A constellation is a group of stars that, when drawing a line that joins them in an imaginary way, form a figure in the sky. In this way figures of people, objects or animals are formed. This type of figures in the sky was useful for navigation in ancient times, since, through these constellations, ships could guide themselves and know where they were. There are 12 major types of constellations are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces.
How many major Types of constellation are there?
- Aries
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Leo
- Virgo
- Libra
- Scorpius
- Sagittarius
- Capricornus
- Aquarius
- Pisces.
As we have said above, the union between the points that form a certain constellation has been (and is) arbitrary . In other words, they do not respond to a specific astronomical question, but rather to a human criterion and not referring to the stars that make up those constellations.
However, these constellations have been written down and have become part of the astronomical communication of ancient civilizations. Although the stars that form the same constellation seem to be found at a short distance, the truth is that they can be found millions of kilometers apart from each other.
Early discoveries
The ancient peoples who have observed the sky and who began to make the first notes on the constellations were the civilizations of the Middle East and those of the Mediterranean . However, and as already mentioned, since they were arbitrary in nature, many of them could correspond to constellations of a given civilization while another civilization might not recognize it as such.
Observations of the constellations
Constellations can be observed directly by looking at the night sky. However, for better observation, it is necessary to make an observation from the night sky in the countryside, since in the city, as a product of lights and environmental pollution, the luminosity of the night sky becomes opaque, avoiding seeing all the available stars in the sky.
It is also useful to obtain, previously, a map of the night sky, to locate the constellations in it. Constellations are divided into two large groups. Both are divided by their location in the sky in relation to the Ecuador line:
- Northern constellations . They are located north of the Ecuador line.
- Austral constellations . They are located south of the equator
The navegation
These creations have been very useful, particularly for night navigation in ancient times where the lack of technology greatly limited the orientation of navigators (except for the use of a compass).
In this way, navigators could (observing the stars and these constellations) know where they should go in order to know the destination and the route they should follow to avoid deviating.
What are the Examples of constellations?
- Apus, the bird of paradise
- Camelopardalis, the giraffe
- Chamaeleon, the chameleon
- Crux, the cross
- Dorado, the fish
- Grus, the crane. during the 17th century
- Hydrus, the male hydra
- Indus, the American Indian
- Jordan, the Jordan River
- Monoceros, the unicorn
- Musca, the fly
- Peacock
- Phoenix, the phoenix
- Tigris, the Tigris river
- Triangulum Australe, the southern triangle
- Tucana, the toucan
- Volans, the flying fish
- Ketu (south lunar node)
- Shukra (Venus)
- Ravi or Suria (Sol)
- Chandra (Luna)
- Mangala (Mars)
- Rahu (north lunar node)
- Guru or Bríjaspati (Jupiter)
- Shani (Saturn)
- Budha (Mercury)
- Aquarius constellation
- Andromeda constellation
- Aquila constellation
- Ara constellation
- Aries constellation
- Charioteer Constellation
- Bootes Constellation
- Cancer Constellation
- Canis Maior constellation
- Canis Minor Constellation
- Capricorn constellation
- Cassiopeia Constellation
- Cepheus constellation
- Centaurus constellation
- Cetus constellation
- Corona Australis Constellation
- Corona Borealis Constellation
- Corvus constellation
- Crater constellation
- Crux constellation
- Cygnus constellation
- Delphinus constellation
- Draco constellation
- Equuleus constellation
- Eridano constellation
- Gemini constellation
- Hercules constellation
- Hydra constellation
- Leo constellation
- Lepus constellation
- Libra constellation
- Lupus constellation
- Lyra constellation
- Ophiuchus constellation
- Orion constellation
- Ursa Major Constellation
- Ursa Minor Constellation
- Pegasus constellation
- Perseus constellation
- Pisces constellation
- Pisces Austrinus constellation
- Sagittarius constellation
- Sagitta constellation
- Scorpius constellation
- Serpens constellation
- Taurus constellation
- Triangulum constellation
- Virgo constellation
