Yesterday in class we learned a little about constellations, but we didn’t take notes.

Now you will take some

notes!

Constellations 5/19/15

Set up your page for 2 column notes!

• What are circumpolar constellations?

• Constellations that appear to move around the pole star, Polaris

• They can be seen all year e.g., Ursa Major, Cepheus

• What are seasonal constellations?

• What are zodiac constellations?

• Constellations that cannot be seen all year. - e.g. Orion, Leo, Pegasus

• Seasonal constellations that are associated with the astrological signs of the zodiace.g. Aries, Taurus, Cancer

Constellations 5/19/15• What is a

constellation?• A group of stars that SEEM

to make a picture

When we go in the Star Lab, we will need to know how to read a constellation map, like this star finder:

How to read a constellation map.

Remember, Earth is tilted on its axis.

That’s why here on Earth, the sun and planets appear to go around the Earth along a slanted pathway that mirrors the plane of the solar system.

We call this path the ecliptic.

The “celestial sphere”

The celestial equator is an imaginary line mirroring Earth’s equator.

Notice where the sun is in relation to the celestial equator during the different seasons.

What happens on the equinoxes?

Here is a view from Earth looking into the sky: The green line is the ecliptic, the pathway the sun appears to follow. The red line is the celestial equator. What day is this?

The ancient astrologers chose constellations that are found along the ecliptic as the constellations of the Zodiac.

Try to picture the plane of the solar system with the stars and constellations far, far away in all directions. The ones lined up along the plane of the solar system will look like they are on the sun’s path – the ecliptic.

See of you can find the ecliptic and celestial equator on this diagram:

QUESTIONS!• Be sure to write the title and date in your Journal!

The title should be “Constellations Powerpoint.”• Be sure to answer in complete sentences that

restate the questions!

1. What is a constellation?

2. Can we see all the constellations all the time? Be sure to explain thoroughly!

3. What is the “ecliptic”?