What is the name of the constellation in the sky. What are the constellations? Constellations of the sky in alphabetical order

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Mankind has always looked to the sky. The stars have long been the guides of sailors, and they remain so today. A constellation is considered a group of celestial bodies, which are united by one name. However, they can be located at different distances from each other. Moreover, in ancient times, the name of the constellations often depended on the outlines taken by the celestial bodies. More details about this will be discussed in this article.

General information

There are eighty-eight registered constellations in total. Of these, only forty-seven have been known to mankind since ancient times. We should say thanks to the astronomer Claudius Ptolemy, who systematized the known constellations of the starry sky in the treatise "Almagest". The rest appeared at a time when a person began to intensively study the world around him, travel more and write down his knowledge. So, other groups of objects appeared in the sky.

The constellations in the sky and their names (photos of some of them will be presented in the article) are quite diverse. Many have several names, as well as ancient legends of origin. For example, there is a rather interesting legend about the appearance of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor in the sky. In those days when the gods ruled the world, the most powerful of them was Zeus. And he fell in love with the beautiful nymph Callisto, and he took her as his wife. In order to protect her from Hera, who is jealous and dangerous in her anger, Zeus took her beloved to heaven, turning her into a bear. So it turned out the constellation Ursa Major. The dog Callisto became Ursa Minor.

Zodiac constellations of the solar system: names

The most famous constellations for humanity today are the zodiac. Since ancient times, those who meet on the path of our Sun during its annual journey (the ecliptic) have been considered as such. This is a rather wide strip of celestial space, divided into twelve segments.

Constellation name:

Aries;
Calf;
Twins;
Virgo;
Capricorn;
Aquarius;
Fish;
Scales;
Scorpion;
Sagittarius;
Ophiuchus.

As you can see, unlike the signs of the Zodiac, there is another constellation here - the thirteenth. This happened because over time the shape of celestial bodies changes. The signs of the Zodiac were formed a long time ago, when the sky map was somewhat different. To date, the position of the stars has undergone some changes. So, on the path of the Sun, another constellation appeared - Ophiuchus. In its order, it stands just after Scorpio.

The starting point of the solar journey is considered to be the spring equinox. At this moment, our luminary passes along the celestial equator, and the day becomes equal to the night (there is also the opposite point - autumn).

Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

One of the most famous constellations in our firmament is Ursa Major and its accompanying Minor. But why did it happen that not the most pretentious constellation became so important? The fact is that in the composition of the cluster of celestial bodies Ursa Minor there is the North Star, which was a guiding light for many generations of sailors, and it remains so today.

This is due to its practical immobility. It is located near the North Pole, and the rest of the stars in the sky revolve around it. This feature of it was noticed even by our ancestors, which was reflected in its name among different peoples (Golden stake, Heavenly stake, North Star, etc.).

Of course, there are other main objects in this constellation of the starry sky, the names of which are listed below:

Kohab (Beta);
Ferhad (Gamma);
Delta;
Epsilon;
Zeta;

If we talk about the Big Dipper, then it more clearly resembles a bucket in its shape than its small counterpart. According to estimates, only with the naked eye in the constellation there are about one hundred and twenty-five stars. However, there are seven main ones:

Dubhe (Alpha);
Merak (Beta);
Fekda (Gamma);
Megrets (Delta);
Aliot (Epsilon);
Mizar (Zeta);
Benetnash (This).

Ursa Major has nebulae and galaxies, as do numerous other star constellations. Their names are shown below:

Spiral galaxy M81;
Nebula "Owl";
Spiral galaxy "Pinwheel;
Barred spiral galaxy M109.

The most amazing stars

Of course, our sky has quite remarkable constellations (photos and names of some are presented in the article). However, in addition to them, there are other amazing stars. For example, in the constellation Canis Major, which is considered ancient, since our ancestors knew about it, there is the star Sirius. Many legends and myths are associated with it. In ancient Egypt, the movement of this star was very carefully monitored, there are even suggestions by some scientists that the African pyramids are aimed specifically at it with their tip.

