What is Constellations? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts
What is a Constellation?
A constellation is a group of visible stars that form a pattern when viewed from Earth. The model they form can be in the form of an animal, a mythical creature, a man, a woman, or an inanimate object such as a microscope, compass, or crown.
How many Constellations are there?
The sky was divided into 88 different constellations in 1922. This consist of the 48 ancient constellations listed by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy as well as 40 new constellations.
Get Free Counseling
Star Maps
88 different constellations divide the entire night sky as seen from anywhere on Earth. The star chart is made up of the brightest stars and the patterns in which they form give rise to the names of the constellations.
A star map shows the positions of the stars as we see them from Earth. The stars in each constellation may not be close to each other. Some of them are bright because they are close to Earth while others are bright because they are very massive stars.
Hemispheres and Seasons
Not all constellations are visible from any point on Earth. Star charts are usually divided into charts for the northern hemisphere and charts for the southern hemisphere. The season of the year can also affect the constellations visible from your location on Earth.
Famous Constellations
Below we have provided some of the most famous constellations:
Orion
Orion is one of the most conspicuous constellations. Due to its location, it can be seen all over the world. Orion is named after a hunter in Greek mythology. Its brightest stars are Betelgeuse and Rigel.
Ursa Major
Ursa Major is visible in the northern hemisphere. It means “biggest bear” in Latin. The Big Dipper is part of the constellation Ursa Major. The Big Dipper is often used to find the direction north.
Ursa Minor
Ursa Minor means “little bear” in Latin. It is located near Dai Hung Tinh and also has the pattern of a small dipper called the Little Dipper as part of its larger pattern.
Draco
The constellation Draco can be seen in the northern hemisphere. It means “dragon” in Latin and is one of the 48 ancient constellations.
Pegasus
The constellation Pegasus takes its name from the flying horse of the same name in Greek mythology. It can be seen in the northern sky.
The Zodiac
Zodiac constellations are constellations located in a band about 20 degrees wide in the sky. This band is considered special because it is the band in which the Sun, Moon, and planets all move. There are 13 zodiac constellations.
- Capricornus
- Aquarius
- Pisces
- Aries
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Leo
- Virgo
- Libra
- Scorpius
- Sagittarius
- Ophiuchus
Uses for Constellations
Constellations are useful because they can help people recognize the stars in the sky. By looking for patterns, stars and locations can be much easier to spot.
Constellations used in ancient times. They are used to help keep track of the calendar. It is very important for everyone to know when to plant and harvest.
Another important use of constellations is for navigation. By looking for Ursa Minor, it is fairly easy to spot the North Star (Polaris). Using the North Star’s height in the sky, navigators could determine their latitude to help ships navigate the ocean.
Interesting Facts about Constellations
The largest constellation by region is Hydra, which occupies 3.16% of the sky.
The smallest Crux occupies only 0.17% of the sky.
Small star patterns in a constellation are called asterism. These include Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
The word “constellation” comes from a Latin term meaning “closed to the stars”.
Twenty-two different constellation names that begin with the letter “C”.