Download What is a constellation?

• Orion, in Greek mythology, a giant and very
handsome hunter who was identified as early as
Homer (Iliad, Book XVIII) with the constellation known
by his name.
• The story of Orion has many different versions. He is
considered to be Boeotian by birth, born (according to
a late legend) of the earth (from a buried bull hide on
which three gods had urinated). Some legends have
him as the son of Poseidon. He is associated with the
island of Chios, from which he is said to have driven
the wild beasts. There he fell in love with Merope,
daughter of the king of Chios, Oenopion. The king,
who disapproved of Orion and continually deferred
the nuptials, eventually had Orion blinded.
• His vision restored by the rays of the rising sun, Orion
is said to have gone to Crete to live with Artemis as a
hunter. Accounts of his death vary widely: some
legends have him killed by Artemis for trying to rape
her, others of Apollo’s jealousy over Artemis’ love of
Orion; still other legends have him killed by a
monstrous scorpion. After his death he was placed
among the stars, and he can be identified (somewhat
fancifully) by his club, lion’s skin, girdle (or belt), and
sword. In the sky he chases the Pleiades and is himself
pursued by Scorpio, the scorpion.
Constellations
Mythology of Constellations
• The Greeks and Romans saw
pictures in stars of the night sky.
They created myths to explain the
creation of the stars. These
pictures form what we call
Constellations.
• What is a constellation?
A constellation is a group of visible
stars that form a pattern when
viewed from Earth. The pattern
they form may take the shape of an
animal, a mythological creature, a
man, a woman, or an inanimate
object such as a microscope, a
compass, or a crown.
• Despite the many mentions of the
stars in Greek and early Roman texts,
by far the most thorough star
catalogue from ancient times belongs
to the Roman Ptolemy of Alexandria,
who grouped 1022 stars into 48
constellations during the 2nd century
A.D.
• The influence of both the Greek and
Roman cultures may be plainly seen;
the myths behind the constellations
date back to ancient Greece, but we
use their Latin names
• The word "constellation" comes from
a Latin term meaning "set with stars."
The Major Constellations:
• Andromeda | Aquarius | Aries |
Cancer | Capricornus |
Cassiopeia | Cepheus | Cetus |
Corona Borealis | Cygnus |
Draco | Eridanus | Gemini |
Hercules | Hydra | Leo | Libra |
Lyra | Orion | Perseus | Pisces |
Sagittarius | Scorpius | Taurus |
Ursa Major | Ursa Minor | Virgo
Mythology, of course, influenced the naming of
many objects in the night sky, not just the
constellations.
The planets all bear names from
Roman mythology which reflect
their characteristics:
Mercury, named for the speedy
messenger god, revolves fastest
around the sun;
Venus, named for the goddess of
love and beauty, shines most
brightly; Mars, named for the god
of war, appears blood-red;
Jupiter, named for the single most
important god, is the largest planet
in our solar system.
How many constellations are there?
The sky was divided up into 88 different
constellations in 1922. This included 48
ancient constellations listed by the Greek
astronomer Ptolemy as well as 40 new
constellations.
Uses for Constellations?
• Constellations are useful because they can help people to recognize
stars in the sky. By looking for patterns, the stars and locations can be
much easier to spot.
The constellations had uses in ancient times. They were used to help
keep track of the calendar. This was very important so that people
knew when to plant and harvest crops.
Another important use for constellations was navigation. By finding
Ursa Minor it is fairly easy to spot the North Star (Polaris). Using the
height of the North Star in the sky, navigators could figure out their
latitude helping ships to travel across the oceans.
How can I study the night sky?
• Star Maps
The 88 different constellations divide up the entire night sky as seen
from all around the Earth. Star maps are made of the brightest stars
and the patterns that they make which give rise to the names of the
constellations.
The maps of the stars represent the position of the stars as we see
them from Earth. The stars in each constellation may not be close to
each other at all. Some of them are bright because they are close to
Earth while others are bright because they are very large stars.
Websites to use for lesson
• http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/make-a-star-wheel/
• http://stardate.org/nightsky/constellations
• http://artlovelight.com/how-to-see-the-stars-the-ultimateconstellation-image-gallery/