You can learn a lot of interesting things if you watch the starry sky. In this lesson, we will talk with you about the stars and constellations, look at the map of the starry sky and get to know some of the constellations better. In addition, we will learn with you what the zodiac is.

Subject: Nature

Lesson: Starry sky

The science that studies the stars is called astronomy(from the Greek aster - "star"). A special device was invented to observe the stars - telescope.

Telescope is a Greek word meaning "I can see far away". With their help, astronomers at special stations, observatories, observe and study the starry sky. Stars- These are huge hot luminous balls. The closest star to Earth is the Sun.

The sun is many times larger than the earth. If we imagine the Earth as a grain of millet, then the Sun will be the size of a large watermelon.

When the Sun shines dazzlingly in the sky, we do not see other stars, because they do not shine as brightly as the Sun.

Remember that you can not look at the Sun even with dark glasses, it shines so brightly that you can ruin your eyesight.

Huge, compared to the Earth, the Sun in the sky seems quite small. This is because it is very far from the Earth, and all the other stars are even further away, so they seem quite small.

Rice. 4. Map of the starry sky ()

A long time ago, people, looking at the starry sky, noticed that some clusters of stars resemble the figures of people, mythical heroes, animals, objects, and astronomers called such clusters of stars constellations.

Rice. 7. Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor ()

The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are well known to everyone because they are visible in the sky northern hemisphere all year round. But you and I live just in the northern hemisphere, remember?

At the end of the dipper of Ursa Minor is the North Star. If you face it, then in this way determine the direction to the North Pole of the Earth.

Knowing the constellations is the ABC of astronomy, but not only astronomers need it. Pilots, sailors, tourists, travelers, scouts often navigate by the stars.

Astronomers have counted 88 constellations. Each of them has its own history, and sometimes legend. We will get to know some of them.

The constellation Cassiopeia can be found in the sky at any time of the year. Its main stars form an extended letter M. In spring and summer, this letter is turned upside down as in the figure. This constellation was named after Queen Cassiopeia, the heroine ancient Greek myths.

The constellation Orion is clearly visible in winter. It is very beautiful. And it is named after a hunter from ancient Greek myths. The belt of this hunter is formed by 3 stars located nearby. They are called so - Orion's Belt.

Rice. 10. Swan

The constellation Cygnus can be seen in summer and autumn. It resembles a swan with widely spread wings, flying down to the ground. The tail of the Cygnus is marked by a particularly bright star, one of the brightest in the sky.

If the stars were visible during the day, then we would notice that during the year the sun visits each constellation. It visits each constellation for about a month.

This is the belt of constellations along which the Sun moves throughout the year. The zodiac belt is divided into 12 constellations. The journey through the zodiac begins with the constellation Aries. Then come the constellations Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.

Astrologers, observing the movement of the planets, believe that the planets affect the character of a person born under a certain sign of the zodiac. Also, astrologers make forecasts, or horoscopes, for each sign of the zodiac.

1. Pleshakov A.A. The world around us: textbook. and slave. tetra. for grade 2 early school - M .: Education, 2006.
2. Bursky O.V., Vakhrushev A.A., Rautian A.S. The world around.- Balass.
3. Vinogradova N.F. The world around us.- VENTANA-GRAF.

1. Astrogalaxy ().
2. Astronomical site "Galaxy" ().
3. meteoweb.ru ().

1. With. 30-33, textbook Pleshakov A.A. The world around us.
2. With. 15 work notebook to the textbook Pleshakov A.A. The world around us.
3. Look at the starry sky near your house and find Ursa Minor and Ursa Major on it. What other familiar constellations can you see?

Not everyone knows the names of stars and constellations, but many have heard the most popular of them.

Constellations are expressive star groups, and there is a special magic in the names of stars and constellations.

The information that tens of thousands of years ago, even before the emergence of the first civilizations, people began to give them names - no one doubts. The cosmos is filled with heroes and monsters from legends, and the sky of our northern latitudes is mainly inhabited by the characters of the Greek epic.

Photos of constellations in the sky and their names

48 ancient constellations are the decoration of the celestial sphere. Each has a legend associated with it. And no wonder - the stars played a big role in people's lives. Navigation, large-scale agriculture would not be possible without good knowledge celestial bodies.

Of all the constellations, non-setting ones are distinguished, located at 40 degrees of latitude or higher. They are always visible to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere, regardless of the time of year.

5 main non-setting constellations in alphabetical order - The Dragon, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major and Minor, Cepheus . They are visible all year round, especially well in the south of Russia. Although at northern latitudes the circle of non-setting stars is wider.

It is significant that the objects of the constellations are not necessarily located nearby. To an earthly observer, the surface of the sky looks flat, but in fact some stars are much farther than others. Therefore, it would be incorrect to write “the ship made a jump into the constellation Microscope” (there is such a thing in the southern hemisphere). "The ship can make a jump towards the Microscope" - so it will be correct.

The brightest star in the sky

The brightest is Sirius in Canis Major. At our northern latitudes, it is visible only in winter. One of the closest large cosmic bodies to the sun, its light flies to us for only 8.6 years.

