CONSTELLATIONS

WHAT ARE
CONSTELLATIONS?
A group of
stars
that form
a pattern
in the
sky.
 THE CONSTELLATIONS
• Origins
• Star patterns named by
ancient peoples after gods,
goddesses, animals,
monsters, and mythic
heroes.
• The constellations used by
Western Culture today
originated in Mesopotamia
around 3,000 B.C.
THE CONSTELLATIONS
• Only certain stars were part of
the pattern and belonged to the
constellation. Faint stars were
not part of any constellations.
• Frequently constellations were
named for their brightest star.
• Of the constellations defined by
the Babylonians, Egyptians,
and Greeks, 48 are still used
today.
COOL FACTS ABOUT
CONSTELLATIONS
• There are 88 constellations
• (48-Classical, 40-Modern)
• The constellations you see depend on
your location, date, and time.

• Most have legends, myths, or stories

behind them.
WHAT IS AN ASTERISM?
• In addition to the 88 official
constellations there are
several unofficial but
popular star patterns
Called asterisms.
• Asterisms - is a pattern of
stars from one or more
constellations, but it is not
counted as an independent
constellation
EXAMPLES OF ASTERISM?

• The Big Dipper

• The Little Dipper
• The Orion’s belt
• The Northern Cross
• The Great Square
WHY DO THE STARS APPEAR TO
MOVE IN THE NIGHT SKY?
• The stars aren't physically
moving around the North
Star.
• It's the Earth's rotation
on its axis that causes this
effect.
 Earth's rotation is the movement of the
Earth around its own axis. 

It takes Earth 24 hours, or 1 day, to make

a complete rotation on its axis.
Earth’s Revolution -as the movement of the Earth
around the Sun
It takes Earth 365 days, or 1 year, to make
a complete revolution around the sun.
CONSTELLATIONS IN DIFFERENT SEASON
/ MONTH
THE STARS SEEM TO SPIN
AROUND THE NORTH STAR
(POLARIS)
Polaris, lies nearly in a North Star
direct line with the
axis of the Earth’s
rotation “above” the
North Pole, Polaris
stands almost
motionless in the sky
and all stars of the
Northern sky appear
rotate around it.
POLARIS: THE NORTH STAR
• The brightest star in the
constellation Ursa Minor
(Little Dipper)
• MERAK AND DUBHE- are
called pointers stars because
they seem to point Polaris.
• Polaris used in navigation
because it does not change
its position at any time of the
night or year.
 HOW EARLY PEOPLE USED
THE CONSTELLATIONS
• As calendars
Orions- indicates the coming of cold season
Gemini- seen in the Philippines during the
months of April and May. Farmers
interpreted the appearance of Gemini as
the end of Planting season and it signified
rich harvest.
• For Navigation- this allowed sailors to find
their way as they sail across the seas.
( Polaris- North Star)

• Constellations are useful because they can

help people to recognize stars in the sky. By
looking for patterns, the stars and locations
can be much easier to spot. 
STARS AND CONSTELLATIONS USED BY Matigsalug Manobo of Bukidnon

Lepu Late May Time to clean the Aquila

fields
Buwaya June Start of the rainy
season
YOU SEE DIFFERENT CONSTELLATIONS
FROM EACH HEMISPHERE.

Southern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
 THE SEVEN MAJOR
CONSTELLATIONS…
Cassiopeia Orion
Cygnus Ursa major
Scorpius Ursa minor
Draco
CASSIOPEIA – “ THE
QUEEN”
CASSIOPEIA – “THE
QUEEN”
• Brightest Star – Schedar
• Best season to view – all year
• The Myth:
Cassiopeia was the queen of Ethiopia. She was
so proud of her beauty and bragged about it. She
offended the sea god Poseidon. He sent a sea
monster to attack her kingdom and teach her
some humility.
According to the legend, the sea god Poseidon
placed the figure of Cassiopeia among the stars
to remind people of her vanity.
CYGNUS – “THE
SWAN”
CYGNUS – “THE SWAN”
• Brightest Star – Deneb
• Best season to view – all year

The Myth:

