
Distance
Name_______________________________
What’s Your Sign? Constellations, Stars and the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Paste a picture of the completed graph below. Identify the following on the graph: 1) Main Sequence Stars,
2) Blue Giants, 3) Red Giants, 4) White dwarves, 5) Red Dwarves, 6) the Sun.
Do a bit of research: What will happen to our sun in the future? Draw an arrow from where you located
the Sun, to all future stages of its life cycle. Try this link for a start:
http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/Labs/StarLife/starlife_main.html