Sirius is one of the closest stars to Earth today. Its characteristics exceed solar twice. It is believed that if Sirius were in the place of our luminary, then life on the planet in the form it is now would hardly be possible. With such intense heat, all the oceans from the surface would boil away.

A rather interesting star that can be seen in the sky of Antarctica is Alpha Centauri. This is the closest similar luminary to Earth. In its structure, this body contains three stars, two of which may well have terrestrial-type planets. The third, Proxima Centauri, according to all calculations, cannot have such, since it is rather small and cold.

Major and minor constellations

It should be noted that today there are fixed large and small constellations. Photos and their names will be presented below. One of the largest can safely be called the Hydra. This constellation occupies an area of the starry sky of 1302.84 square degrees. Obviously, that is why it got such a name, all in appearance it resembles a thin and long strip, which occupies a fourth of the stellar space. The main place where the Hydra is located is south of the line of the celestial equator.

According to its stellar composition, Hydra is rather dim. It includes only two worthy objects that stand out significantly in the sky - these are Alphard and Gamma Hydra. You can also note the open cluster called M48. The second largest constellation belongs to Virgo, which is slightly inferior in size. Therefore, the representative of the space community described below is truly small.

So, the smallest constellation in the sky is the Southern Cross, which is located in the Southern Hemisphere. It is considered an analogue of the Big Dipper in the North. Its area is sixty-eight square degrees. According to ancient astronomical chronicles, it used to be part of the Centauri, and only in 1589 it was singled out separately. As part of the Southern Cross, even with the naked eye, about thirty stars are visible.

In addition, there is a dark nebula in the constellation called the Coal Sack. It is interesting in that the processes of star formation can take place in it. Another unusual object is the open cluster of celestial bodies - NGC 4755.

Seasonal constellations

It should also be noted that the name of the constellations in the sky also changes from time to time. For example, in summer you can clearly see:

Lyra;
Eagle;
Hercules;
Snake;
Chanterelle;
Dolphin etc.

The winter sky is characterized by other constellations. Eg:

Big Dog;
Small Dog;
Auriga;
Unicorn;
Eridan and others

The autumn sky is the following constellations:

Pegasus;
Andromeda;
Perseus;
Triangle;
Keith and others

And the following constellations open the spring sky:

Small Lion;
Crow;
Bowl;
Hounds Dogs, etc.

constellations of the northern hemisphere

Each hemisphere of the Earth has its own celestial objects. The names of the stars and the constellations they belong to are quite different. So, let's consider which of them are characteristic of the northern hemisphere:

Andromeda;
Auriga;
Twins;
Veronica's hair;
Giraffe;
Cassiopeia;
North Crown and others.

constellations of the southern hemisphere

The names of the stars and the constellations they belong to are also different for the southern hemisphere. Let's consider some of them:

Crow;
Altar;
Peacock;
Octant;
Bowl;
Phoenix;
Centaurus;
Chameleon and others.

Truly, all the constellations in the sky and their names (photo below) are quite unique. Many have their own special history, beautiful legend or unusual objects. The latter include the constellations Dorado and Toucan. The first is the Large Magellanic Cloud, and the second is the Small. These two objects are truly amazing.

The large cloud in its appearance is very similar to the Segner's wheel, and the Small cloud looks like a punching bag. They are quite large in terms of their area in the sky, and observers note their similarity with the Milky Way (although they are much smaller in real size). They seem to be part of it, which separated in the process. However, in their composition they are very similar to our galaxy, in addition, the Clouds are the systems of stars closest to us.

The surprising factor is that our galaxy and Clouds can rotate around the same center of gravity, which forms a triple star system. True, each of this trinity has its own star clusters, nebulae and other space objects.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, the name of the constellations is quite diverse and unique. Each of them has its own interesting objects, stars. Of course, today we do not know even half of all the secrets of the cosmic order, but there is hope for the future. The human mind is quite inquisitive, and if we do not die in a global catastrophe, then there is the possibility of conquering and exploring space, building new and more powerful instruments and ships to gain knowledge. In this case, we will not only know the name of the constellations, but we will also comprehend much more.

