WHAT IS A CONSTELLATION?
A constellation is a group of stars that forms an imaginary
outline or pattern on the celestial sphere, typically representing an animal,
mythological person or creature, a god, or an inanimate object.
The origins of the earliest constellations likely go back to
prehistory. People used them to relate stories of their beliefs, experiences,
creation, or mythology. Different cultures and countries adopted their own
constellations, some of which lasted into the early 20th century before today's
constellations were internationally recognized.
The 48 traditional Western constellations are Greek. They
are given in Aratus' work Phenomena and Ptolemy's Almagest, though their origin
probably predates these works by several centuries. Twelve ancient
constellations belong to the zodiac (straddling the ecliptic, which the Sun,
Moon, and planets all traverse). The origins of the zodiac remain historically
uncertain; its astrological divisions became prominent c. 400 BC in Babylonian
or Chaldean astronomy probably dates back to prehistory.
In 1928, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) formally
accepted 88 modern constellations, with contiguous boundaries that together
cover the entire celestial sphere. Some astronomical naming systems include the
constellation where a given celestial object is found to convey its approximate
location in the sky.
Other star patterns or groups called asterisms are not
constellations per se but are used by observers to navigate the night sky.
Asterisms often refer to several stars within a constellation or may share
stars with several constellations.
In contemporary astronomy, there are 88 constellations
recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Each constellation is
a region of the sky, bordered by arcs of right ascension and declination.
Together they cover the entire celestial sphere and were adopted officially by
the International Astronomical Union in 1922.
The constellations along the ecliptic are called the zodiac.
When explorers mapped the stars of the southern skies, European astronomers
proposed new constellations for that region, as well as ones to fill gaps
between the traditional constellations. Not all of these proposals caught on,
but in 1922, the International Astronomical Union adopted the modern list of 88
constellations. After this, Eugène Joseph Delporte drew up precise boundaries
for each constellation, so that every point in the sky belonged to exactly one
constellation.
The word "constellation" comes from the Late Latin
term cōnstellātiō, which can be translated as "set of stars"; it came
into use in English during the 14th century. A more modern astronomical sense
of the term "constellation" is simply as a recognisable pattern of
stars whose appearance is associated with mythological characters or creatures,
or earthbound animals, or objects. It can also specifically denote the
officially recognized 88 named constellations used today.
Colloquial usage does not draw a sharp distinction between
"constellations" and smaller "asterisms" (pattern of
stars), yet the modern accepted astronomical constellations employ such a
distinction. The southern False Cross asterism includes portions of the
constellations Carina and Vela.
A constellation (or star), viewed from a particular latitude
on Earth, that never sets below the horizon is termed circumpolar. From the
North Pole or South Pole, all constellations south or north of the celestial
equator are circumpolar.
Although stars in constellations appear near each other in
the sky, they usually lie at a variety of distances away from the Earth. Since
stars have their own independent motions, all constellations will change slowly
over time. Astronomers can predict the past or future constellation outlines by
measuring individual stars' common proper motions by accurate astrometry and
their radial velocities by astronomical spectroscopy.
CONSTELLATIONS:ITS KINDS-CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS(NORTHERN) and NON-CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS(SOUTHERN)
WHAT DOES CIRCUMPOLAR MEAN?
Circumpolar means to circle around the pole. Circumpolar
stars or constellations daily trace circles around the north celestial pole,
without setting or dipping below the horizon. They move in a counterclockwise
direction. On any given night, the constellation is visible during a portion of
the circle; the rest is traced out when the constellation is hidden in the
daylight sky.
CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS: THEIR DEFINITIONS AND THEIR MEANINGS,AND THEIR STAR CHARTS
a.)Ursa Major, the Big Bear (includes the Big Dipper)
b.)Ursa Minor, the Little Bear
c.)Cassiopeia, the Queen of Ethiopia
d.)Cepheus, the King of Ethiopia
e.)Draco, the Dragon
In Summary
As we face north from Shawnee, Oklahoma, the north celestial
pole is found 35 degrees above the northern horizon (latitude of Shawnee = 35
degrees north).
Polaris, the tip of the tail of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear,
marks the north celestial pole to with an error of about one angular degree.
The pointer stars of the Big Dipper point toward Polaris.
The pointer closest to Polaris is Dubhe, the tail of the Big Bear, which lies
about 28 angular degrees from Polaris. Every 24 hours the Big Dipper completes a full circle around
Polaris (or the Big Bear circles the smaller bear).
This counterclockwise
motion can be used as a star clock to tell local, universal, or sidereal time.
The Big Dipper is found crossing the meridian at midnight
near the end of March.
A.) Ursa Major or the Big Bear is the third largest of the
88 constellations. In America they are called the Big Dipper or "Drinking
Gourd," and in Britain the "Plough" or the "Wain." The
Big Dipper is one of the most easily recognizable groups of stars in the sky.
