Documents for "Constellations":

• Andromeda in astronomy, northern constellation located to the NE of Pegasus and to the S of Cassiopeia. Its brightest star, Alpheratz (Alpha Andromedae), marks the northeast corner of the Great Square in Pegasus. The constellation also contains...

• Aquarius [Lat.,=water carrier], large constellation located on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Capricornus and Pisces; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Aquarius is sometimes represented as a man pouring water from a jar. Although it contains no stars of first or second magnitude, it does contain a recurrent nova observed in 1907 and again in...

• Aquila [Lat.,=the eagle], equatorial constellation located N of Sagittarius and Capricornus, lying partly in the Milky Way. It is sometimes depicted as an eagle. It contains the bright star Altair (Alpha Aquilae) and the pulsating variable star Eta Aquilae. The brightest nova ever seen occurred in Aquila in 1918. Other novas were observed in Aquila in 389 and 1899; two were observed there in...

• Archer, The English name for Sagittarius , a constellation.

• Ariel in astronomy, one of the moons, or natural satellites, of Uranus.

• Aries [Lat.,=the ram], constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Taurus and Pisces; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It contains the bright...

• Auriga [Lat.,=the charioteer or wagoner], northern constellation traditionally represented as a man, possibly Vulcan, carrying a goat on his shoulder while driving a chariot. It lies E of Perseus and N of Gemini and Taurus. Auriga contains Capella , a bright, yellow giant star, and Epsilon Aurigae, an eclipsing binary in which a small star orbits a cool supergiant star. The constellation reaches its highest point in the evening sky in early...

• Balance, The English name for Libra , a constellation ; also called The Scales.

• Big Dipper familiar configuration of stars visible in the constellation Ursa Major (see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor ).

• Boötes [Gr.,=the herdsman], northern constellation located to the SE of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major and W of Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown. It contains the brilliant orange star Arcturus. The figure traditionally associated with Boötes shows a man holding a staff in one hand and two leashed dogs in the other (the Hunting Dogs of the constellation Canes Venatici). Boötes is also...

• Bull, The English name for Taurus , a constellation.

• Cancer [Lat.,=the crab], in astronomy, constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Gemini and Leo; it is a constellation of the zodiac. It contains the star...

• Canis Major [Lat.,=greater dog], constellation lying near the celestial equator, SE of Orion. Known as the Large Dog ( Canis Minor is the Small Dog), it was associated with the figure of a dog by many cultures; the ancient Greeks identified it as one of Orion's hunting dogs, while the Scandinavians called it Sigurd's dog. It...

• Canis Minor [Lat.,=lesser dog], small constellation ying near the celestial equator, E of Orion and NE of Canis Major, the Large Dog. Known as the Small Dog, Canis Minor is traditionally identified as one of Orion's hunting dogs. It contains the...

• Capricornus [Lat.,=the goat horn], inconspicuous southern constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Sagittarius and Aquarius; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Known as the Sea Goat, it has been depicted from earliest times either as a goat or as a figure with its forepart like that of a goat and its hind part like the tail of a fish. The tropic of...

• Carina [Lat.,=the keel], southern constellation , representing the keel of the ancient constellation Argo Navis, or Ship of the Argonauts. Carina contains Canopus , the second brightest star in the sky. It...

• Cassiopeia in astronomy, prominent northern constellation located almost directly opposite the Big Dipper across the north celestial pole. Five bright stars in the constellation form a rough W (or M ) in the sky. Some see in this formation the shape of a chair known as Cassiopeia's Chair. Tycho's Star, a supernova , appeared in the constellation in 1572 and disappeared in 1574. In this constellation is located Cassiopeia A, a discrete radio source emitting 21-cm radiation with great intensity. Cassiopeia...

• Centaurus southern constellation located N and E of Crux, the Southern Cross. It is known especially for its bright stars Alpha Centauri and Hadar. It also contains Centaurus A, a radio galaxy, as well...

• constellation in common usage, group of stars that appear to form a configuration in the sky; properly speaking, a constellation is a definite region of the sky in which the configuration of stars is contained...

• Constellations Constellations Constellation English name Position R.A. (hours) DEC. (degrees)  Zodiac constellation. Andromeda Andromeda (Chained Lady) 1 +43 Antlia Air Pump 10 -33 Apus Bird of...

• Corona Borealis [Lat.,=the northern crown], northern constellation lying between Hercules and Boötes. Its name derives from the crown Bacchus gave Ariadne when she was deserted by Theseus. The constellation is a small arc of bright stars, of which the brightest is...

• Crab, The English name for Cancer , a constellation.

• Crux [Lat.,=cross], small but brilliant southern constellation whose four most prominent members form a Latin cross, the famous Southern Cross. The long arm of the cross, terminating in the brightest member, Acrux (Alpha Crucis), points almost directly at the south celestial pole. Two other stars, Mimosa (Beta Crucis) and Gacrux (Gamma Crucis) are also among the brightest in the sky. Also in Crux is the Coalsack, a famous dark nebula. Crux reaches its highest point in the evening sky in May; its...

• Cygnus [Lat.,=the swan], northern constellation located SE of Draco and NW of Pegasus. It was depicted as a bird by most ancient cultures. It is sometimes called the Northern Cross because five of its brightest stars form a huge Latin cross. Its...

• Dipper, Big, and Little Dipper see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

• Dog Star see Sirius.

