Transcript Pasco County Starlab Training

CONSTELLATIONS
Constellation
The Connection
Education
What did the ancient people
use stars (patterns of stars)
for?
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Navigation – sailing, travel
Seasons – when to plant and harvest
Preserve myths, traditions, etc
Group the brighter stars into
patterns, - constellations
Patterns of stars
Boundaries
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/
Constellation
• One of the 88 named Regions of sky
defined by the International
Astronomical Union (IAU)
• Identified with the officially
recognized Patterns of Stars that lie
within the boundaries of the region
What are the 88 Constellations?
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14 men and women
9 birds
19 land animals
2 insects
10 water creatures
2 centaurs
1 head of hair
1 serpent
1 dragon
1 flying horse
1 river
29 inanimate objects, include scientific instruments (Microscopium,
Telescopium)
ORION
CANIS
MAJOR
CYGNUS
LEO MAJOR
TAURUS
AQUILA
BOOTES
SCORPIO
CASSIOPEIA
Asterism
• A generally recognized smaller/cuter
pattern of stars that is not one of
the officially recognized
constellations
• Whether or not a region of sky is
named after it – yes: constellation;
no: asterism
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What are Circumpolar
Constellations?
Circumpolar Constellations
• A Constellation that NEVER rises or sets as seen
at a certain latitude
• Six circumpolar constellations seen in Pasco (28º
N, 82º W)
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Ursa Major – Larger Bear
Ursa Minor – Smaller bear
Cassiopeia – Queen
Cepheus – King
Draco – Dragon
Camelopardalis – The Giraffe
Circumpolar Constellations in Pasco
Ursa Major
Cepheus
Cassiopeia
Ursa Minor
Draco
Camelopardalis
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www.acmecompany.com
Constellation Resources
• Workshop CD
• Websites:
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http://earth.google.com./sky
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu
• Especially http://amazingspace.stsci.edu/tonights_sky/index.php
– http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/learnsky.html
• Books
– Constellations Dot-To-Dot
– Astronomy & More (StarLab Manual)