It is referred to as circumpolar because it never completely sets below the
horizon, but is visible in northern skies year-round.
Due to the daily rotation of the earth, the dipper rotates
around the north star every twenty four hours. As the night hours pass and the
Earth turns on its axis, the stars turn in circles around Polaris, which
appears to stand still. Some constellations are close enough to Polaris that
they never set below the horizon. These are the circumpolar stars. These appear
to rise in the east, cross overhead, and set in the west, much like the Sun.
Three stars make up the Big Dipper's handle, and four stars
make its bowl. The Big and Little Dippers pour into each other, just as the Big
Bear and the Little Bear ceaselessly turn around and around the northern sky.
The Guard stars of the Little Dipper protect Polaris from the Great Bear, just
in case he might try to catch the North Star for himself.
STAR CHART
Legend: In
the constellation chart above...
Star colors
represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
Bright star
labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
The size of
each star indicates its relative magnitude.
Constellation
names are light blue.
Grid lines
represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator,
or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the
equator).
Messier
object numbers are pink.
Galaxies are
ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
Globular
clusters are gold starbursts.
Open
clusters are dotted white circles.
Planetary
nebula are green diamonds.
Bright
nebula are magenta squares.
Dark nebula
are grey rectangles.
Green x's
are x-ray sources.
Purple O's
with a diagonal slash through them are quasars.
B.)Use the
pointer stars of the Big Dipper to find Polaris, the tip of Ursa Minor's tail.
The two other bright stars of Ursa Minor represent the far edge of its dipper,
and lie nearer to the Big Dipper.
Due to the
daily rotation of the earth, the dipper rotates around the north star every
twenty four hours.
As the night hours pass and the Earth turns on its axis, the
stars turn in circles around Polaris, which appears to stand still. Some
constellations are close enough to Polaris that they never set below the
horizon. These are the circumpolar stars.
Constellations
come,
and climb
the heavens, and go,
And thou
dost see them rise,
Star of the
Pole!
and thou
dost see them set,
Alone, in
thy cold skies,
Thou keep'st
thy old unmoving station yet.
From ancient
times sailors have known that the altitude of Polaris above the horizon is the
same as one's latitude on Earth. Our latitude in Shawnee is 35 degrees north,
and we find Polaris 35 degrees above the northern horizon. Similarly, to sail
west at a constant latitude Columbus kept the north star at a constant altitude
above the horizon.
STAR CHART
Legend: In
the constellation chart above...
Star colors
represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
Bright star
labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
The size of
each star indicates its relative magnitude.
Constellation
names are light blue.
Grid lines
represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator,
or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the
equator).
Messier
object numbers are pink.
Galaxies are
ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
Globular
clusters are gold starbursts.
Open
clusters are dotted white circles.
Planetary
nebula are green diamonds.
Bright
nebula are magenta squares.
Dark nebula
are grey rectangles.
Green x's
are x-ray sources.
Purple
O's with a diagonal slash through them are quasars
C.)Wife of
King Cepheus, Mother of Andromeda. When Cassiopeia objected to the wedding of
Perseus and Andromeda, Perseus displayed the head of Medusa, which he had
concealed in his travel bag. As a result, his enemies, including Cassiopeia,
were turned into stone.
Neptune placed Cassiopeia in the heavens, but in order
to humiliate her, he arranged it so that at certain times of the years she
would appear to be hanging upside down. Like the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia is
circumpolar and therefore visible no matter what the season or time of night.
In the fall Cassiopeia is in the shape of a W and in the Spring she is in the
shape of a M.
STAR CHART
Legend: In
the constellation chart above...
Star colors
represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
Bright star
labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
The size of
each star indicates its relative magnitude.
Constellation
names are light blue.
Grid lines
represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator,
or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the
equator).
Messier
object numbers are pink.
Galaxies are
ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
Globular
clusters are gold starbursts.
Open clusters
are
D.)Another
circumpolar constellation is the Ethiopian king, Cepheus (SEE-fee-us). He sits
atop the Milky Way on a throne near his queen Cassiopeia. The legs and seat of
his throne make a rough square. On the Ursa Major side of Cassiopeia, looks
like a house (or throne) sitting on the Milky Way. Look for mu-Cephei, the
"garnet star," with a deep reddish tint. The back of the seat comes
to a point at the top above his head.
STAR CHART
Legend: In
the constellation chart above...
Star colors
represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
Bright star
labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
The size of
each star indicates its relative magnitude.
Constellation
names are light blue.
Grid lines
represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator,
or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the
equator).
Messier
object numbers are pink.
Galaxies are
ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
Globular
clusters are gold starbursts.
Open
clusters are dotted white circles.
Planetary
nebula are green diamonds.
Bright
nebula are magenta squares.
Dark nebula
are grey rectangles.
Green x's
are x-ray sources.
Purple O's
with a diagonal slash through them are quasars.