Every person, no matter how he relates to astrology, knows under what sign of the Zodiac he was born. Their names originate from the time of ancient Antiquity, when the location of the stars, due to the displacement of the earth's axis, was somewhat different. The names of the Zodiac constellations echo ancient myths and legends.

History of constellation names.
The history of the constellations is very interesting. A very long time ago, sky observers combined the brightest and most noticeable groups of stars into constellations and gave them various names. These were the names of various mythical heroes or animals, characters of legends and tales - Hercules, Centaurus, Taurus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, etc.
In the names of the constellations Peacock, Toucan, Indian, South. Cross, Bird of Paradise was reflected in the Age of Discovery.
There are a lot of constellations - 88. But not all of them are bright and noticeable. The winter sky is richest in bright stars.
At first glance, the names of many constellations seem strange. Often in the arrangement of stars it is very difficult or even simply impossible to consider what the name of the constellation is talking about. The Big Dipper, for example, resembles a bucket, it is very difficult to imagine a Giraffe or a Lynx in the sky. But if you look at the old atlases of the starry sky, then the constellations are depicted on them in the form of animals.

Aries.
The constellation Aries was highly revered in antiquity. The supreme god of Egypt, Amon-Ra, was depicted with a ram's head, and the road to his temple was an alley of sphinxes with ram's heads. It was believed that the constellation Aries was named after Aries with the Golden Fleece, after which the Argonauts sailed. In the sky, by the way, there are a number of constellations that reflect the Argo Ship. The alpha (brightest) star of this constellation is called Gamal (Arabic for "adult ram"). The brightest star in the constellation Taurus is called Aldebaran.

According to the ancient Greek myth, Nephele, the titan of the clouds, wanting to save her children Gella and Frix from the evil stepmother, whose name was Ino, sent them an enchanting golden-haired ram, who was supposed to put them on her back and transport them to the kingdom of Colchis, where they would be in security. However, Gella could not resist during the flight and fell into the strait, which was later named after her. Phrixus, on arrival at the place, sacrificed a magical ram to Zeus, who took him to heaven.

Constellation Taurus
Among the ancient peoples, the most important was the constellation Taurus, since the new year began in the spring. In the zodiac, Taurus is the most ancient constellation, since cattle breeding played a huge role in the life of ancient peoples, and that constellation was associated with the bull (calf), where the Sun, as it were, conquered winter and heralded the arrival of spring and summer.

In general, many ancient peoples revered this animal, considered it sacred. In ancient Egypt there was a sacred bull, Apis, who was worshiped during his lifetime and whose mummy was solemnly buried in a magnificent tomb. Every 25 years Apis was replaced with a new one. In Greece, the bull was also held in high esteem. In Crete, the bull was called the Minotaur. Heroes of Hellas Hercules, Theseus, Jason pacified the bulls.

Where are the twins in the sky?
In this constellation, two bright stars are very close to each other. They got their name in honor of the Argonauts Dioscuri - Castor and Pollux - twins, sons of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympic gods, and Leda, a frivolous earthly beauty, the brothers of Helen the beautiful - the culprit of the Trojan War.
Castor was famous as a skilled charioteer, and Pollux as an unsurpassed fist fighter. They participated in the campaign of the Argonauts and the Calydonian hunt. But one day the Dioscuri did not share the booty with their cousins, the giants Idas and Linkey. In the battle with them, the brothers were badly wounded. And when Castor died, the immortal Pollux did not want to part with his brother and asked Zeus not to separate them. Since then, by the will of Zeus, the brothers spend half a year in the kingdom of gloomy Hades, and half a year - on Olympus. There are periods when on the same day the star Castor is visible against the background of the dawn, and Pollux is visible against the background of the evening. Perhaps it was this circumstance that gave rise to the legend of the brothers living either in the realm of the dead or in heaven.

