Looking at the night sky as a child, we try to understand what are the constellations.We are interested in the name, form a star shape, but not the definition of the concept of "constellation".Meanwhile, even as adults, we do not always understand what really lies behind this familiar word.
projection
spaceship flying in space, will never reach any of the existing celestial figures.The reason for this is that the stars lying, it seems to us, on the same plane, in fact, separated from each other often over great distances.Constellation is a projection of a separate piece of the sky with all placed on it by Space Objects.
little history
Perceptions of what constellations are, in different centuries differed.Today emit 88 celestial figures, but it was not always.The ancient constellations and their names are streamlined and described by Ptolemy in his famous treatise "Almagest".His list included the 48 celestial images.All of them, except one, have kept their names so far.Big constellation Argo (the ship of the Argonauts) was subsequently divided into three smaller Kiel, Stern and Sail.Initially, the heavenly figures, today called the ancients were described for four centuries before Ptolemy in 245 BC.e.I did it also Greek - poet Aratus.By
necessary complement existing list came at a time of great discoveries: marked on maps Star to help navigate in the vast ocean.At the end of the 16th century travelers and Frederik de Houtman Peter Keyser joined 12 other stars in the celestial figures.Among them were the Chameleon, Phoenix, South Hydra.A dozen constellations, and today you can find on a map of the southern hemisphere of the sky.
In 1613 Peter Plantsius painted on his celestial globe several new figures, and in 1624-m, thanks to the German astronomer, physician and mathematician Jakob Bartsch, they were used throughout the scientific world.Today on the map of the sky remained only two of them - the giraffe and unicorn.
final formation
List constellations on it was not completed.Hevelius in the 17th century has allocated seven stellar figures (Sextant, Leo Minor, Lizard Shield, Lynx, Chanterelle, Hounds Dogs).In the next, the 18th century has made its contribution and Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.He portrayed the 17 constellations, complete the formation of the list.
However, this did not end the history of the names of the constellations.Ancient celestial figures tried several times to rename, replacing the Greek gods and heroes of the Christian saints.Sometimes fame Olympians feel like reigning persons and commanders.However, all these attempts were unsuccessful.
Borders
By the end of the 18th century finally established a modern understanding of what are the constellations.The names of celestial images more or less established.It remained only to define the boundaries.
Today, under the constellation understand not only some light, to create a recognizable silhouette.To him belong all the "territory" near these stars.Constellation shares borders approved in 1935 after a long collaboration of several famous astronomers.
continuous movement
Map constellations were somehow fixed, but if you watch the stars all night, it is easy to notice that the celestial figures are constantly moving.Some move around a single center, while others describe the arc and disappear behind the horizon.This change in position has been called diurnal rotation.If the observer is in the Northern Hemisphere and is facing south, the stars for him will move clockwise, rises in the east and disappearing in the west.Highest constellation rise above the southern horizon.If we observe the movement of the stars, standing face to the north, the picture changes somewhat.Part of the light does not go beyond the horizon, and describes a circle in the sky.Centre it is called the north pole of the world.It is located near the North Star.
This is the same bright spot always rises and sets in a special place, unlike the Sun and the Moon, a place where sunrise and sunset each day shift.The satellite of the Earth and the day-star "travel" from one constellation to another.So, they "visit" the twelve celestial figures.The sun passes its way throughout the year, and the moon - a little over 27 days.Hospitable "home" who take day-star of every twelve months, make the zodiacal circle.
Pillars astrology
Perhaps, everyone knows what the constellations of the Zodiac there.I wonder what the heavenly pattern, in which the Sun in a particular month, are always hidden from the observer and appears only after half a year.
Zodiac Signs known to mankind for a long time.Some of their names sounded even in Mesopotamia, the cradle of one of the first civilizations.The word "Zodiac" of Greek origin: zodiakos means "savage."Twelve constellations get their name from the fact that most of them look like animals.
zodiacal circle includes not only the orbit of the moon, and all the planets of the solar system.It is located at an angle to the celestial equator, and intersects with the two points corresponding to the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
Pole World
There are many ways to answer the question, what are the constellations.Astronomers for their determination have developed a special system of coordinates.We have already referred to the North Pole in the world.It is easy to assume that there is a South pointed to the constellation of the Southern Cross.And where is the pole and the equator there.In the coordinate system, constructed in heaven, there is a decline (latitude, the distance to the equator) and right ascension (longitude).
