Please revise with more about constellations and more pictures thanks!
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Renee Fregeau
Mrs. Smith
Earth Science
4/3/2107
Constellations
Constellations receive their definition and form from the International Astronomical
Union. It is a group of stars that are recognized by the pattern they form and are often said to be
associated with a creature in mythology. Most of the constellations are believed to originate in
Western tradition and get their names from this part of the world.
In the Northern Hemisphere, several constellations can be seen at certain times in the
night. How and when they appear depends largely on one’s location and the season of the year.
In Autumn, the Andromeda can be seen. It is a V-shaped
constellation close to the North Pole and it has a Greek
myth behind it largely about Andromeda’s mother, Queen
Cassiopeia. In Summer, Hercules, can be seen as a figure
Figure 1 Andromeda. (DailyGalaxy.com)
kneeling and it contains the globular cluster M13. Each of
the constellations have a story behind them that largely comes from Greek mythology. One such
myth is that Hercules killed Hydra (another constellation that can be seen in the Spring time)
who was a snake with multiple heads that grew back very quickly. Hydra’s murder is one of the
twelve labors of Hercules.
According to the astronomy department at Cornell University, “astronomy is the oldest
science” that dates back to the Stone Age in which people would attempt to figure out things in
the world by looking at the sky. However, the most useful uses of constellations were for
farming and agriculture which helped people determine when was the best time to grow food,
how long it took to grow, and then when was the best time to gather everything up.
Constellations are identified by seasons too, for example Aquila is a summer constellation while
Perseus is a winter constellation.
Constellations also serve as a way to name the stars.
Stars are assigned their names based on the group of
constellations they are in and these assignments by labeled by
letters from the Greek alphabet. Additionally, one can navigate
by looking at the constellations. Some people think about the
“star” that guided the Wise Men during ancient bible times to
Figure 2 (Orion, NASA)
find the infant Jesus when he was born. Ship captains often look to the stars to guide their ships
into safe harbor or to avoid storms, to travel extremely long distances or when entering new
waters (for example, from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean).
Astronomers consider constellations to be important because of the above reasons but
also because they serve as a guide to describing the location of the planets. Within the solar
system, if planets shift significantly or planetary changes are made for some other reason,
astronomers can use the constellations to explain some of these movements. According to
Professor John D. Barrow at Gresham College, some stars make themselves visible in the night
sky while others never allow themselves to be seen on either hemisphere. Studying the visibility
and lack thereof assists astronomers in predicting celestial events, especially those that are
important or impactful to life on earth.
Works Cited
Astronomy Department at Cornell University. “What Are Constellations Used For?
(Intermediate).” Retrieved from http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/about-us/117-theuniverse/stars-and-star-clusters/constellations/375-what-are-constellations-used-forintermediate.
Barron, John D. (25 January 2007). “The Origin of the Constellations.” Retrieved from
https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/the-origin-of-the-constellations.
Figure 1. DailyGalaxy.com “Andromeda”.
Figure 2. NASA. “Orion”. Picture of the Day.
Galat, Joan Marie. (20 October 2011). “Why Constellations and Astronomy Are Important.”
Retrieved from http://sci-why.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-constellations-and-astronomyare.html.
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