E.) To the
Babylonians, Draco was Tiamat, a dragon killed by the sun god in the creation
of the world.
To the
Greeks, Draco guarded the Golden Apples of the Sun in a magical garden. Draco is the
8th largest constellation, occupying over 1,000 square degrees in the sky as it
winds from the Pointers of Ursa Minor nearly to Vega in Lyra. Yet it has no
bright stars.
Legend: In
the constellation chart above...
Star colors
represent their spectral types (even for double stars).
Bright star
labels are yellow; significant other stars are labelled in magenta.
The size of
each star indicates its relative magnitude.
Constellation
names are light blue.
Grid lines
represent either 10 degree intervals of declination above or below the equator,
or intervals of one hour (=15 degrees) of right ascension (measured along the
equator).
Messier
object numbers are pink.
Galaxies are
ovals: blue if spiral, yellow if elliptical, light blue if irregular.
Globular
clusters are gold starbursts.
Open clusters
are dotted white circles.
Planetary
nebula are green diamonds.
Bright
nebula are magenta squares.
Dark nebula
are grey rectangles.
Green x's
are x-ray sources.
Purple
O's with a diagonal slash through them are quasars.
NON-CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATION (SOUTHERN):
THEIR MEANINGS AND DEFINITION
CANIS MAJOR
is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere. In the second century,
it was included in Ptolemy's 48 constellations, and is counted among the 88
modern constellations. Its name is Latin for "greater dog" in
contrast to Canis Minor, the "lesser dog"; both figures are commonly
represented as following the constellation of Orion the hunter through the sky.
The Milky Way passes through Canis Major and several open clusters lie within
its borders, most notably M41.
CANIS MINOR
Canis Minor /ˌkeɪnɪs ˈmaɪnər/ is a small constellation in the northern celestial
hemisphere. In the second century, it was included as an asterism, or pattern,
of two stars in Ptolemy's 48 constellations, and it is counted among the 88
modern constellations. Its name is Latin for "lesser dog", in
contrast to Canis Major, the "greater dog"; both figures are commonly
represented as following the constellation of Orion the hunter.
ORION
is a
prominent constellation located on the celestial equator and visible throughout
the world. It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in
the night sky.It was named after Orion, a hunter in Greek mythology. Its
brightest stars are Rigel (Beta Orionis) and Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis), a
blue-white and a red supergiant, respectively.
SCORPIUS
is
one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and
its symbol is Scorpio.svg (Unicode ♏). Scorpius is one of the 48
constellations identified by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century.
It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east. It is a large
constellation located in the southern hemisphere near the center of the Milky
Way.
ZODIAC SIGNS WITH THEIR SIGNS DEPENDING ON THE FOUR ELEMENTS
ZODIAC SIGNS WITH THEIR SIGNS DEPENDING ON THE FOUR ELEMENTS
There are 12
zodiac signs, and each sign has its own strengths and weaknesses, its own
specific traits, desires and attitude towards life and people. By analyzing the
projection of the position of planets, and the Sun and the Moon on the Ecliptic
at the moment of birth. Astrology can give us a glimpse of a person's basic
characteristics, preferences, flaws and fears.
By selecting
your sign from the detailed zodiac sign dates list you will discover everything
on the character of your Sun sign, it's Horoscope, traits, profile, history,
myth and love compatibility.
Each of the
12 horoscope signs belongs to one of the four elements – Air, Fire, Water and
Earth. These elements represent an essential type of energy that acts in each
of us. Astrology aims to help us focus these energies on the positive aspects
and to gain a better understanding of our potential and our positive traits and
deal with negative ones.
These four
elements help describe the unique personality types associated with
astrological signs. The four zodiac elements exhibit profound influence on
basic character traits, emotions, behavior and thinking.
WATER SIGNS
Water signs
are exceptionally emotional and ultra-sensitive. They are highly intuitive and
they can be as mysterious as the ocean itself. Water signs love profound
conversations and intimacy. They rarely do anything openly and are always there
to support their loved ones. The Water Signs are: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.
FIRE SIGNS
Fire signs
tend to be passionate, dynamic, and temperamental. They get angry quickly, but
they also forgive easily. They are adventurers with immense energy. They are
physically very strong and are a source of inspiration for others. Fire signs
are intelligent, self-aware, creative and idealistic people, always ready for
action. The Fire Signs are: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius.
EARTH SIGNS
Earth signs
are “grounded” and the ones that bring us down to earth. They are mostly
conservative and realistic, but they can also be very emotional. They are
connected to our material reality and can be turned to material goods. They are
practical, loyal and stable and they stick by their people through hard times.
The Earth Signs are: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
AIR SIGNS
Air signs
are rational, social, and love communication and relationships with other
people. They are thinkers, friendly, intellectual, communicative and
analytical. They love philosophical discussions, social gatherings and good
books. They enjoy giving advice, but they can also be very superficial. The Air
Signs are: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.
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