Introduction to Constellations

This OER was designed by the OU Academy of the Lynx (oulynx.org) in conjunction with the "Galileo's World" (galileo.ou.edu) exhibition at the University of Oklahoma.

This activity is designed to be completed in 5 minutes by a typical visitor to the exhibition. For adaptations to other age levels and pedagogical settings, visit the "Introduction to Constellations Educational Cluster" below.

Introductory Constellations Activity

** The only supply necessary to complete this activity are the Urania Mirror constellation cards **

Choose one of the constellation cards from Urania’s Mirror and hold it up to the light.  Compare the star patterns (where light comes through the holes) with the constellation figures (drawn on the front side of the cards).

Q.  What is the difference between star patterns and constellation figures?  

A.  The star patterns are the configuration of the stars in the sky; the constellation figures are the imaginary pictures that help us identify the stars.

Q.  Do the star-patterns of constellations resemble the figures they are named for?

A.  No. The stars are named and grouped into recognizable clusters or constellation figures as an aid to memory. Constellation patterns are arbitrarily imposed upon the stars in honor of particular characters or stories, not because the pattern resembles the character in form. 

Example:  Only the most imaginative can see a bear in the area of the Big Dipper. There are many star-patterns that look like dippers, triangles, or squares in the sky. There are very few that actually resemble bears or people. Yet constellations were named to honor particular figures in ancient stories, not because the star pattern actually looked like the figure being honored. It took imagination to invent them a long time ago, and it takes imagination to see them now. The "handles" of the dippers represent the "tails" of the bears on ancient star maps--even though modern bears don't have long tails! The Big Bear was regarded as a bear before Homer, and an ancient Greek story explains why the Big and Little Bears have such long tails.

Q.  How many constellations are there?

A.  As many as you wish to learn!  88 constellations are officially recognized today, and many of these are of ancient origin.  Others, especially in the southern hemisphere, date from more recent times.  But every culture tells stories about the sky, and passes its skylore down from generation to generation with many constellation figures.

Q.  What is the difference between a constellation and an asterism?

A.  An asterism is a star-pattern that is not a constellation. Asterisms may be contained within a single constellation or consist of stars belonging to different constellations. The Big and Little Dippers are asterisms within the constellations of Ursus Major and Ursus Minor. The Summer Triangle and Winter Hexagon are asterisms that include stars from several constellations.

Historical Background to the Constellations

Constellations have traditionally been a significant part of education. Enjoy some colorful images from a nineteenth century box of astronomy cards, https://galileo.ou.edu/exhibits/uranias-mirror-familiar-treatise-astronomy.

Further OER's for Constellations

Use the following OER's to further explore the Galileo's World exhibition.

• Galileo's World iPad Exhibit Guide, itunes.apple.com/us/book/galileos-world-exhibit-guide/id1032005948?mt=1.
• Galileo's World iTunes U Course, itunesu.itunes.apple.com/enroll/FDS-EYK-MRL.
• Galileo's World website, galileo.ou.edu.

Constellations Educational Cluster

We want to create variations on this activity that connect Constellations to a variety of ages. Use the following chart and hyperlinks to find the one to best fit your group.