Constellation

A constellation is formally defined as a region of the celestial sphere, with

boundaries laid down by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). The
constellation areas mostly had their origins in Western-traditional patterns of
stars from which the constellations take their names.

In 1922 the International Astronomical Union officially recognized the 88 modern

constellations, covering the entire sky. They began as the 48 classical Greek
constellations laid down by Ptolemy in the Almagest. Constellations in the far
southern sky are late 16th- and mid 18th-century constructions. 12 of the 88
constellations compose the zodiac signs, though the astronomical positions of the
constellations only loosely match the dates assigned to them in astrology.

The term constellation can also refer to the stars within the boundaries of that
constellation. Notable groupings of stars that do not form a constellation are
called asterisms. When astronomers say something is in a given constellation
they mean it is within those official boundaries.

Any given point in a celestial coordinate system can unambiguously be assigned

to a single constellation (but see Argo Navis). Many astronomical naming systems
give the constellation in which a given object is found along with a designation in
order to convey a rough idea in which part of the sky it is located. For example,
the Flamsteed designation for bright stars consists of a number and the genitive
form of the constellation name.

The term "constellation"

The word "constellation" seems to come from the Late Latin term cnstellti,
which can be translated as "set of stars", and came into use in English during the
14th century. A more modern astronomical sense of the term is as a recognisable
pattern of stars whose appearance is associated with mythological characters or
creatures, or associated earthbound animals or objects. It also denotes 88 named
groups of stars in the shape of stellar-patterns. The Ancient Greek word for
constellation was "".

The naming of constellations

The terms chosen for the constellation themselves, together with the appearance
of a constellation, may reveal where and when its constellation makers lived. The
big dipper, for example, appears in many cultures under different names, e.g.
"Plough" is the name in the United Kingdom, parrot in the Maya civilization, and
the Egyptians saw it as part of the thigh and leg of a bull. Professor John D.
Barrow claimed that people who named constellations did not do so because they
thought them to be looking like e.g. a plough, but the naming was symbolic
instead for something associated with e.g. a plough.

Asterisms
An asterism is a pattern of stars recognized in the Earth's night sky and may be
part of an official constellation. It may also be composed of stars from more than
one constellation. The stars of the main asterism within a constellation are
usually given Greek letters in their order of brightness, the so-called Bayer
designation introduced by Johann Bayer in 1603. A total of 1,564 stars are so
identified, out of approximately 10,000 stars visible to the naked eye.
Aquarius (constellation)

Aquarius is a constellation of the zodiac, situated between Capricornus and Pisces. Its name
is Latin for "water-carrier" or "cup-carrier", and its symbol is Aquarius.svg (Unicode ), a
representation of water. Aquarius is one of the oldest of the recognized constellations along
the zodiac (the sun's apparent path). It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd
century AD astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations. It is
found in a region often called the Sea due to its profusion of constellations with watery
associations such as Cetus the whale, Pisces the fish, and Eridanus the river

Aries (constellation)

Aries is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It is located in the northern celestial
hemisphere between Pisces to the west and Taurus to the east. The name Aries is Latin for
ram, and its symbol is Aries.svg (Unicode ), representing a ram's horns. It is one of the 48
constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88
modern constellations. It is a mid-sized constellation, ranking 39th overall size, with an area
of 441 square degrees (1.1% of the celestial sphere).

Cancer (constellation)

Cancer is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for crab and it is
commonly represented as one. Its astrological symbol is Cancer.svg (Unicode ). Cancer is a
medium-size constellation with an area of 506 square degrees and its stars are rather faint,
its brightest star Beta Cancri having an apparent magnitude of 3.5. It contains two stars with
known planets, including 55 Cancri, which has five: one super-earth and four gas giants, one
of which is in the habitable zone and as such has expected temperatures similar to Earth.
Located at the center of the constellation is Praesepe (Messier 44), one of the closest open
clusters to Earth and a popular target for amateur astronomers.

Gemini (constellation)
Gemini is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It was one of the 48 constellations
described by the 2nd century AD astronomer Ptolemy and it remains one of the 88 modern
constellations today. Its name is Latin for "twins," and it is associated with the twins Castor
and Pollux in Greek mythology. Its symbol is Gemini.svg (Unicode ).

Leo (constellation)

Leo /lio/ is one of the constellations of the zodiac, lying between Cancer the crab to the
west and Virgo the maiden to the east. Its name is Latin for lion, and to the ancient Greeks
represented the Nemean Lion killed by the mythical Greek hero Heracles (known to the
ancient Romans as Hercules) as one of his twelve labors. Its symbol is Leo.svg (Unicode ).
One of the 48 constellations described by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, Leo remains
one of the 88 modern constellations today, and one of the most easily recognizable due to
its many bright stars and a distinctive shape that is reminiscent of the crouching lion it
depicts. The lion's mane and shoulders also form an asterism known as "The Sickle," which
to modern observers may resemble a backwards "question mark."

Libra (constellation)
Libra /libr/ is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for weighing scales, and its
symbol is Libra.svg (Unicode ). It is fairly faint, with no first magnitude stars, and lies
between Virgo to the west and Scorpius to the east. Beta Librae, also known as
Zubeneschamali, is the brightest star in the constellation. Three star systems have planets.

Taurus (constellation)

Taurus (Latin for "the Bull"; symbol: Taurus.svg, Unicode: ) is one of the constellations of
the zodiac, which means it is crossed by the plane of the ecliptic. Taurus is a large and
prominent constellation in the northern hemisphere's winter sky. It is one of the oldest
constellations, dating back to at least the Early Bronze Age when it marked the location of
the Sun during the spring equinox. Its importance to the agricultural calendar influenced
various bull figures in the mythologies of Ancient Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, Babylon, Egypt,
Greece, and Rome.

Scorpius
Scorpius is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for scorpion, and its
symbol is Scorpio.svg (Unicode ). It lies between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the
east. It is a large constellation located in the southern hemisphere near the center of the
Milky Way.
Sagittarius (constellation)

Sagittarius is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It is one of the 48 constellations listed
by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.
Its name is Latin for the archer, and its symbol is Sagittarius.svg (Unicode U+2650 ), a
stylized arrow. Sagittarius is commonly represented as a centaur pulling-back a bow. It lies
between Scorpius and Ophiuchus to the west and Capricornus to the east.

Pisces (constellation)

Pisces is a constellation of the zodiac. Its name is the Latin plural for fish. It lies between
Aquarius to the west and Aries to the east. The ecliptic and the celestial equator intersect
within this constellation and in Virgo.
Virgo (constellation)

Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is
. Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation
in the sky (after Hydra). It can be easily found through its brightest star, Spica.

Hercules (constellation)

Hercules is a constellation named after Hercules, the Greek mythological hero adapted from
the Greek hero Heracles. Hercules was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century
astronomer Ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations today. It is the fifth
largest of the modern constellations.
SUBMITTED BY: ANYZIA MAE FERNANDEZ
GRADE/SECTION: VI-DIAMOND
SUBMITTED TO: MR.DOMINIC ACABADO
SUBMITTED BY: EDMARIAN ANTONIO
GRADE/SECTION: VI-DIAMOND
SUBMITTED TO: MR.DOMINIC ACABADO