Constellations are groups of stars . The constellations you can see at night depend on your location on Earth and the time of year. Constellations were named after objects, animals, and people long ago. Astronomers today still use constellations to name stars and meteor showers.
A constellation is a group of stars that appears to form a pattern or picture like Orion the Great Hunter, Leo the Lion, or Taurus the Bull . Constellations are easily recognizable patterns that help people orient themselves using the night sky. There are 88 “official” constellations. Are the stars in a constellation near each other?
Other star patterns or groups called asterisms are not constellations under the formal definition, but are also used by observers to navigate the night sky. Asterisms may be several stars within a constellation, or they may share stars with more than one constellation.
Constellation- a configuration of stars as seen from the earth natural object- an object occurring naturally; not made by man asterism- ( astronomy ) a cluster of stars (or a small constellation) star- (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior.
Configuration, constellation(noun) an arrangement of parts or elements. “the outcome depends on the configuration of influences at the time “. Constellation(noun) a configuration of stars as seen from the earth.
This of course begs the query “Do we still use constellations today?”
One idea is that Astronomers today still use constellations to name stars and meteor showers . A constellation is a group of stars that looks like a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name. These stars are far away from Earth. They are not connected to each other at all.
Are the Stars in a constellation connected to each other?
They are not connected to each other at all. Some stars in a constellation might be close while others are very far away. 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.
What is the definition of constellation in geography?
Definition of constellation. 1: the configuration of stars especially at one’s birth . 2: any of 88 arbitrary configurations of stars or an area of the celestial sphere covering one of these configurations the constellation Orion.
, and n. Early 14c, from Old French constellacion “constellation, conjuncture (of planets),” from Late Latin constellationem (nominative constellatio) “set with stars,” from constellatus, from Latin com- “with” (see com-) + past participle of stellare “to shine,” from stella “star” (see star).
An arrangement of parts or elements. A configuration of stars as seen from the earth. Familiarity information: CONSTELLATION used as a noun is rare .