Equator passes through certain constellations: Orion, Fish, Whale, Taurus, Eridanus, Sextant, The Eagle, The Unicorn, Hydra, Ophiuchus, Canis Minor, Leo, Aquarius, Snake.A feature of these celestial figures are available for monitoring virtually anywhere in the world.This is possible because of the location of the constellations.
North
There are several classifications of supplementing our understanding about what happens constellation.All the celestial figures are divided into belonging to the Northern or Southern hemisphere of the sky.
List constellations of the Northern Hemisphere contains images of three Gemini, Aries and Cancer.It also includes drawings of animals in heaven: Big and Little Dipper, dolphin, dragon, giraffe, Canes dogs, swans, Chanterelle, Little Horse and the Little Lion, Lynx and lizards.Among the constellations of the northern hemisphere, there are named after characters in ancient mythology: Coma, Andromeda, Cepheus, Perseus, Pegasus, Hercules, Cassiopeia, Bootes, and for objects: Lira, Sextant, Arrow, Triangle.
the other side of the Earth
Now let's see which constellations are visible to the observer in the Southern Hemisphere.Most heavenly figures here are named after inanimate objects and their parts: altar, compass, food, Kiel, Microscope, Bowl, Norma, Oktant, Telescope, pump, cutter, Sail, furnace, grid, compass, clock, Shield, South Crown,Southern Cross and the Southern Triangle.From the signs of the zodiac to the southern constellations are Capricorn, Scorpio and Sagittarius.From mythical characters here are the only Phoenix and Cepheus, but there are artists (sculptor and painter) and a representative of the peoples (Native American), as well as the embodiment of the miracle of Nature (Mensa).Many animals here: Canis Major, Crow, Dove, Wolf, Flying, Gold Fish and South, Crane, Rabbit, Bird of Paradise, Peacock, Fly, Toucan, Chameleon, South Hydra.
winter and summer
on this option to answer the question, what is the constellation, not exhausted.Another principle of classification - the year in which the heavenly pattern is best observed.After the summer, winter, spring and fall head over dominate different images.
In June, July and August, the sky decorate constellation Cygnus, Lyra and Eagle, the brightest point of which form the Summer Triangle asterism.This time of year is also available to observe Bootes, the Northern Crown, compass, Hercules and several celestial figures.
winter, headroom is not less beautiful than in summer.In the evening, the horizon appears the constellation Orion.It is easy to find in three bright dots lined up in a row.This asterism Orion's Belt.Below and to the right it is Rigel, the most conspicuous star in this heavenly figure.If the belt to the left and continue down the line soon abuts the Sirius Alpha Canis Major and the brightest star in the entire sky.Both large and small dog also apply to winter constellations.On the other end of the line through Orion's Belt, rests on Aldebaran, referring to Taurus.
autumn and spring
End of summer is accompanied by a change in the major constellations of the sky.Now, it is best to become visible Fish, Cassiopeia and Andromeda.Although the brightness is inferior to Orion and the Swan, they decorate the sky is not worse and are also worthy of attention.
spring headroom is illuminated by the stars of the Big Dipper, Leo, Virgo, Bootes.Of course, they are noticeable and at other times, but it is spring - the time of their "reign" in the sky.
main constellations and names of stars known to us since antiquity.Since then, the list of their supplemented and changed.List of the 88 celestial figures - an exhaustive answer to the question, what are the constellations.Their names give an idea of the time of occurrence of these star patterns on the maps of the sky.So, almost all the mythical characters sparkled in the era of ancient Greece and Rome.Most familiar to modern man the animals and art figures and silhouettes of various instruments - the result of rethinking star map in the 17-18 th centuries.Search constellations facilitates their relationship with the celestial equator and the poles of the world.
