The constellation Orion is framed by two Perseid meteors on Aug. So, for example, the Orionids meteor shower, which occurs in October each year, appear to come from the same direction as the constellation Orion the Hunter. Many stars, nebulae, and other objects are named after the constellations they are found in.įor example, meteor showers are named for the constellation where the meteors appear to be coming from. Because the constellations are in a fixed location, they are often used as landmarks in the sky. They only appear to move in the sky during the year because we are on a moving planet. Stars and constellations stay in approximately the same spot for many, many years. This photo of the constellation Orion was taken by NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg aboard the International Space Station. Legends in the Sky - Constellation Tales from Around the World If you want to learn more about this, check out this resource from the Night Sky Network: While astrology is important to some cultural traditions, its claims are not based on scientific evidence.Ĭonstellations are an important part of folklore for many cultures. Astrology is based on the belief that the location of certain stars and planets in the sky can predict the future or describe what a person is like. As a science, astronomy follows the scientific process involving evidence and data. Studying the scientific properties of these objects in space helps us to understand how the universe was made, what else is out there, and how we fit in.Īstrology is not the same thing as astronomy. Astronomers and other scientists study stars and galaxies, most of which are many light-years away from Earth. RobbertoĪstronomy is the scientific study of everything in outer space. It is located in the constellation Orion, below the three stars that form the hunter's belt. This image of the Orion nebula was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. What’s the difference between astrology and astronomy? Want more? Our star finder activity is a great way to have some fun and learn about the constellations visible in our night sky each month. During that time of year, Virgo’s stars would only be visible during the daytime – but you’d never see them because of the brightness of our Sun. But you won’t see Virgo because that constellation is on the other side of the Sun. You’ll probably be able to see the constellation Pisces. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltechįor example, say you’re in the Northern Hemisphere looking into the night sky on September 21. You can see how it all works in the illustration below.Ī chart showing some of the constellations that are visible from the Northern Hemisphere in different times of year. It can be a little confusing to picture how the night sky changes as we orbit the Sun. This means that stargazers in Australia, for example, get a slightly different view of the sky and can see a few different constellations than those in the United States. The Northern Hemisphere is always pointing in a different direction than the Southern Hemisphere. Your location on Earth also determines what stars and constellations you see, and how high they appear to rise in the sky. The stars appear each night to move slightly west of where they were the night before. So, the night sky looks slightly different each night because Earth is in a different spot in its orbit. Our view into space through the night sky changes as we orbit. Earth orbits around the Sun once each year. The constellations you can see at night depend on the time of year. Pettit What constellations can you see in the night sky? This photo of the big dipper was taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station, but you can often see this group of stars from the ground, too! Credit: NASA/Donald R. This group of stars is called the "big dipper." If you trace a line between the stars, it looks like a ladle, or dipper, that you'd use to dip soup from a pot. Today, there are 88 officially recognized constellations. Over time, cultures around the world have had different names and numbers of constellations depending on what people thought they saw. But, if you were to draw lines in the sky between the stars like a dot-to-dot puzzle – and use lots of imagination – the picture would look like an object, animal, or person. Some stars in a constellation might be close while others are very far away. They are not connected to each other at all. Often, it's a group of stars that looks like a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name. There are a few different definitions of constellations, but many people think of constellations as a group of stars.
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