The Sumerians and the ancient Egyptians had the status of a deity. 3,000 years ago, the Egyptian priests, by the ascent of Sirius, accurately determined the time of the flood of the Nile.

Sirius is a double star. The visible component (Sirius A) is about 2 times more massive than the Sun and shines 25 times stronger. Sirius B is a white dwarf with a mass almost like that of the sun, with a brightness of a quarter of the sun.

Sirius B is possibly the most massive white dwarf known to astronomers. Ordinary dwarfs of this class are twice as light.

Arcturus in Bootes is the brightest in the northern latitudes and is one of the most unusual luminaries. Age - 7.3 billion years, almost half the age of the universe. With a mass approximately equal to the sun, it is 25 times larger, since it consists of the lightest elements - hydrogen, helium. Apparently, when Arcturus formed, there were not so many metals and other heavy elements in the universe.

Like a king in exile, Arcturus moves through space surrounded by a retinue of 52 smaller stars. Perhaps they are all part of the galaxy that our Milky Way swallowed up a very, very long time ago.

Arcturus is almost 37 light-years away - also not so far, on a cosmic scale. It belongs to the class of red giants and shines 110 times stronger than the Sun. The picture shows the comparative sizes of Arcturus and the Sun.

Names of stars by color

The color of a star depends on the temperature, and the temperature depends on the mass and age. The hottest are young massive blue giants, their surface temperature reaches 60,000 Kelvin, and their mass is up to 60 solar masses. The class B stars are not much inferior, the brightest representative of which is Spica, the alpha constellation Virgo.

The coldest are small, old red dwarfs. On average, the surface temperature is 2-3 thousand Kelvin, and the mass is one third of the sun. The diagram clearly shows how the color depends on the size.

By temperature and color, stars are divided into 7 spectral classes, indicated in the astronomical description of the object in Latin letters.

Beautiful names of stars

The language of modern astronomy is dry and practical; among the atlases you will not find stars with names. But the ancient people named the brightest and most important night luminaries. Most of the names are of Arabic origin, but there are also those that go back to hoary antiquity, to the times of the ancient Akkadians and Sumerians.

Polar. Dim, the last in the handle of the bucket of Ursa Minor, a guiding sign for all sailors of antiquity. Polar almost does not move and always points to the north. Every people in the northern hemisphere has a name for her. "Iron stake" of the ancient Finns, "Tethered horse" of the Khakasses, "Hole in the sky" of the Evenks. The ancient Greeks, famous travelers and sailors, called the polar "Kinosura", which translates as "dog's tail".

Sirius. The name, apparently, came from ancient Egypt, where the star was associated with the hypostasis of the goddess Isis. In ancient Rome, it was called Vacation, and our "vacation" comes straight from this word. The fact is that Sirius appeared in Rome at dawn, in the summer, during the days of the greatest heat, when the life of the city died down.

Aldebaran. In its movement it always follows the Pleiades cluster. IN Arabic means "follower". The Greeks and Romans called Aldebaran "The Eye of the Bull".

The Pioneer 10 probe, launched in 1972, is moving just in the direction of Aldebaran. The estimated time of arrival is 2 million years.

Vega. Arab astronomers called it the “Falling Eagle” (An nahr Al Wagi). In ancient Rome, the day when she crossed the horizon before sunrise was considered the last day of summer.

Vega was the first (after the Sun) photographed star. It happened almost 200 years ago in 1850, at the Oxford Observatory.

Betelgeuse. The Arabic designation is Yad Al Juza (twin's hand). In the Middle Ages, due to confusion in translation, the word was read as "Bel Juza", and "Betelgeuse" arose.

Fantasies love stars. One of the characters in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy hails from a small planet in the Betelgeuse system.

Fomalhaut. Alpha Southern Pisces. In Arabic - "Fish Mouth". 18th brightest night luminary. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of the veneration of Fomalhaut as early as the prehistoric period, 2.5 thousand years ago.

Canopus. One of the few stars whose name does not have Arabic roots. According to the Greek version, the word goes back to Canopus, the helmsman of King Menelaus.

The planet Arrakis, from the famous series of books by F. Herbert, revolves around Canopus.

How many constellations are in the sky

As it was established, people united stars into groups as early as 15,000 years ago. In the first written sources, that is, 2 millennia ago, 48 constellations are described. They are still in the sky, only the big Argo no longer exists - it was divided into 4 smaller ones - Stern, Sail, Keel and Compass.

Thanks to the development of navigation, in the 15th century, new constellations begin to appear. Fanciful figures adorn the sky - Peacock, Telescope, Indian. Famous exact year when the last of them appeared - 1763.

At the beginning of the last century, a general revision of the constellations took place. Astronomers counted 88 star groups - 28 in the northern hemisphere and 45 in the southern. The 13 constellations of the zodiac belt stand apart. And this is the final result, astronomers do not plan to add new ones.

Constellations of the northern hemisphere - list with pictures

Unfortunately, it is impossible to see all 28 constellations in one night, the celestial mechanics is inexorable. But in return we have a pleasant variety. Winter and summer skies look different.

Let's talk about the most interesting and noticeable constellations.

