MODULE 1: Constellations

In this module, you will learn…

… the name, shape and position of certain constellations,

… how ancient cultures used stories to organise the night sky.

Initial activity

The night sky is full of stars. Sometimes, we ‘join the dots’ together and see some very
nice shapes and sizes. Above, a representation of the Cassiopeia constellation of
her sitting in her throne.

In reality, of course, the shapes are much less obvious. The two drawings below are
part of two famous constellations.

Can you recognise to what constellations these patterns belong to?

Write down your answer in the space provided or in your notebook.

_________________________ _________________________

Answers: Left is Big Dipper or The Plough, in the Ursa Major constellation. Right is Orion.

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 WHAT IS A CONSTELLATION?

Being astronomically rigorous, a constellation is

an area of the celestial sphere. In 1922, the
International Astronomical Union defined the 88
official constellations that cover the whole sky.

Most popular star patterns are asterisms.

Asterisms have a close resemblance to their
name and can group stars from several
constellations.

Constellations are like patches in the sky.

Stargazing

Wouldn’t it be nice to be outside and show off to your friends by knowing the names
and positions of some stars?

Stargazing from London can be a bit difficult. It being such a big and active city,
local glare and light pollution make the stars appear quite dim in comparison. Even
if all lights in London were turned off, the unforgiving British weather would mean
many nights would be more suitable for cloud gazing1 rather than stargazing.

To get a taste of the experience, we can simulate the

night sky from our computers, phones or tablets. Go to
the following link: [Link]

This night sky application, Stellarium, is accessible from multiple devices. Apart from
the web version, you can download free versions for both computers and phones.
Use whichever version you like, but don’t waste much time getting yourself set up!

In the following page you will find some of the basic features of Stellarium.
Depending on the version you use it may look slightly different. Play around with the
program to get a feeling of how it works. Make sure you know where your location is,
where the date and time is and how to move to point to other cardinal points. Try
pressing on night sky objects and seeing what information it shows.

1 A real thing, by the way: [Link]

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Stargazing with Stellarium

1. Let it be night in Stellarium. Move your screen to point North if necessary.

Can you find the Big Dipper (also called the Plough)?

This is an asterism of the Ursa Major constellation (the Big Bear). If you follow
the direction of the arrow indicated in the diagram, you will find Polaris.
Polaris is known as the North Star because if you trace a line straight down to
Earth, so that it is perpendicular to the horizon, you will be indicating North
almost exactly. You can see Polaris all year round.

2. Close to Polaris you will find the constellation of the Greek queen Cassiopeia.

Close to Cassiopeia is her daughter Andromeda. On a very dark, clear night

you might be lucky enough to see the fuzzy little patch within the Andromeda
constellation, also known as the Andromeda Galaxy. This is the only galaxy
which is possible to see with the naked eye in the northern hemisphere.

3. Point your screen to the south now. Find Orion. If necessary, you might need
to change the date or time. Orion is best seen between November and
March. For example, January 1st at 11pm.

In the diagram there are two stars labelled A and B, and a group of stars
labelled C. Can you find their names using Stellarium?

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Answers: A is Sirius, B is Aldebaran, and C are the Pleiades.
A Legend of Orion

There are many legends and myths about the constellations. Here you can find a
modern adaptation of Orion’s myth.

Orion was a strong and arrogant Greek hunter who wronged the princess Merope
very badly, and as a punishment was bit by a giant scorpion. After his death he was
sent to the heavens to be remembered by everyone on Earth, probably as a
warning of what might happen to you if you are such a bad person.

In the heavens he did not cease to be his usual self. He insisted on giving flowers and
compliments to the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades, who didn’t need nor appreciate his
constant attention. Annoyed, they asked their big strong Bull pet to keep Orion busy
at the front door.

Despite Orion’s evident unpopularity, some friends always remain. As a hunter on

Earth, he had two loyal dogs: Canis Major and Canis Minor. They were so loyal to him
that they went up to the heavens just to keep him company.

If we now go back to the stars in the night sky, we can see Orion in the centre,
fighting with the Taurus constellation. The Bull’s eye is the bright star Aldebaran.
Behind the Bull is the beautiful star cluster Pleiades. To the left of Orion, you find the
dog constellations. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, marks the place where
Canis Major’s heart is, representing the authentic love of the loyal dog.

Pleiades

Aldebaran

Sirius

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Optional Extension Work

Most official constellations are related to Greek mythology. Many other cultures
have their own patterns, names and stories.

Think about a culture you like or identify with. Look up their cosmology in the internet.
Did they name the night sky?

Select one of their constellations and draw it in your notebook. Try to find it in
Stellarium. What is the story associated with it?

Do I now know …?

Tick the box that best reflects your knowledge.

YES MAYBE NO

What a constellation is …………………………………………………...

How to find the North Star, Polaris ……………………………………..

How to recognise the shape of Cassiopeia ………………………….

How to use Orion to find stars Sirius and Aldebaran …..……………

That different cultures have different stories for their

constellations ……………………………………………………………….

See you in the next module… Ancient Astronomy!