Costellations

What are Constellations?

A group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological figure. Modern astronomers divide the sky into eighty-eight constellations with defined boundaries.The word constellation has its roots in the Late Latin term constellatio, which can be translated as “set of stars”. A more functional definition would be a recognizable pattern of stars whose appearance is associated with mythical characters, creatures, or certain characteristics. It’s also important to note that colloquial usage of the word “constellation” does not generally differentiate between an asterism and the area surrounding one.

HISTORY OF EARLY CONSTELLATIONS

The earliest evidence for the humankind's identification of constellations comes from Mesopotamian (within modern Iraq) inscribed stones and clay writing tablets that date back to 3000 BC. Mesopotamian constellations appeared later in many of the classical Greek constellations. However, the ancient Babylonians were the first to recognize that astronomical phenomena are periodic and can be calculated mathematically. It was during the middle Bronze Age, that the oldest Babylonian star catalogs were created, which would later come to be consulted by Greek, Roman and Hebrew scholars to create their own astronomical and astrological systems.

How did the constellations get their names?

Most constellation names are Latin in origin, dating from the Roman empire, but their meanings often originated in the distant past of human civilization. Scorpius, for instance, was given its name from the Latin word for scorpion, but ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Refer to the star group as "Ip," the scorpion king. Orion, the hunter, bears a Greek name, but had been seen as a hunter-hero figure since the times of ancient Babylon. To clear up the confusion, names and boundaries were "officially" assigned to 88 constellations by the International Astronomical Union in 1930, providing complete coverage of the entire sky.

The 12 constellations of the zodiac are no more important to astronomers than the other 76 constellations.

Constellation names and zodiac signs 

There are some examples of constellations that are named are

    

    C A P R I C O R N 

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.

 A Q U A R I U S 

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.

P I S C E S

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.

A R I E S

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.

   T A U R U S

The constellation Taurus is hard to miss as he charges through the northern winter sky. "The bull" is one of the most noticeable constellations and one of the oldest documented constellations, with descriptions of Taurus going as far back as the early Bronze Age. Taurus is most famous for its red giant star, Aldebaran, as well as a star cluster known as the Pleiades.



G E M I N I

Gemini is fairly easy to spot in the sky, even for amateur stargazers. It is located northeast of the constellation Orion and between the Taurus and Cancer constellations. Best viewing is during February.

C A N C E R 

Cancer lies between Leo, the lion, and Gemini, the twins. It is almost impossible to see Cancer as a crab with the naked eye or even binoculars. It looks more like a faint, upside-down Y.

L E O

Leo is a highly recognizable constellation, as it is one of the few constellations that resemble its namesake. It is fairly easy to find because the "pointer stars" of the Big Dipper point to Leo.

V I R G O 

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.

L I B R A

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.

 S C O R P I O

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.

S A G I T T A R I U S

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.

Source: https://www.space.com/15722-constellations.html

https://www.google.com.ph

https://www.universetoday.com/19516/constellations/

   Thank you for reading!