SCIENCE (year 5)

Topic: CONSTELLATION

What is constellation?

In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the
celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed
by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky.
There are 88 standard constellations recognized by the International Astronomical
Union (IAU) since 1922. The majority of these goes back to the 48 constellations
defined by Ptolemy in his Almagest (2nd century). The remaining ones were defined
 in the 17th and 18th century; the most recent ones are found on the southern sky,
defined in Coelum australe stelliferum by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1763).
There are also numerous historical constellations not recognized by the IAU,
or constellations recognized in regional traditions of astronomy or astrology, such
as Chinese, Hindu or Australian Aboriginal.

The useful constellation

1. To develop a basic understanding that a constellation is an area of the sky

    which is represented by a group of stars that make a dot-to-dot picture of
     a person,animal, or thing.

 2. To show the usefulness of knowing the constellations.

 3.They represented a source of entertainment for people who lived in the
     past.

 4.They also were a source of religious inspiration which has been
     passed down to the present through the practices of astrology.

 5.Today, constellations provide a means for locating objects in the sky
     which are of interest to astronomers.

 6.To create an awareness of the problems of light pollution and how it affects
     our view of the nighttime sky, as witnessed in an urban setting
    (planetarium program).

 7.To introduce students to the beauty of the nighttime sky as observed from
    a rural setting  by identifying certain prominent constellations and star groups.
     Students will be familiarized with these star patterns during the orientation
     and planetarium program.

 8.Anytime: Big Dipper and Little Dipper, including how to find the North Star.

 9. Fall: Cassiopeia the queen and/or Pegasus the flying horse and/or
    Andromeda the chained princess, including the Andromeda galaxy.

10. Winter: Orion the hunter, Taurus the bull, the Seven Sisters or Pleiades
   and/or Canis Major, the big dog, including Sirius, the dog star, and second
   brightest  star in the sky.

11.To recite at least one mythology under the dome of the night sky in the
  tradition of  storytellers of years past (planetarium program).

12.To show students that the sky is "alive" with areas in which stars are
  being born, have just been born, and are dying. Some of these areas can
 even be observed from the city with binoculars (winter planetarium program).

EXAMPLE  CONSTELLATION

                                      

 southern  cross

                                                            

                                  Big dipper

Scorpion

 orion

video constellation