Constellations Trading Cards Materials

3x5 cards Colored pencils or crayons Constellations Fact Sheets

You have probably seen various kinds of trading cards. Some of these feature sports figures and include information about the player, statistics relating to his or her skill as an athlete, and a picture. Similar cards exist for action figures. Procedure 1. Your assignment is to make a trading card for each constellation in the set of fact sheets. 2. Review your materials and decide what information you will need for your trading cards. You will have more information than you can use. Be selective. 3. Select the information you will place on your cards. A table is a good way to organize the information. Required information:

Name of constellation (usually Latin). Meaning/Nickname of constellation. When it is best seen. Any bright stars (list each one). If there aren’t any, write “No bright stars.” Any other facts you find interesting.

4. On the front of your card, draw a picture of the constellation and its name at the bottom. (You do not need to write names by the stars.) 5. On the back of the card, list the required information.

Boötes

Image of: A Bear Watcher – a defender of Big Bear (Ursa Mayor) The constellation Boötes is the 13th largest constellation. It includes the 3rd brightest star in the sky, Arcturus. Month best seen: June. Boötes may be a hunter, on the tracks of the Great Bear, accompanied by his two

dogs Asterion and Chara (the "Canes Venatici" the hunting dogs). The constellation was once known as Arctophylax which means the protector of

the Bear. Perhaps it was the Romans who changed his role, for they called him Venator Ursae: the Bear Hunter.

The constellation was known in antiquity, with the first recorded appearance being in Homer's Odyssey. In Book V Odysseus sails his ship by the stars, using the Pleiades, the Bear, and Boötes ("which set late") to reach his destination.

Cassiopeia

Image of: The seated queen Nearby constellations: Camelopardalis, Cepheus, Perseus, Lacerta, Andromeda Month best seen: November Mythology: Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda.

Because she thought herself more beautiful than the daughters of Nereus, a god of the sea, she challenged the anger of the god Poseidon. To punish her, her daughter was chained to a rock on the coast as a sacrifice for a sea monster. Andromeda was saved from death by Perseus. To learn humility, Cassiopeia was banned to the sky hanging half of the time head downward.

Scorpius

The constellation Scorpius is 8th in the Zodiac Circle. It has 13 stars that are defined as "brightest," with the most notable being the Antares.

Image of: A scorpion – a giant spider with a long tail which is extremely poisonous. Month best seen: July Rank in constellation size: 33rd Antares is the brightest star. It shines a bright red. It is sometimes confused

with the planet Mars. Antares means “Rival of Mars.” Mythology: In Greek mythology, the Scorpion is believed to have been sent by the

goddess Gaia (or by Apollo, with the aid of Artemis who was offended by Orion trying to rape her or her servants, in other version) to hunt Orion. When the Scorpion shines – the Orion begins to fade – symbolizing either the retreat or the surrender of the latter.

Historical significance: In other Greek myth, the scorpion was responsible for scaring the horses when Phaeton (son of Helios, god of Sun) took his father’s chariot.

Symbolic significance: In Chinese mythology the Scorpion is a part of the Azure Dragon constellation, whose appearance symbolizes the start of the spring.

The Sun is placed inside the Scorpius constellation for only one week in a year – from 23 to 30 November.

Big Dipper

Although the Big Dipper and Ursa Major are used often considered as the same constellation. There is a difference: The Big Dipper is a popular name for an asterism in Ursa Major, Ursa Major being an official constellation, and the third largest. Both are part of mythologies worldwide.

Month best seen: April Composed of seven of the brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major. These

seven stars form the rump and tail of The Great Bear, or Ursa Major. Names: The Big Dipper (North America), The Plough (British Isles), Seven Rishi

(Hindu Astronomy), Saucepan (France), Seven Macaw (a parrot) (Mayans), The “Drinking Gourd” (Runaway slaves going north to freedom).

Mythology: In Hindu astronomy, the name for the asterism is Sapta Rishi; the seven stars of the asterism are said to represent the seven rishis, or poet-sages, seers, who were mediums or conduits for the Vedic texts.

The Native American Myth About the 'Great Bear': The Greeks and Romans were not the only ones who saw a bear in the same segment of stars. The Iroquois, among other Native American tribes, also saw a "great bear." The myth of the Iroquois tells of three or four hunters--though most stories hold that there were four brothers, excellent hunters, one of which was fat and lazy however--and a dog chasing a great bear (called so, both because of its size, and because it had very powerful magic), named Nyah-gwaheh (monsterbear), which had been terrorizing their village. They attempt to hunt down the great bear with

The Pointer Stars

the aid of their dog; the fat and lazy brother wants to stop and eat often, and eventually becomes tired, saying he turned his ankle, and asks the brothers to carry him, which they assent to, and are consequently slowed down, but continue to chase fiercely. The dog is on the heels of the bear, and about to be struck down when, now rested, the fat and lazy brother jumps out of his brothers' arms and catches up to the bear and shoots it, killing it. The other three brothers catch up as the fat and lazy one is cooking the bear in preparation for meal. When they looked down from the hill they thought they were on and saw white lights below them, they realized that they were in the sky. They realized that the great bear had worked its magic, and was arising and organizing its bones to run again, and so the brothers gave chase. Thus the brothers and their dog form the "handle" of the Big Dipper chasing the bear. Although there appears to be only three stars forming the handle (Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth--The three hunters in some legend), Mizar does have a subtle optical binary, Alcor, who seems to be the best candidate for the fourth hunter.