• Draco [Lat.,=the dragon], northern constellation lying SE of Ursa Minor and N of Lyra and Hercules. It is traditionally depicted as a dragon. Draco contains the bright star Eltanin (Gamma Draconis). Thuban (Alpha Draconis) was the polestar 5,000...

• Eridanus large southern constellation stretching SW from Orion for about 60°. Because of its long, winding shape it was identified with a river by many ancient civilizations; e.g., the Egyptians called it the Nile and the Babylonians...

• False Cross in astronomy: see Carina.

• Fishes, The English name for Pisces , a constellation.

• Gemini [Lat.,=the twins], northern constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Taurus and Cancer, N of Canis Minor; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Gemini is traditionally depicted as two men. The two brightest stars in Gemini, Castor and Pollux (north of the bright star Procyon in Canis Minor), are two of the brightest stars in the sky and were identified by the Greeks with two children, in most accounts the twin sons of Zeus and Leda...

• Goat, The English name for Capricornus , a constellation.

• Hercules in astronomy, northern constellation located between Lyra and Corona Borealis. It is traditionally depicted as the hero Hercules in a kneeling position. There are no very bright stars in Hercules and only three of third magnitude, the...

• Hydra in astronomy, southern constellation lying S of Corvus, Crater, Virgo, Leo, and Cancer. It is a long, slender, winding constellation traditionally depicted as a snake and known also as the Water Monster or Sea Serpent. The only bright...

• Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Arabs, and Greeks all represented this constellation as a lion; it may be the first constellation to be pictorially represented. The most famous star in Leo is Regulus (Alpha Leonis). The western part of the constellation is a curved line known as the Sickle; it represents the lion's head. The main constellation terminates in Denebola (Beta Leonis), the Lion's...

• Libra [Lat.,=the scales], southern constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Virgo and Scorpius; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Sometimes...

• Lion, The English name for Leo , a constellation.

• Little Dipper familiar configuration of stars in the constellation Ursa Minor (see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor ).

• Lyra [Lat.,=the lyre], northern constellation lying S of Draco, E of Hercules, and W of Cygnus. Although many civilizations represented it as a bird, it was also depicted as a tortoise. The white star Vega (Alpha Lyrae), the brightest star in the constellation, is one of the brightest in the entire sky. Just NE of Vega is Epsilon Lyrae, one of the few double stars that can be resolved with the naked...

• Northern Cross see Cygnus.

• Northern Crown see Corona Borealis.

• Orion in astronomy, constellation located on the celestial equator. It is one of the most conspicuous and easily recognizable constellations in the entire sky. From ancient times it has been mentioned in the literature of many...

• Pegasus in astronomy, northern constellation lying SW of Andromeda and SE of Cygnus. It is named for the mythological winged horse Pegasus. The constellation is easily recognized by the Great Square formed by the bright stars Markab (Alpha...

• Perseus in astronomy, northern constellation lying E of Cassiopeia and N of Taurus. It contains the bright star Mirfak (Alpha Persei) and Algol (Beta Persei), a visible variable star of the type known as an eclipsing variable. Perseus contains two star clusters (NGC 869 and NGC 884) that are visible to the naked eye, as well as an open cluster (M34) that is barely visible. A meteor shower known as the Perseids appears to radiate from a star in Perseus; this shower can be seen every year for several nights beginning Aug. 10, after midnight. In 1901 a brilliant nova was observed in...

• Pisces [Lat.,=the fishes], constellation lying directly S of Andromeda and on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Aries and Aquarius; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Pisces is traditionally depicted as two fishes. Because of the precession of the equinoxes , the vernal equinox has moved westward from the constellation Aries (where it was located c.2,000 years ago) into Pisces. There are no exceptionally bright stars in Pisces, but a nova was observed...

• Ram, The English name for Aries , a constellation.

• Sagittarius [Lat.,=the archer], constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Scorpius and Capricornus; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It is traditionally depicted as a centaur drawing his bow to release an arrow. The constellation contains a configuration of stars known as the Milk Dipper. It also contains the Lagoon, Horseshoe,...

• Scorpio constellation: see Scorpius.

• Scorpion, The English name for Scorpius , a constellation.

• Scorpius or Scorpio [Lat.,=the scorpion], conspicuous southern constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Sagittarius and Libra; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Scorpius contains the bright stars Antares (Alpha Scorpii) and Shaula (Lambda Scorpii); a recurrent nova that flared up in 1863, 1906, and 1936; and Scorpius XR-1, the strongest X-ray source in the sky. The constellation reaches its highest point in the evening sky...

• Southern Cross see Crux.

• Taurus [Lat.,= the bull], in astronomy, constellation NW of Orion and lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Gemini and Aries; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Taurus is traditionally depicted as the forepart of a bull, in reference to the Greek legend in which Zeus either assumed the form of a bull himself or sent the bull to carry Europa over the sea...

• Twins, The English name for Gemini , a constellation.

• Ursa Major and Ursa Minor [Lat.,=the great bear; the little bear], two conspicuous northern constellations. Known to many peoples from ancient times, these constellations have had various names; the configuration of the seven brightest stars has been called the Bear, Septentriones (the seven plowing...

• Virgin, The English name for Virgo , a constellation.

• Virgo [Lat.,=the virgin], constellation lying on the ecliptic (the sun's apparent path through the heavens) between Libra and Leo, and SW of Boötes; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Virgo is traditionally depicted as a maiden holding an ear of grain to symbolize the harvest; various civilizations identified her with such figures as Ceres, Isis, Ishtar, and Rhea. The most...

• Water Bearer, The English name for Aquarius , a constellation.