constellations
DESCRIPTION
Constellations. Objectives for this unit:. a.Locate and identify stars that are grouped in patterns in the night sky. b.Identify ways people have historically grouped stars in the night sky. c.Recognize that stars in a constellation are not all the same distance from Earth. . - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Constellations
What is a constellation?
An imaginary picture in the sky, made using stars, that represents
a person, animal, or object.Click here for video.
Why were constellations created?
Calendars – Helped farmers keep track of seasons.
Religion – Constellations represented important religious
figures or events.
Navigation - Know where you are as you travel.
Important Groups of Constellations
The twelve (thirteen, really!) constellations of the Zodiac.
Zodiac – “Circle of animals.”
The Sun, Moon, and planets appear to move through the
Zodiac.
Click here for Zodiac video.
Click here for Earth and Zodiac video.
Constellations of the ZodiacAries (Ram), Taurus (Bull), Gemini
(Twins), Cancer (Crab), Leo (Lion), Virgo (The maiden), Libra
(Scales), Scorpius (Scorpion), Sagittarius (Archer), Capricornus
(Water Goat), Aquarius (Water Bearer), Pisces (Fish), & Lucky 13
Ophiuchus (Serpent Bearer).
Circumpolar Constellations
Constellations that rotate around the North Star and are visible all
year.Click here for video.
Constellations that rotate around the North Star and are visible all
year.Circumpolar Constellations – Big Dipper (Ursa Major), Little
Dipper (Ursa Minor), Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Draco (Dragon).
Circumpolar Constellations
When you look at a constellation, all the stars appear to be the same distance from Earth.
Look at Orion...
Source: NASA StarChild
Orion constellation (as seen from Polaris).
3-D Tour of the constellations.
The true shape of Orion.
Why do we see different constellations during the
evening?Earth rotates on its axis.Rotation - When a planet
or moon turns all the way around or spins on
its axis one time.
Why do we see different constellations through the
year?The Earth revolves around the Sun.Revolution - The circling of one
object around another object in space. The Earth revolves
around the Sun.
The constellations of Fall.
The constellations of Winter.The constellations of Spring.
The constellations of Summer.
Constellations used for navigation.The Big Dipper helps find
direction.Runaway slaves used the Big Dipper (Drinking Gourd).
Follow the Drinking Gourd.
The Presentation Ends Here.