Big Dipper – main landmark night sky. With it, it is easy to find other astronomical objects.

tail tip Ursa Minor- the famous Pole Star. Celestial bears have long tails, unlike earthly relatives.

The Dragon- a large constellation between Ursa. It is impossible not to mention the μ Dragon which is called Arrakis, which means “dancer” in ancient Arabic. Kuma (ν Dragon) - double, which is observed with ordinary binoculars.

It is known that ρ Cassiopeia - supergiant, it is hundreds of thousands of times brighter than the Sun. In 1572, the last explosion to date took place in Cassiopeia.

The ancient Greeks did not agree on whose Lyra. Different legends give it to different heroes - Apollo, Orpheus or Orion. The notorious Vega enters Lyra.

Orion- the most noticeable astronomical formation of our sky. The large stars of Orion's belt are called the three kings or magi. The famous Betelgeuse is located here.

Cepheus can be observed all year round. In 8,000 years, one of its stars, Alderamin, will become the new polar star.

IN Andromeda lies the nebula M31. This is a neighboring galaxy, visible to the naked eye on a clear night. The Andromeda Nebula is 2 million light years away from us.

Beautifully named constellation Veronica's hair owes the Egyptian queens, who sacrificed their hair to the gods. In the direction of the Coma Veronica is the north pole of our galaxy.

Alpha Bootes famous Arcturus. Behind Bootes, at the very edge of the observable universe, is the galaxy Egsy8p7. It is one of the most distant objects known to astronomers, - to it 13.2 billion light years.

Constellations for kids - all the fun

Curious young astronomers will be interested to learn about the constellations and see them in the sky. Parents can arrange a night tour for their children, talking about the amazing science of astronomy and seeing some of the constellations with their own eyes with the children. These short and understandable stories will surely appeal to little explorers.

Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

IN ancient greece the gods turned into animals all in a row, and threw anyone into the sky. That's what they were. Once the wife of Zeus turned a nymph named Callisto into a bear. And the nymph had a little son who did not know anything about the fact that his mother became a bear.

When the son grew up, he became a hunter and went to the forest with a bow and arrows. And it so happened that he met a mother bear. When the hunter raised his bow and fired, Zeus stopped time and threw everyone together - the she-bear, the hunter and the arrow into the sky.

Since then, the Big Dipper has been walking in the sky along with the little one, into which the son-hunter has turned. And the arrow also remained in heaven, only it will never hit anywhere - such is the order in heaven.

The Big Dipper is always easy to find in the sky, it looks like a big bucket with a handle. And if you found the Big Dipper, then the Little Dipper is walking nearby. And although Ursa Minor is not so noticeable, there is a way to find it: the two extreme stars in the bucket will indicate the exact direction to the polar star - this is the tail of Ursa Minor.

polar Star

All the stars are slowly spinning, only the Polar one stands still. She always points to the north, for which she is called a guiding one.

In ancient times, people sailed on ships with large sails, but without a compass. And when the ship is on the high seas and the coast is not visible, you can easily get lost.

When this happened, the experienced captain waited for the night to see the North Star and find a northerly direction. And knowing the direction to the north, you can easily determine where the rest of the world is, and where to sail in order to bring the ship to its native port.

The Dragon

Among the night lights in the sky lives a star dragon. According to legend, the dragon participated in the wars of the gods and titans, at the very dawn of time. The goddess of war, Athena, in the heat of battle, took and threw a huge dragon into the sky, just between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

The dragon is a large constellation: 4 stars form its head, 14 form its tail. Its stars are not very bright. It must be because the Dragon is already old. After all, a lot of time has passed since the dawn of time, even for the Dragon.

Orion

Orion was the son of Zeus. In his life, he accomplished many feats, became famous as a great hunter, became the favorite of Artemis, the goddess of hunting. Orion liked to brag about his strength and luck, but one day he was stung by a scorpion. Artemis rushed to Zeus and asked to save her pet. Zeus threw Orion into the sky, where the great hero of ancient Greece still lives.

Orion is the most remarkable constellation in the northern sky. It is large and consists of bright stars. In winter, Orion is fully visible and easy to find: look for a large hourglass with three bright bluish stars in the middle. These stars are called Orion's belt, their names are Alnitak (left), Alnilam (middle) and Mintak (right).

Knowing Orion, it is easier to navigate the rest of the constellations and find the stars.

Sirius

Knowing the position of Orion, you can easily find the famous Sirius. You need to draw a line to the right of Orion's belt. Just look for the brightest star. It is important to remember that it is visible in the northern sky only in winter.

Sirius is the brightest in the sky. Included in the constellation Big Dog, a faithful companion of Orion.

There are actually two stars in Sirius circling each other. One star is hot and bright, we can see its light. And the other half is so dim that you can't see it with a regular telescope. But once upon a time, many millions of years ago, these parts were one huge whole. If we lived in those days, Sirius would shine for us 20 times stronger!

Q&A rubric

Which star's name means "brilliant, sparkling"?

— Sirius. It is so bright that it can be seen even during the day.

What constellations can be seen with the naked eye?