Little Dipper (Little Bear/Ursa Major)

Ursa Minor is Latin for Little Bear. It contains within its constellation possibly the best known and most utilized directional star.

General: Ursa Minor is Latin for "little bear," and gets its name from some of the same myths concerning Ursa Major. Ursa Minor is most notable primarily because

Polaris, the North Star. Another reason it is notable is because it is associated with, a withered mirror image of, and located near the Big Dipper/Plough.

Month best seen: June Brightest Star: Polaris Mythology of Ursa Minor: A mythological explanation is that the Little Dipper is

actually a dog quarreling with Draco, or possibly a tree that Draco is coiled around.

In Hindu mythology Polaris is associated with Druva, a prince who was blessed with eternal life as the Pole Star because he fasted and abstained from water for six months, meditating. At the end of this time Vishnu wanted to reward him but he would not come out of his trance, focused only on the Lord. He is eventually brought back and at the end of his journey is placed as the Pole Star.

Orion

Orion is the second most familiar constellation, second only to the Big Dipper. The constellation was well known to the ancient Greeks with its own heroes and villains and is one of a handful of constellations that are visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Image of: the Great Hunter Month best seen: January Meteor showers: Orionids - This is a meteor shower that occurs when Earth

passes through the dust from Halley's Comet. It appears within the constellation

Orion. The best viewing time is between October 15 and October 29. But maximum visibility occurs during the morning hours of October 20-22.

Bordering constellations: Gemini, Taurus, Eridanus, Lepus, and Monoceros. Orion: Myths and Origins: Orion is one of the best known and most recognizable

star-patterns in the sky. Orion represents a heroic hunter of Greek myth. This constellation is rich in bright stars and nebulae lying on the edge of the Milky Way. Although it has been known throughout history, and it has had special significance for many cultures throughout history. But It was probably first known by the Sumerian and Babylonian astronomers 4000 years ago.

The Mythology Behind the Orion Constellation: The Orion constellation was well known to ancient Greeks. The picture shows the great hunter Orion. He is holding a lion's head instead of a bow or shield and is stalking Taurus, the Bull. Canis Major, his dog, is behind him and it is chasing Lepus, the Hare. The constellation Orion was named after the Greek hunter Orion, who was supposedly put into among the stars by Artemis after she was tricked into killing him by her brother Apollo.

Image of: Charioteer Month best seen: December. Auriga is the 21st biggest constellation in the night sky. Neighboring Constellations: Camelopardalis, Gemini, Lynx, Perseus, and Taurus. About Auriga: Auriga, the Charioteer, is believed to have originated with the

Babylonians. Auriga may once have had a chariot, but he is most commonly found

holding a goat and two children. In his other hand are reins to the missing Chariot. Not much else is known about him; almost every culture includes him, but none agree as to who he was. The Greeks and the Babylonians depict him as the lame son of Vulcan and Minvera, Erichthonius, who is said to have invented the four horse chariot.

Auriga was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. It contains Capella, the sixth brightest star in the sky.

Using the pictures of the constellations below, find the name of the constellation in the puzzle.

Words: Auriga Big Dipper Boötes Cassiopeia Little Dipper Orion Scorpius

Words: Auriga Big Dipper Boötes Cassiopeia Little Dipper Orion Scorpius

Connecting Dots What is a constellation? Have you ever sat outside and watched the clouds go by? It’s fun to look for cloud shapes that remind you of things that you recognize. People like the ancient Greeks, Romans, and other early cultures watched the night sky. They played the same game with celestial bodies (remember, they didn’t have television or video games). They looked for patterns of stars called constellations. They compared the patterns to mythological characters, animals, and other familiar objects. When you look at a constellation from Earth it looks like spots of light arranged in a particular shape against the dark night sky. If you were to travel to each of these stars, you would see that none of these stars are not near each in other space. Astronomers currently divide the sky into 88 constellations. Depending on where you live on Earth, you can only see certain constellations during certain seasons of the year. For instance, in the Northern Hemisphere you would be able to see Polaris (the North Star-the North Pole points to Polaris) all the time. But, in the Southern Hemisphere you wouldn’t ever be able to see Polaris. The constellation Orion is visible in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months, but while you’re camping in the summer, you won’t be able to see it. Materials

Patterns of constellations (make sure these are ones in the sky at the time you do this activity)

1/2 sheet of black construction paper for each constellation Pins or tacks Star Wheel

The following are the constellations you are to use for the activity.

Procedure 1. Place pattern on top of black paper. 2. Using pin or tack, punch hole through each star making sure it goes through black construction paper. (Either put newspaper underneath or use the floor) 3. Hold constellation up to light to see the pattern. 4. Trade with other students and identify their constellations.

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t Take out your science journal and answer the following question(s) (use drawings as appropriate): How does the appearance of the night sky change with the seasons? Materials

Four signs, one for each season Constellations placed in their appropriate season

Procedure 1. Label each wall with the season sign. 2. Hang constellations in each season. 3. Stand in a circle with your arms extended out to the side. You need to face the walls. 4. Your arms represent the horizon. You can see only what is within your horizon. Observe which constellations you can see. 5. Move counterclockwise (this simulates the earth’s revolution) 1/8 of the way around the room and observe which constellations you can see now. 6. Repeat until you are back to your original position. Conclusion Now that you have completed the activity, how did the appearance of the "night sky" change with the seasons?