Constellations

Constellations

A CONSTELLATION IS SIMPLY A GROUP
OF STARS THAT FORMS A RECOGNIZABLE
PATTERN. CONSTELLATIONS ARE NAMED
FROM WHAT THEY FORM OR SOMETIMES

THEY ARE GIVEN THE NAME OF A
MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME
COMMON CONSTELLATIONS
YOU MIGHT SEE IN THE NIGHT

SKY.

This is one of the most well known and easiest things
in the sky to spot.  It is actually part of a larger

constellation, Ursa Major (the Great Bear).  Once you
can find it, you can find the Little Dipper which is also

part of a larger constellation, Ursa Minor (the Little
Bear).  The Big Dipper is used often to find the North

Star, making it useful for directions.

Orion the Hunter

In mythology, Orion was known as one of the most
handsome men.  His constellation can be found

facing a bull or chasing the Pleiades sisters in the
sky.  He is shown with his large club. Orion’s belt is a
string of very bright stars that is very easy to find

and well known.

Leo

Leo is a Zodiac constellation and one of the largest
and oldest in the sky. It depicts a lion.

lyra

This constellation represents a lyre, a popular
musical instrument and goes with the myth of the

Greek musician and poet Orpheus.

Cepheus

Cepheus is a large constellation and home to the
Garnet Star, one of the largest known stars in the
Milky Way Galaxy.  Cepheus was King and husband to
Cassiopeia. Zeus placed him in the sky after his
death because he was descendant of one of Zeus’s

great loves.

Cassiopeia

This constellation is easy to spot due to it’s ‘W’
shape.  It is named after Cassiopeia, a queen in Greek
mythology who was married to Cepheus, which is a

neighboring constellation.