- Everything is possible. Constellations were invented by ancient people, long before the invention of the telescope. In addition, without having a telescope with you, you can even see planets, for example, Venus, Mercury and.

What is the largest constellation?

— Hydras. It is so long that it does not fit entirely in the northern sky and goes beyond the southern horizon. The length of the Hydra is almost a quarter of the circumference of the horizon.

What is the smallest constellation?

- The smallest, but at the same time the brightest - the Southern Cross. It is located in the southern hemisphere.

What constellation does the Sun belong to?

The Earth revolves around the Sun, and we see how in a year it passes through as many as 12 constellations, one for each month. They are called the Belt of the Zodiac.

Conclusion

The stars have long fascinated people. And although the development of astronomy allows us to look further and further into the depths of space, the charm of the ancient names of the stars does not go anywhere.

When we look up into the night sky, we see the past, ancient myths and legends, and the future, because one day people will go to the stars.

Mankind has always looked to the sky. The stars have long been the guides of sailors, and they remain so today. A constellation is considered a group of celestial bodies, which are united by one name. However, they can be located at different distances from each other. Moreover, in ancient times, the name of the constellations often depended on the outlines taken by the celestial bodies. More details about this will be discussed in this article.

General information

There are eighty-eight registered constellations in total. Of these, only forty-seven have been known to mankind since ancient times. We should say thanks to the astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, who systematized the known constellations of the starry sky in the treatise "Almagest". The rest appeared at a time when a person began to intensively study the world around him, travel more and write down his knowledge. So, other groups of objects appeared in the sky.

The constellations in the sky and their names (photos of some of them will be presented in the article) are quite diverse. Many have several names, as well as ancient legends of origin. For example, there is a rather interesting legend about the appearance of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the sky. In those days when the gods ruled the world, the most powerful of them was Zeus. And he fell in love with the beautiful nymph Callisto, and he took her as his wife. In order to protect her from Hera, who is jealous and dangerous in her anger, Zeus took her beloved to heaven, turning her into a bear. So it turned out the constellation Ursa Major. The dog Callisto became Ursa Minor.

Zodiac constellations of the solar system: names

The most famous constellations for humanity today are the zodiac. Since ancient times, those who meet on the path of our Sun during its annual journey (the ecliptic) have been considered as such. This is a rather wide strip of celestial space, divided into twelve segments.

Constellation name:

1. Aries;
2. Calf;
3. Twins;
4. Virgo;
5. Capricorn;
6. Aquarius;
7. Fish;
8. Scales;
9. Scorpion;
10. Sagittarius;
11. Ophiuchus.

As you can see, unlike the signs of the Zodiac, there is another constellation here - the thirteenth. This happened because over time the shape of celestial bodies changes. The signs of the Zodiac were formed a long time ago, when the sky map was somewhat different. To date, the position of the stars has undergone some changes. So, on the path of the Sun, another constellation appeared - Ophiuchus. In its order, it stands just after Scorpio.

The starting point of the solar journey is considered to be the spring equinox. At this moment, our luminary passes along the celestial equator, and the day becomes equal to the night (there is also the opposite point - autumn).

Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

One of the most famous constellations in our firmament is Ursa Major and its accompanying Minor. But why did it happen that not the most pretentious constellation became so important? The fact is that in the composition of the cluster of celestial bodies Ursa Minor there is the North Star, which was a guiding light for many generations of sailors, and it remains so today.

This is due to its practical immobility. It is located near the North Pole, and the rest of the stars in the sky revolve around it. This feature of it was noticed by our ancestors, which was reflected in its name in different peoples(Golden Stake, Heavenly Stake, North Star, etc.).

Of course, there are other main objects in this constellation of the starry sky, the names of which are listed below:

• Kohab (Beta);
• Ferhad (Gamma);
• Delta;
• Epsilon;
• Zeta;

If we talk about the Big Dipper, then it more clearly resembles a bucket in its shape than its small counterpart. According to estimates, only with the naked eye in the constellation there are about one hundred and twenty-five stars. However, there are seven main ones:

• Dubhe (Alpha);
• Merak (Beta);
• Fekda (Gamma);
• Megrets (Delta);
• Aliot (Epsilon);
• Mizar (Zeta);
• Benetnash (This).

Ursa Major has nebulae and galaxies, as do numerous other star constellations. Their names are shown below:

• Spiral galaxy M81;
• Nebula "Owl";
• Spiral galaxy "Pinwheel;
• Barred spiral galaxy M109.

The most amazing stars

Of course, our sky has quite remarkable constellations (photos and names of some are presented in the article). However, in addition to them, there are other amazing stars. For example, in the constellation Canis Major, which is considered ancient, since our ancestors knew about it, there is the star Sirius. Many legends and myths are associated with it. In ancient Egypt, the movement of this star was very carefully monitored, there are even suggestions by some scientists that the African pyramids are aimed specifically at it with their tip.

Sirius is one of the closest stars to Earth today. Its characteristics exceed solar twice. It is believed that if Sirius were in the place of our luminary, then life on the planet in the form it is now would hardly be possible. With such intense heat, all the oceans from the surface would boil away.

