Constellations

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Constellations
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What is a star?

• A STAR is a large sphere of glowing gases.
• Stars change over time.
• Which is the closest star to Earth?
• THE SUN!
• The sun is a medium sized star
• MUCH, MUCH larger than Earth

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Stars as Tools for Navigation

• The North Star is called Polaris and located
  directly above the North Pole. This star appears
  in the same place every night all year long.

• In the Northern Hemisphere, if you find Polaris
  you will be able to tell which direction is
  north.

• The Southern Hemisphere does not have a star to
  help you find its pole. In stead it has what is
  known as a Southern Cross.

• The Southern Cross consists of 4 bright stars
  and some dimmer ones. All of these together
  point to the south pole.

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Stars as tools for navigation

• North Star

• Southern Cross

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Patterns of Stars
People of ancient time saw the constellations as
character or animals in the sky. They made up
stories to explain how the object, animal, or
character came into the night sky.
A pattern or group of stars in the sky is called
a constellation.
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Star Patterns
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The Big Dipper
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Constellations

• Earth rotates on its axis, this makes most
  constellations appear to rise in the east and set
  in the west during the night.

• Most constellations appear in many different
  positions in the sky as the Earth revolves around
  the sun.

• There is a group of stars that appear in the sky
  all night long and all year long. It seems that
  these stars do not rise and set, but circle the
  Earths north pole each night. These stars are
  called circumpolar.

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STAR CHARTS
How can we identify constellations in the night
sky? The use of a star chart can help us! A
STAR CHART is a map of the stars in the night
sky.
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STAR CHARTS
On a star chart, lines often connect the stars
that might make up a constellation. Different
star charts must be used at different times of
the year and in different places on Earth. Many
stars visible from the Southern hemisphere cannot
be seen from the Northern hemisphere.
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STAR CHARTS
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What other tools can help us identify
constellations?

• STAR CHARTS are the BEST for identifying a
  constellation in the sky.
• A COMPASS is the BEST for locating DIRECTION
  (North, South, East, and West) You need to know
  direction before you can use a star chart
  correctly.

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What other invention helps us view items in space?

• A telescope!

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Brainpops

• Constellations
• Telescopes

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NOTES

• Star- large sphere of glowing gases
• Constellations- a pattern or group of stars in
  the sky
• Star Chart- map of the stars in the night sky
• used as a way to identify constellations
• Compass- used to locate direction in order to
  use a star chart correctly
• Telescope- used to see far away objects in space
  up-close

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NOTES

• Star- large __________ of glowing _________
• Constellations- a _________ or group of ______
  in the sky
• Star Chart- _______ of the ______ in the night
  sky
• used as a way to identify constellations
• Compass- used to locate _________ in order to
  use a star chart _________
• Telescope- used to see ______ away ________ in
  ________ up-close