The Dioscuri brothers were considered in ancient times the patrons of sailors caught in a storm. And the appearance on the masts of ships before a thunderstorm of "Fires of St. Elmo" was considered a visit to the Twins by their sister Elena. St. Elmo's fires are luminous discharges of atmospheric electricity observed on pointed objects (tops of masts, lightning rods, etc.). The Dioscuri were also revered as guardians of the state and patrons of hospitality.
In ancient Rome, a silver coin "Dioscuri" with the image of stars was in circulation.

How did Cancer appear in the sky?
The constellation Cancer is one of the most obscure zodiac constellations. Its history is very interesting. There are several rather exotic explanations for the origin of the name of this constellation. So, for example, it was seriously claimed that the Egyptians placed Cancer in this region of the sky as a symbol of destruction and death, because this animal feeds on carrion. Cancer moves tail forward. About two thousand years ago in the constellation of Cancer was the point of the summer solstice (ie, the longest daylight hours). The sun, having reached at this time the maximum distance to the north, began to "retreat" back.

The length of the day gradually decreased.
According to classical ancient mythology, a huge sea Cancer attacked Hercules when he fought the Lernaean Hydra. The hero crushed him, but the goddess Hera, who hated Hercules, placed Cancer in the sky.
The Louvre houses the famous Egyptian zodiac circle, in which the constellation Cancer is located above all others.

Is the lion in the sky scary?
About 4.5 thousand years ago, the point of the summer solstice was in this constellation, and the Sun appeared in this constellation during the hottest time of the year. Therefore, among many peoples, it was the Lion that became the symbol of fire.
The Assyrians called this constellation "the great fire," and the Chaldeans associated the fierce lion with the no less fierce heat that was every summer. They believed that the Sun receives additional strength and warmth, being among the stars of the lion.
In Egypt, this constellation was also associated with the summer period: flocks of lions, fleeing the heat, migrated from the desert to the Nile valley, which at that time was flooding. Therefore, the Egyptians placed on the gates of irrigation canal locks that directed water to the fields, images in the form of a lion's head with an open mouth.

Virgo.
The Virgo constellation, located next to Leo, this constellation was sometimes represented by a fabulous sphinx - a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. Often in early myths, the Virgin was identified with Rhea, the mother of the god Zeus, the wife of the god Kronos. Sometimes she was seen as Themis, the goddess of justice, who in her classical guise holds scales in her hands (the zodiac constellation next to Virgo). There is evidence that in this constellation, ancient observers saw Astrea, the daughter of Themis and the god Zeus, the last of the goddesses who left the Earth at the end of the Bronze Age. Astrea - the goddess of justice, a symbol of purity and innocence, left the Earth because of the crimes of people. This is how we see the Virgin in ancient myths.

The virgin is usually depicted with the rod of Mercury and an ear. Spica (translated from Latin "ear") is the name of the brightest star in the constellation. The very name of the star and the fact that the Virgin was depicted with an ear in her hands indicates the connection of this star with human agricultural activities. It is possible that the beginning of any agricultural work coincided with her appearance in the sky.

Libra is the only "non-living" zodiac constellation.
Indeed, it seems strange that among the animals and "semi-animals" in the Zodiac there is a sign of Libra. Over two thousand years ago, this constellation was the point of the autumnal equinox. The equality of day and night could be one of the reasons why the zodiac constellation was named Libra.
The appearance of Libra in the sky in the middle latitudes indicated that the time had come for sowing, and the ancient Egyptians, already at the end of spring, could consider this as a signal to start harvesting the first crop. Scales - a symbol of balance - could simply remind the ancient land-businessmen of the need to weigh the harvest.