A rather interesting star that can be seen in the sky of Antarctica is Alpha Centauri. This is the closest similar luminary to Earth. In its structure, this body contains three stars, two of which may well have terrestrial-type planets. The third, Proxima Centauri, according to all calculations, cannot have such, since it is rather small and cold.

Major and minor constellations

It should be noted that today there are fixed large and small constellations. Photos and their names will be presented below. One of the largest can safely be called the Hydra. This constellation occupies an area of ​​the starry sky of 1302.84 square degrees. Obviously, that is why it got such a name, all over appearance it resembles a thin and long strip, which occupies a fourth of the starry space. The main place where the Hydra is located is south of the line of the celestial equator.

According to its stellar composition, Hydra is rather dim. It includes only two worthy objects that stand out significantly in the sky - these are Alphard and Gamma Hydra. You can also note the open cluster called M48. The second largest constellation belongs to Virgo, which is slightly inferior in size. Therefore, the representative of the space community described below is truly small.

So, the smallest constellation in the sky is the Southern Cross, which is located in the Southern Hemisphere. It is considered an analogue of the Big Dipper in the North. Its area is sixty-eight square degrees. According to ancient astronomical chronicles, it used to be part of the Centauri, and only in 1589 it was singled out separately. As part of the Southern Cross, even with the naked eye, about thirty stars are visible.

In addition, there is a dark nebula in the constellation called the Coal Sack. It is interesting in that the processes of star formation can take place in it. Another unusual object is the open cluster of celestial bodies - NGC 4755.

Seasonal constellations

It should also be noted that the name of the constellations in the sky also changes from time to time. For example, in summer you can clearly see:

• Lyra;
• Eagle;
• Hercules;
• Snake;
• Chanterelle;
• Dolphin etc.

The winter sky is characterized by other constellations. Eg:

• Big Dog;
• Small Dog;
• Auriga;
• Unicorn;
• Eridan and others

The autumn sky is the following constellations:

• Pegasus;
• Andromeda;
• Perseus;
• Triangle;
• Keith and others

And the following constellations open the spring sky:

• Small Lion;
• Crow;
• Bowl;
• Hounds Dogs, etc.

constellations of the northern hemisphere

Each hemisphere of the Earth has its own celestial objects. The names of the stars and the constellations they belong to are quite different. So, let's consider which of them are characteristic of the northern hemisphere:

• Andromeda;
• Auriga;
• Twins;
• Veronica's hair;
• Giraffe;
• Cassiopeia;
• North Crown and others.

constellations of the southern hemisphere

The names of the stars and the constellations they belong to are also different for the southern hemisphere. Let's consider some of them:

• Crow;
• Altar;
• Peacock;
• Octant;
• Bowl;
• Phoenix;
• Centaurus;
• Chameleon and others.

Truly, all the constellations in the sky and their names (photo below) are quite unique. Many have their own special history, beautiful legend or unusual objects. The latter include the constellations Dorado and Toucan. The first is the Large Magellanic Cloud, and the second is the Small. These two objects are truly amazing.

The large cloud in its appearance is very similar to the Segner's wheel, and the Small cloud looks like a punching bag. They are quite large in terms of their area in the sky, and observers note their similarity with milky way(although they are much smaller in actual size). They seem to be part of it, which separated in the process. However, in their composition they are very similar to our galaxy, in addition, the Clouds are the systems of stars closest to us.

The surprising factor is that our galaxy and Clouds can rotate around the same center of gravity, which forms a triple star system. True, each of this trinity has its own star clusters, nebulae and other space objects.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, the name of the constellations is quite diverse and unique. Each of them has its own interesting objects, stars. Of course, today we do not know even half of all the secrets of the cosmic order, but there is hope for the future. The human mind is quite inquisitive, and if we do not die in a global catastrophe, then there is the possibility of conquering and exploring space, building new and more powerful instruments and ships to gain knowledge. In this case, we will not only know the name of the constellations, but we will also comprehend much more.

> Constellations

Explore everything constellations in the sky of the Universe: diagrams and maps of constellations, names, list, description, characteristics with photos, asterisms, history of creation, how to observe.

constellations are imaginary drawings in the sky, created based on the position here, which appeared on the basis of the imagination of poets, farmers and astronomers. They used forms familiar to us and invented them for the last 6000 years. The main purpose of the constellations is to quickly show the location of the star and tell its features. On a perfectly dark night, you can see 1000-1500 stars. But how do you know what you're looking at? For this we need brightest constellations, dividing the heavens into identifiable sectors. For example, if you find three bright stars, you will realize that you are considering part of Orion. And then it’s a matter of memory, because Betelgeuse is hiding in the left shoulder, and Rigel is in the leg. Nearby notice the Hounds Dogs and its stars. Use diagrams and constellation maps, where the names are indicated, the most bright stars and location in the sky. For each constellation there are photos, pictures and Interesting Facts. Don't forget to consider zodiac constellations starry sky.

All constellations around the world are distributed by months. That is, their maximum level of visibility in the sky depends entirely on the season. Therefore, when classifying, groups are distinguished according to 4 seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn). The main thing to remember is one moment. If you track the constellations strictly according to the calendar, then you need to start at 21:00. When observing ahead of time, you need to push back half a month, and if you started after 21:00, then add half.