One day three hunters were hiking through the

forest when they came upon a clear lake. The lake
was home to many birds including a beautiful snow
goose. One hunter shot his bow and the snow goose
fell into the lake. As the sky darkened, the spirit
of the snow goose formed a constellation
in the sky.
SCORPIUS – “THE
SCORPION”
 SCORPIUS – “THE
SCORPION”
• Brightest Star – Antares
• Best season to view – summer

The Myth:
To the ancient Greeks, the constellation Scorpius
was the image of a scorpion. The constellation was
related to the death of the giant hunter Orion. There
are several different stories about Orion's death.
According to one story, Orion wanted to kill all the
earth's wild animals, but the Earth goddess Gaia got
angry because she made the animals.
The goddess sent a scorpion to attack Orion. The
scorpion stung Orion to death with its tail. As a
reward, Gaia changed the insect into a constellation.
ORION – “THE HUNTER”
 ORION – “THE HUNTER”
• Brightest Star – Rigel and Betelgeuse
• Best season to view – the winter

The Myth:
Orion was a very good hunter, but also boastful.
Gaia, the goddess of Earth, became fed up with
Orion’s boast so she sent a deadly scorpion to kill the
hunter. The scorpion ended Orion’s bragging. Both
Orion and Scorpius were placed in the sky but to
avoid any further battles, they are never in the sky
at the same time. Orion is seen in the winter and
Scorpius is seen in the summer.
URSA MAJOR – “BIG
BEAR”
URSA MAJOR – “BIG
BEAR”
• Brightest Star – Dubhe and Merak
• Best season to view – all year

The Myth:
Zeus, king of the gods, fell in love with Callisto.
Together they had a son, Arcas. Zeus changed
Callisto into a bear to protect her from his jealous
wife, Hera. When Arcas grew up, he almost shot
his mother by mistake. Zeus protected Callisto by
changing Arcas into another bear (Ursa Minor-
Little Dipper) and placing both bears in the sky.
 URSA MINOR – “LITTLE
BEAR”
• Ursa Minor, aka, Little Bear, contains the Little
Dipper and the North Star, Polaris
 URSA MINOR – “LITTLE
BEAR”
• Brightest Star – Polaris
• Best season to view – all year

• Remember Zeus loved Callisto and changed her into a

bear to protect her from his jealous wife. Arcas liked
to hunt and almost killed his mother, Callisto, Big
Bear. Zeus decided to also change Arcas into a bear
to protect both his son and his lover. He placed both
bears in the sky together.
DRACO – “THE DRAGON”
DRACO – “THE DRAGON”
• Draco the dragon fought Minerva during the
wars between the giants and the gods.
Minerva threw Draco's twisted body into the
heavens before it had time to unwind itself.
 CONSTELLATIONS
• Aquarius – Water bearer
Sagittarius – Archer
• Aquila – Thunderbolt eagle Scorpius – Scorpion
• Aries – Ram
Taurus – Bull
• Cancer – Crab
• Canis Major – Big dog Leo – Lion
• Canis Minor- Small dog Libra- Scales
• Capricornus – Sea goat Virgo – Young maiden
• Cepheus – King
• Gemini – Twins
• Hercules – Strong man
• Hydra – Water serpent
• Pegasus – Winged horse
• Pisces – Fishes
Northern Northern Northern Northern Northern
Circumpolar Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Constellations Constellations Constellations Constellations Constellations

Cassiopeia Bootes Aquila Andromeda Canis Major

Cepheus Cancer Cygnus Aquarius Cetus
Draco Crater Hercules Capricornus Eridanus
Ursa Major Hydra Lyra Pegasus Gemini
Ursa Minor Leo Ophiuchus Pisces Orion
Virgo Sagittarius Perseus
Scorpius Taurus
 INTERESTING FACTS

• The largest constellation by area is Hydra which

is 3.16% of the sky.
• The smallest is Crux which only takes up 0.17
percent of the sky.
• The word "constellation" comes from a Latin term
meaning "set with stars."
• Twenty two different constellation names start
with the letter "C.“
• Small patterns of stars within a constellation are
called asterisms. These include the Big Dipper
and Little Dipper.