Constellations

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Constellations
Stories in the Stars
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Constellations

• What is a Constellation?

A constellation is a group of stars that form
a pattern in the sky.
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Stars

• What are stars?
• Stars are hot balls of glowing gases.
• Our Sun is a star.

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Stars

• The stars at night are similar to our Sun, but
  much, much farther away!

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Stargazers

• As we gaze at the stars, all of them look small
  and appear to be the same distance from the Earth

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• Some stars are not far, by cosmic standards, from
  our Solar System. However, others are great
  distances from our Earth.

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Astronomers

• For over six thousand years, people have gazed at
  the stars and formed patterns in their minds.

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Constellations

• Constellations are imaginary things that poets,
  farmers, and astronomers have invented in their
  minds.

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Ursa Major

• Ursa Major or The Big Dipper is one of the most
  famous constellations in our nights sky.

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Canis Major

• Canis Major, also known as the Great Dog is
  home to our skys brightest star

Sirius!
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Cassiopeia

• In ancient times, this constellation
• reminded many of a queen seated in a chair.

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Draco

• Many ancient astronomers saw a dragon in the sky
  when they looked at this constellation.

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Blast Off!
There are 88 constellations in the nights sky.
Each pattern contains a special story! Let us
journey into the heavens to explore!