For navigational convenience, we have distributed all constellation names in alphabetical order. This is extremely useful if you are occupied by a particular cluster. Do not forget that only the brightest stars are displayed on the diagrams. To delve into more detail, you need to open a star chart or planisphere - a movable option. More interesting information you can learn about constellations thanks to our articles:

Constellations of the sky in alphabetical order
Russian name	Latin name	Reduction	Area (square degrees)	Number of stars brighter than 6.0
	Andromeda	And	722	100
	Gemini	Gem	514	70
	Ursa Major	UMa	1280	125
	Canis Major	CMa	380	80
	Libra	Lib	538	50
	Aquarius	Aqr	980	90
	Auriga	Aur	657	90
	Lupus	loop	334	70
	boots	Boo	907	90
	Coma Berenices	Com	386	50
	Corvus	crv	184	15
	Hercules	Her	1225	140
	Hydra	Hya	1303	130
	Columba	Col	270	40
	Canes Venatici	CVn	565	30
	Virgo	Vir	1294	95
	Delphinus	Del	189	30
	Draco	Dra	1083	80
	Monoceros	Mon	482	85
	Ara	Ara	237	30
	Pictor	Pic	247	30
	camelopardalis	Cam	757	50
	Grus	Gru	366	30
	Lepus	Lep	290	40
	Ophiuchus	Oh	948	100
	Serpens	Ser	637	60
	Dorado	Dor	179	20
	Indian	Ind	294	20
	Cassiopeia	Cas	598	90
	carina	car	494	110
	Cetus	Set	1231	100
	Capricornus	Cap	414	50
	Pyxis	Pyx	221	25
	Puppies	Pup	673	140
	Cygnus	Cyg	804	150
	Leo	Leo	947	70
	Volans	Vol	141	20
	Lyra	Lyr	286	45
	Vulpecula	Vul	268	45
	Ursa Minor	UMi	256	20
	Equuleus	Equ	72	10
	Leo Minor	LMi	232	20

	Canis Minor	CMi	183	20
	microscopium	Mic	210	20
	Musca	Mus	138	30
	Antlia	Ant	239	20
	Norma	Nor	165	20
	Aries	Ari	441	50
	Octans	Oct	291	35
	Aquila	Aql	652	70
	Orion	Ori	594	120
	Pavo	pav	378	45
	Vela	Vel	500	110
	Pegasus	peg	1121	100
	Perseus	Per	615	90
	Fornax	For	398	35
	Apus	Aps	206	20
	Cancer	cnc	506	60
	Caelum	Cae	125	10
	Pisces	psc	889	75
	Lynx	Lyn	545	60
	Corona Borealis	CrB	179	20
	Sextans	sex	314	25
	Reticulum	Ret	114	15
	Scorpius	sco	497	100
	sculptor	scl	475	30
	Mensa	Men	153	15
	Sagitta	Sge	80	20
	Sagittarius	Sgr	867	115
	Telescopium	Tel	252	30
	Taurus	Tau	797	125
	Triangulum	Tri	132	15
	Tucana	Tuc	295	25
	Phoenix	Phe	469	40
	Chamaeleon	Cha	132	20
	Centaurus	Cen	1060	150
	Cepheus	cep	588	60
	Circinus	cir	93	20
	Horologium	Hor	249	20
	crater	crt	282	20
	Scutum	Sct	109	20
	Eridanus	Eri	1138	100
	Hydrus	Hyi	243	20
	Corona Australis	CrA	128	25
	Piscis Austrinus	PsA	245	25
	Crux	cru	68	30
	Triangulum Australe	Tra	110	20
	Lacerta	Lac	201	35

Clear boundaries between the constellations were drawn only at the beginning of the 20th century. There are 88 of them in total, but 48 are based on Greek ones recorded by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. The final distribution occurred in 1922 with the help of American astronomer Henry Norris Russell. The borders were created in 1930 by the Belgian astronomer Ejen Delport (vertical and horizontal lines).

Most have retained the names of their predecessors: 50 are Rome, Greece and the Middle East, and 38 are modern. But humanity has existed for more than one millennium, so the constellations appeared and disappeared depending on the culture. For example, the Wall Quadrant was created in 1795, but later divided into the Dragon and Bootes.

The Greek constellation Ship Argo was divided by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille into Carina, Sails and Stern. It was officially entered into the catalog in 1763.

When it comes to stars and objects, scientists mean that they lie within the boundaries of these constellations. The constellations themselves are not real, because in reality all the stars and nebulae are separated from each other by great distances and even planes (although we see straight lines from the Earth).

Moreover, remoteness also means a time lag, because we observe them in the past, which means that now they can be completely different. For example, Antares in Scorpio is 550 light-years away from us, which is why we see it as it was before. The same goes for the 3D Sagittarius Nebula (5200 light years). There are also more distant objects - NGC 4038 in the constellation Raven (45 million light years).

