Download Spring Constellations

Astronomy
Days 153
Major Topic: Spring & Southern Constellations
Objectives Students will be able to: 9SI#3
 recognize the more easily-identifiable spring & southern-sky constellations & the bright stars in them.
 relate some of the constellations to mythological stories.
Materials
 A3P
Constellation handouts
Constellations WS’s 1, 2, 3
Celestia
 PowerPoint slides of M4, M8, M20, Helix Nebula, Hyades, Pleiades, Eskimo Nebula, Beehive Cluster, Sombrero
Galaxy, Ring Nebula, North American Nebula, M13, Dumbbell Nebula, caduceus, Eagle Nebula, Horsehead
nebula, Great Nebula (M42), Cone Nebula, Rosette Nebula, coal sack.
Procedure
 Cancer, faintest of all zodiac constellations. Beehive Cluster (M44) is just to the upper right of the center star.

Leo, the lion. Directly under the Big Dipper, the brightest star is Regulus (king of the stars, 80 LY away & 100X
sun’s brightness.) 2nd brightest star is Denebola, lion’s hindquarters. Regulus is almost exactly on the ecliptic.
This part of the sky with the Bear & Lion is the “carnivore’s corner.” Right under a line between Regulus &
Denebola are several galaxies.

Leo Minor, the lion cub, a small constellation right over the lion’s back.

Virgo, the virgin. Her head is right under Leo’s tail & she’s reclining on a couch. Only bright star is Spica which
means “ear of wheat.” Spica is a white star (hot), about 220 LY away, & 2000X the sun’s brightness. A whole
group of galaxies is to the left of Leo’s tail & above Virgo’s head. The Sombrero Galaxy (M104) is due west of
Spica. Virgo is usually associated with goddesses of fertility (Ishtar) & harvest (Demeter) in mythology.

Hydra, the sea serpent. Head’s under Cancer. Runs under Leo, Crater, Corvus, Virgo. Tail’s near Libra.

Corvus & Crater, crow & cup. Apollo sent the crow to get him a drink. The crow was delayed coming back
because he ate a juicy fig. He snatched up a snake to use as his alibi, saying the snake (Hydra) had bitten him.
Apollo knew he was lying & placed all 3 in the sky to keep them out of trouble.

Libra, the balance of justice, associated with Themis. Very faint, no bright stars. Zuben Elgenubi (southern claw)
and Zuben Eschamali (northern claw). σ-Libris (lower right star) is the only greenish naked-eye star visible.

Crux, the southern cross. Directly under Scorpius. The longer arm points almost directly at the South Celestial
Pole. Brightest & most southern star is Acrux. Coal sack (dark nebula) is just to the left.

Centaurus, the centaur (Chiron, the tutor of the gods’ children). Arches over Crux. Brightest stars are the
centaur’s front hooves, Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar, also called ά- and β-Centauri. Our closest neighbor, Proxima
Centauri, a red dwarf star 4 LY away, is due south of alpha Centauri. It’s so faint that it can’t be seen with the
naked eye. It’s only about 5 times larger than the earth.

Lupus, the wolf. Right under the head of Scorpius & just to the left of Centaurus, a really busy star region. In one
legend, the Centaur is battling the wolf. The only famous star is a variable star: RU Lupi (say it out loud!)

Magellanic Clouds – not constellations at all, but small irregular companion galaxies to the MWG. Probably all
that’s left over of a larger galaxy that was cannibalized by the MW millions of years ago. Only 15-20o
1. HW: Spring and Southern Constellations WS.
2. Evaluation: WS, quiz later.
Name
/ 20 pts
Spring & Southern-Sky Constellations
On the starfields below, draw the outline of each constellation.
Leo
Virgo
1.) On the Leo starfield, draw arrows to and label the two stars Regulus and Denebola.
2.) On the Virgo starfield, draw an arrow to & label the bright star Spica.
Corvus (left) and Crater
Crux
Hydra
Centaurus, Crux, and Lupus (All the stars not attached to other stars
are part of Centaurus. Alpha & Beta Centauri are labelled to
help you start the outline of Centaurus.)
3.) On the Crux starfield, draw an arrow
to and label the star Acrux.
continue on the back!!
Match the common name of the constellation
on the left with the proper name.
Match the constellation or question on the left with all
correct stars or objects on the right. Some constellations
may require more than 1 right answer, or no answer at all.
drinking cup
A. Leo
scales
B. Leo Minor
Lupus
centaur
C. Virgo
Leo
B. Under Leo
wolf
D. Hydra
Leo Minor
C. “bowl”
little lion
E. Corvus
Virgo
D. Acrux
many-headed dragon
F. Crater
Hydra
E. Regulus
crow
G. Libra
Crater
F. sickle
southern cross
H. Crux
Corvus
G. Spica
lion
I. Centaurus
Libra
H. Over Leo’s back
virgin
J. Lupus
Crux
I. Denebola
Centaurus
J. Rigil Kentaurus
Magellanic clouds
K. Hadar
A. Apollo sent it for a drink.
L. attacking the centaur
M. companion galaxies
O. closest star to earth
4.) Which constellation can be used as a “pointer” towards the South Celestial Pole?
Key to Spring and Southern-Sky Constellations WS
Match the common name of the constellation
on the left with the proper name.
Match the constellation or question on the left with all
correct stars or objects on the right. Some constellations
may require more than 1 right answer, or no answer at all.
F
drinking cup
A. Leo
G
scales
B. Leo Minor
L
Lupus
I
centaur
C. Virgo
EFI
Leo
B. Under Leo
J
wolf
D. Hydra
H
Leo Minor
C. “bowl”
B
little lion
E. Corvus
G
Virgo
D. Acrux
D
many-headed dragon
F. Crater
B
Hydra
E. Regulus
E
crow
G. Libra
BC
Crater
F. sickle
H
southern cross
H. Crux
AB
Corvus
G. Spica
A
lion
I. Centaurus
Libra
H. Over Leo’s back
C
virgin
J. Lupus
D
Crux
I. Denebola
JKO
Centaurus
J. Rigil Kentaurus
M
Magellanic clouds
K. Hadar
A. Apollo sent it for a drink.
L. attacking the centaur
M. companion galaxies
O. closest star to earth
4.) Which constellation can be used as a “pointer” towards the South Celestial Pole?
Crux