Among the ancient Greeks, Astrea, the goddess of justice, weighed the fate of people with the help of Libra. One of the myths explains the appearance of the zodiac constellation Libra as a reminder to people of the need to strictly observe the laws. The fact is that Astrea was the daughter of the almighty Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis. On behalf of Zeus and Themis, Astrea regularly "inspected" the Earth (armed with scales and blindfolded in order to judge everything objectively, supply Olympus with good information and mercilessly punish deceivers, liars and everyone who dared to commit all kinds of unjust acts). So Zeus decided that Libra's daughter should be placed in the sky.

Does the constellation really look like a scorpion?
Not only because of the external similarity, this constellation was assigned the role of a poisonous creature.
The sun entered this region of the sky in late autumn, when all nature seemed to die, in order to be reborn, like the god Dionysus, in the early spring of the next year. The sun was considered "stung" by some poisonous creature (by the way, in this region of the sky there is also the constellation of the Serpent!), "from that it hurt" all winter, remaining weak and pale.

According to classical Greek mythology, this is the same Scorpio that stung the giant Orion and was hidden by the goddess Hera on the diametrically opposite part of the celestial sphere. It was he, the heavenly Scorpio, who frightened the most unfortunate Phaethon, the son of the god Helios, who decided to ride across the sky in his fiery chariot, not listening to his father's warnings. Other nations gave this constellation their own names. For example, for the inhabitants of Polynesia, it seemed like a fishing hook, with which the god Maun pulled the island of New Zealand from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Among the Maya Indians, this constellation was associated with the name Yalagau, which means "Lord of Darkness."
According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when the planet of disasters, Saturn, turned out to be in it.
Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, in addition, this constellation is rich in bright star clusters.

Who is the star Sagittarius aiming at?
According to ancient Greek mythology, the wisest of the centaurs Chiron, the son of the god Chronos and the goddess Themis, created the first model of the celestial sphere. At the same time, he took one place in the Zodiac for himself. But he was outstripped by the insidious centaur Krotos, who took his place by deceit and became the constellation of Sagittarius. And the god Zeus turned Chiron himself after death into the constellation of the Centaur. And so it turned out in the sky as many as two centaurs. Even Scorpio himself is afraid of the evil Sagittarius, at whom he aims with a bow.
Sometimes you can find the image of Sagittarius in the form of a centaur with two faces: one is turned back, the other is forward. In this he resembles the Roman god Janus. The first month of the year, January, is associated with the name of Janus. And the Sun is in Sagittarius in winter.

Thus, the constellation, as it were, symbolizes the end of the old and the beginning of the new year, with one of its faces looking into the past, and the other into the future.
In the direction of the constellation Sagittarius is the center of our galaxy. If you look at the map of the starry sky, then the Milky Way also passes through the constellation Sagittarius.
Like Scorpio, Sagittarius is very rich in beautiful nebulae. Perhaps this constellation more than any other deserves the name "heavenly treasury". Many star clusters and nebulae are strikingly beautiful.

Where is Capricorn going?
Capricorn is a mythical creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish. According to the most common ancient Greek legend, the goat-footed god Pan, the son of Hermes, the patron saint of shepherds, was frightened by the hundred-headed giant Typhon and rushed into the water in horror. He has since become a water god and has grown a fish tail. Transformed by the god Zeus into a constellation, Goat-horn became the lord of the waters and the harbinger of storms. It was believed that he sends heavy rains to the earth. According to another legend, this is the goat Amalthea, who nursed Zeus with her milk.

The Indians called this constellation Makara, i.e. a miracle dragon, also half goat, half fish. Some peoples depicted him as a half-crocodile - a half-bird. Similar ideas existed in South America. When the Sun entered the constellation Capricorn, the Indians celebrated the New Year by wearing goat-head masks for ceremonial dances. But the indigenous Australians called the constellation Capricorn the constellation Kangaroo, which is chased by heavenly hunters to kill him and fry him on a large fire.
Among many ancient peoples, the goat was revered as a sacred animal; divine services were performed in honor of the goat. People dressed in sacred clothes made of goat skins and brought a gift to the gods - a sacrificial goat.