Constellation Definition

This is a group of stars that creates a certain shape. Or one of 88 officially cataloged configurations. Some dictionaries insist that it is any one of a certain grouping of stars that represents a being in the sky and has a name.

constellation history

Ancient people, looking at the sky, noted the figures of various animals and even heroes. They began to invent stories for them to make it easier to remember the location.

For example, Orion and Taurus have been revered for many centuries different cultures and had a number of legends. As soon as astronomers began to create the first maps, they took advantage of existing myths.

The word "constellation" originates from the Latin constellatiō - "many with stars." According to the Roman soldier and historian Ammianus Marcellinus, it began to be used in the 4th century. IN English language it came in the 14th century and first referred to planetary unions. Only in the middle of the 16th century did it begin to take on its modern meaning.

The catalog is based on 48 Greek constellations proposed by Ptolemy. But he only listed what the Greek astronomer Eudoxus Cnidus discovered (he introduced astronomy to Babylon in the 4th century BC). 30 of them belong to antiquity, and some even affect the Bronze Age.

The Greeks adopted Babylonian astronomy, so the constellations began to overlap and overlap. Many of them could not be found by the Greeks, Babylonians, Arabs or Chinese because they were not visible. The southern ones were recorded at the end of the 16th century by the Dutch navigators Federico de Houtman and Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser. Later they were included in the star atlas of Johann Bayer "Uranometry" (1603).

Bayer added 11 constellations including Toucan, Fly, Dorado, Injun and Phoenix. In addition, he gave about 1564 stars Greek letters, giving them a value for brightness (beginning with Alpha). They have survived to this day and take their place among the 10,000 stars that can be seen without the use of instruments. Some have full names, because they had extremely strong brightness (Aldebaran, Betelgeuse and others).

Several constellations were added by French astronomer Nicholas Louis de Lacaille. His catalog was published in 1756. He looked through southern sky and found 13 new constellations. Notable among them are Octant, Painter, Furnace, Table Mountain and Pump.

Of the 88 constellations, 36 are located in the northern sky and 52 in the southern.

The history of the starry sky

Astrophysicist Anton Biryukov on Ptolemy's catalog, Christian constellations and the final list:

Constellations can be an indispensable tool in studying the stars scattered throughout the sky. Just combine them and admire the incredible space wonders.

If you are a beginner and just knocking on the doors of amateur astronomy, then you will not budge if you do not overcome the first obstacle - the ability to understand the constellations. You won't be able to find the Andromeda Galaxy if you can't figure out where to start and where to look. Of course, the first attempts to understand all this celestial array can be frightening, but it is quite real.

Do you remember your first day at school? Many unfamiliar faces, unknown objects and environment. But surely even then, you managed to start a conversation with someone. And so gradually, day by day, you adapted until you became your own. So the constellations are friends who open the way to new world, so you need to make friends with them, and not be afraid.

1.3 Constellations, where they come from, legends

Next, we will consider with you in more detail the class of constellations. A constellation is a section of the starry sky with all the stars in it. How many constellations are there? Someone chose 86, 98 constellations, these answers are incorrect, there are 88 constellations in total. To this question, "How many constellations are there?" Only 4 out of 16 responded. In 1922, in Rome, by decision of the I General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union, a list of 88 constellations was finally approved, into which it was divided starry sky, and in 1928 clear and unambiguous boundaries between these constellations were adopted.

When astrologers in ancient times observed the starry sky, they drew attention to separate groups of bright stars. These groups they called - constellations. Having fantasized a little about the location of the stars in the constellations, they saw some outlines of fairy-tale heroes and animals. This is where the names of many constellations come from. For example Hercules, Centaurus, Taurus, Andromeda, Pegasus and others. Almost every constellation is associated with some kind of ancient legend or myth, which makes them even more interesting.

Of the 88 modern constellations, many have a very respectable prescription. They were known long before the beginning of our era, and references to them can be found in the Bible, in the works of Homer, Hesiod, Thales, Eudoxus, Hipparchus and other ancient authors. It is believed that Thales "discovered" the constellation Ursa Minor for the Greeks as a guiding tool; earlier this constellation was used by the Phoenicians. So, let's turn back thousands of years and go back to how astronomers explored the constellations. Here are the names of the oldest constellations:

Ursa Major, Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Bootes, Ursa Minor, Dragon, Hercules, Aquarius, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Arrow, Dolphin, Hare, Eridanus, Whale, Southern Fish, Little Horse, Centaurus, Wolf, Hydra, Chalice, Raven, Libra, Hair of Veronica, Southern Cross, Northern Crown, Ophiuchus, Scorpio, Virgo, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Charioteer, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aries, Triangle, Pisces, Perseus, Lyra, Swan, Eagle . Most of these 46 constellations are of mythological origin - they depict the characters of ancient Greek myths and legends.

Here, for example, what kind of picture did the ancient Egyptians see in the constellation surrounding the Big Dipper Bucket. They saw a bull, a man lay next to him, a man was dragged along the ground by a hippopotamus, which walked on two legs and carried a crocodile on its back.

