Constellations: The Big Dipper: A Useful Pointer in The Sky

CONSTELLATIONS
Most of the constellations we know of today bear Greek and Roman names, but people
mapped the sky before these empires took hold. The Greeks adopted their system from
the Babylonians, whose origins in turn may have stemmed from Sumerian traditions
3,000 years before. Even further back, scientists suspect that markings on a the cave
walls at Lascaux in southern France — created over 17,000 years ago — may chart the
Pleiades and Hyades star clusters, making it the first known star map.
The Big Dipper: A Useful Pointer in the Sky
The Big Dipper is an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear). One of the
most familiar star shapes in the northern sky, it is a useful navigation tool. Asterisms are
prominent groups of stars that form patterns but are smaller than, or even part of, a
constellation. They are usually easy to find because the stars are close to one another
and about the same brightness. In this case, the Big Dipper has eight stars in it.
Orion : The Mighty Hunter
Orion is one of the largest constellations in the sky and is also one of the easiest to
find. The giant figure also contains the Orion Nebula (M42), which has been the
subject of many of the most famous astronomical images we have gotten back from
the Hubble Space Telescope as well as other observatories around the world.
Capricornus Constellation: Facts About the Sea Goat
Located in the Southern Hemisphere, Capricornus represents a creature that is a blend

of fish and goat; the name means "goat horn" in Latin. While it is one of the Zodiac
constellations identified by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd
century, Capricornus is often used when referring to the constellation, while Capricorn is
used in conjunction with the sign of the Zodiac.
Aquarius Constellation: Facts About the Water Bearer
Aquarius the Water Bearer is a large but faint constellation in the Southern sky. Aquarius
is a constellation of the Zodiac and one of the oldest documented constellations.
Aquarius was recorded in the second century by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy. Its
name means "cup bearer" or "water bearer" in Latin. Aquarius is the 10th largest
constellation in the sky; it is spread out over 980 square degrees. However, there are no
particularly bright stars in the constellation and it can be difficult to view with the naked
eye.
Pisces Constellation: Facts About the Fishes
Pisces is the 14th largest constellation but its stars are relatively faint.
Pisces, named for the Latin plural of fish, occupies 889 square degrees, making it the
14th largest constellation overall. While it is a fairly large constellation, its stars are faint
— none are brighter than fourth magnitude — making it challenging to see in the sky with
the naked eye.
Aries Constellation: Facts About the Ram
Aries the Ram is a mid-size constellation, ranking 39th in size among the 88 modern-day
constellations. While it is a respectable size at 441 square degrees, it is not very
luminous and has only three stars that could be called "bright. Aires doesn't represent
the ram to every culture. The Chinese see the constellation as twin inspectors, and it's a
porpoise in the Marshall Islands.
Taurus Constellation: Facts About the Bull
Taurus the Bull is hard to miss as he charges through the northern winter sky as it is one
of the most prominent and visible of all of the constellations. The Bull is also one of
the oldest documented constellations, with details of the constellation going as far back
as the Early Bronze Age.
Gemini Constellation: Facts About the Twins
Gemini is Latin for "twins," and it is one of the few constellations that actually looks like
its namesake. Gemini is one of the Zodiac constellations and one of the 48 constellations
described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy.
Gemini is a constellation high in the winter sky, containing a number of interesting

observing targets.
Cancer Constellation: Facts About the Crab
Cancer, which is Latin for crab, is the dimmest of the 13 constellations of the Zodiac,
having only two stars above the fourth magnitude.
The small faint constellation Cancer is rich in open clusters and double stars.
Leo Constellation: Facts About the Lion
Leo the Lion is one of the earliest recognized constellations. The Mesopotamians are
known to have documented the “lion” constellation. The Persians called it Ser or Shir;
the Turks, Artan; the Syrians, Aryo; the Jewish, Arye; the Indians, Simha. These are all
translated as “lion.”
Virgo Constellation: Facts about the Virgin
Virgo is a congested constellation with dozens of known exoplanets and at least a dozen
Messier objects. It is the largest constellation of the Zodiac and the second-largest
constellation overall, behind Hydra.
Libra Constellation: Facts About the Scales
The stars that make up the constellation Libra were once considered part of Scorpius.
Libra is Latin for weighing scales, making it the only constellation of the Zodiac
representing an inanimate object. At 538 square degrees, Libra ranks 29th overall in
terms of size. It doesn't have any first magnitude stars, making it relatively faint but not
impossible to view with the naked eye.
Scorpius Constellation: Facts About the Scorpion
The Scorpius constellation has intrigued people for centuries, not only for its distinctive
shape, but also because it is one of the brightest constellations in the sky. The name is
Latin for scorpion, or literally translated as the "creature with the burning sting."
However, Scorpius is not a scorpion to everyone. The Javanese people of Indonesia call
this constellation Banyakangrem, meaning "the brooded swan" or Kalapa Doyong,
meaning "leaning coconut tree." In Hawaii, it is known as the demigod Maui's Fishhook.
In Chinese mythology, the constellation was part of the Azure Dragon.
Ophiuchus: Facts about the Snake Bearer
Ophiuchus is a little known but important constellation, which graces our evening skies
in the summer.Ophiuchus is a fairly large and rambling constellation, but it is one of the
least well-known. Although Ophiuchus does touch the elliptic — the path that the sun
appears to take through the sky — astrologers for centuries ignored it as part of the
Zodiac. The constellation finally got some respect in 2011 when they added Ophiuchus
as an astrological sign and realigned the Zodiac calendar.
Sagittarius Constellation: Facts About the Archer
Riding low in the summer sky is the constellation Sagittarius, looking like a teapot and
containing some of the finest deep sky objects.
Occupying 867 square degrees, Sagittarius is the largest constellation in the Southern
Hemisphere and the 15th largest constellation overall. The constellation has many bright
stars and is very visible with the naked eye.

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CONSTELLATIONS

The Big Dipper: A Useful Pointer in the Sky

Capricornus Constellation: Facts About the Sea Goat

Located in the Southern Hemisphere, Capricornus represents a creature that is a blend

Pisces Constellation: Facts About the Fishes

Taurus Constellation: Facts About the Bull

Gemini is a constellation high in the winter sky, containing a number of interesting

Cancer Constellation: Facts About the Crab

Virgo Constellation: Facts about the Virgin

Scorpius Constellation: Facts About the Scorpion

Sagittarius Constellation: Facts About the Archer

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