Also, the myth of the beautiful Callisto was attributed to these objects. She was the beloved of the most omnipotent Zeus. This event greatly upset the lawful wife of Zeus - she turned the nymph Callisto into a Bear. The saddened Bear was in the balance of death at the hands of her own son Arkas (also the son of Zeus), whom she encountered while hunting. Saved from murder by Zeus himself. He gave her eternal life as a constellation in the sky (Ursa Major). Her son Arkas was sent to heaven with his dog. Arkas accepted the role of his mother's eternal guardian. Zeus turned him into the constellation Bootes (bear guardian or shepherd), and his dog into the constellation Ursa Minor.

There is another version about this legend and the origin of the name of the constellations. The Indians of South America, in the silhouette of "our" Ursa Minor, saw a monkey that grabbed the star with its tail and spun around it. The Kazakhs of antiquity connected the Small and Big Buckets into a single whole, seeing a horse there connected with an "iron nail", i.e. with the brightest polar star. It is located at the very end of the handle of the Ursa Minor bucket. Since the Earth rotates on its axis, it seems that all the stars are circling above it. But not all. In a survey to the question "Which star serves as a guide to the north?" 14 people answered that this star always points to the north. This is important for sailors and travelers to avoid getting lost. They gave the name "Temir-Kazyk".

The name of the constellation Cassiopeia is associated with the name of the queen of Ethiopia. The husband of Cassiopeia Cepheus is also not forgotten, between Ursa Minor and Cassiopeia there is a group of stars named after him. The constellations Cygnus, Lyra and Eagle, which include the brightest stars such as Deneb, Vega, Altair, create a summer-autumn triangle in our sky, with which no legend or myth fits. The singer Orpheus is depicted in Lebed, whose singing touched the hearts of not only people, but also wild animals.

The eagle depicts the bird that fulfilled Zeus' order to peck the liver of Prometheus, who betrayed all the gods and gave fire to people. Hercules (Hercules) freed Prometheus from torment by killing the Eagle. The achievements of Hercules are also reminded by another constellation - the Dragon. This Dragon guarded the garden where beautiful golden apples grew. Hercules fought the Dragon and won.

The names of many other groups of celestial bodies also have in common with the names of brave men and heroes of various myths. This is the giant hunter Orion. Near Orion are his dogs - Small Dog and Big Dog. Adjacent are the constellations Auriga, Taurus and Gemini. In one of the myths, Taurus is a bull that a well-armed Orion fights. According to other myths, Taurus is chasing the Pleiades, the daughters of the titan Atlanta.

From one legend, the constellation Auriga is associated with the mythical charioteer. According to other versions, this is the chariot of the son of the sun god - Photon. In honor of the goat that fed Zeus with its milk, the star of the Charioteer was named - Capella. Gemini is the personification of brotherly love between the glorious and courageous sons of Zeus.

Veronica's hair. A very interesting legend tells that the wife of the Egyptian pharaoh Berenice (Veronica) offered her luxurious hair as a gift to the goddess Venus. But the hair was stolen from the halls of Venus and entered the sky as a constellation. In summer, the constellation Coma Berenices can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere below the handle of the Big Dipper Dipper.

Another group of constellations was first mentioned by the astronomer Johann Bayer, who published in 1603 a magnificently designed atlas of the starry sky. It includes Peacock, Toucan, Crane, Phoenix, Flying Fish, Southern Hydra, Golden Fish, Chameleon, Bird of Paradise, Southern Triangle, Indian. Probably, the reader caught in the names of these constellations the aroma of that time - the era of great geographical discoveries, when exotic landscapes of unfamiliar southern countries arose before the eyes of Europeans. There are almost no mythological names here, but there are such actual characters of the era as the Indian, the Peacock or the Bird of Paradise. Gradually, the true appearance of the globe is revealed, and at the same time, the unfamiliar southern starry sky begins to be populated with new constellations. However, along the way, white spots are filled in the northern starry sky.

By the end of the XVII century. In the list of constellations compiled by the famous Gdansk astronomer Hevelius, one can find a number of new constellations that have appeared over the course of a century. These are the Giraffe, the Fly, the Unicorn, the Dove, the Hounds, the Chanterelle, the Lizard, the Sextant, the Lesser Lion, the Lynx, the Shield, the Southern Crown.

In 1752, the famous explorer of the southern starry sky, the French astronomer Lacaille, added 14 more constellations to the list. Here they are: Sculptor, Furnace, Clock, Grid, Cutter, Painter, Altar, Compass, Pump, Octant, Compasses, Telescope, Microscope, Table Mountain. All these constellations are located in the southern hemisphere of the starry sky. It remains for us to supplement the list with only five constellations. Three of them - Kiel, Korma and Sails - in ancient times made up the main part of the constellation of the Ship - that same mythical ship, on which, according to ancient Greek legends, the Argonaut heroes traveled to Colchis. The fourth constellation, Serpens, is remarkable in that it occupies two separate sections of the sky on star charts. You might even think that there are two constellations of the Serpent close to each other in the sky. In fact, this is one constellation, divided by the constellation Ophiuchus. Ancient star maps depict a man holding a snake in his hands. On modern maps, this ancient constellation is divided into two - Ophiuchus and Serpent. The last, 88th constellation, the Angle, is located in the southern starry sky, and its origin is as arbitrary as that of the Southern Triangle.