It is with such customs and with this constellation that the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "scapegoat" - Azazel, is associated. Azazel - (letting goat) - the name of one of the goat-like gods, demons of the desert. On the so-called day of the goat, two goats were selected: one for sacrifice, the other for release into the wilderness. Of the two goats, the priests chose which one for God and which one for Azazel. First, a sacrifice was made to God, and then another goat was brought to the high priest, on which he laid his hands and thereby, as it were, transferred to him all the sins of the people. And after that, the goat was released into the desert. The desert was a symbol of the underworld and a natural place for sins. The constellation Capricorn is located at the bottom of the ecliptic. Perhaps this is what caused the idea of the underworld.
In the constellation of Capricorn about 2 thousand years ago was the point of the winter solstice. The ancient philosopher Macrobius believed that the Sun, having passed the lowest point, begins to climb up, like a mountain goat striving for the top.

Where does Aquarius pour water?
This constellation was called among the Greeks Hydrohos, among the Romans - Aquarius, among the Arabs - Sa-kib-al-ma. All this meant the same thing: a person pouring water. The Greek myth about Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, the only people who escaped the Flood, is associated with the constellation Aquarius.
The name of the constellation really leads to the "homeland of the Flood" in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In some writings of the ancient people - the Sumerians - these two rivers are depicted as flowing from the vessel of Aquarius. The eleventh month of the Sumerians was called "the month of the water curse". According to the Sumerians, the constellation Aquarius was in the center of the "celestial sea", and therefore foreshadowed the rainy season. It was identified with the god who warned people about the flood. This legend of the ancient Sumerians is similar to the biblical story of Noah and his family - the only people who escaped the flood in the ark.

In Egypt, the constellation Aquarius was observed in the sky during the days of the highest water level in the Nile River. It was believed that the water god Knemu overturns a huge ladle into the Nile. It was also believed that the White and Blue Nile rivers, tributaries of the Nile, flow from the god's vessels.
It is possible that the legend about one of the exploits of Hercules is connected with the constellation Aquarius - cleaning the Augean stables (for which the hero needed to dam three rivers).

Pisces closes the circle of the zodiac constellations.
The very arrangement of the stars in the sky inspires the idea of two fish tied together with a ribbon or rope. The origin of the name of the constellation Pisces is very ancient and, apparently, is connected with Phoenician mythology. In this constellation, the Sun entered the season of rich fishing. The goddess of fertility was depicted as a woman with a fish tail, which, according to legend, appeared to her when she and her son, frightened by a monster, rushed into the water.

A similar legend existed among the ancient Greeks. Only they believed that Aphrodite and her son Eros turned into fish: they walked along the river bank, but frightened by the evil Typhon, rushed into the water and escaped, turning into fish. Aphrodite became the southern Pisces, and Eros became the northern Pisces.

On a clear night, it always seems to us that all celestial bodies are equally distant from us, as if they are located on the inner surface of some sphere in the center of which is the observer's eye. The visible celestial sphere is actually an illusion, and the reason for this illusion is the inability of the human eye to distinguish between the huge actual distances to various celestial bodies.

For thousands of years, the prevailing opinion was that the celestial sphere really exists and is the boundary within which the universe extends. But in 1837-1839, when the annuals of some stars were first measured, it was proved that the stars are at great distances from us, and the celestial sphere is essentially the result of an optical illusion, since these distances are different. Nevertheless, the concept of the celestial sphere has been preserved in astronomy, since it is convenient to use it when determining the positions of celestial bodies (in spherical coordinates).

On the visible celestial sphere, projections of stars and celestial bodies are actually visible, that is, those points at which visual rays pierce the sphere. Due to the fact that the projections of any two stars are located close to each other on the celestial sphere, it seems to us that the stars are close to each other, while in space they can be separated by enormous distances. Both stars and other celestial bodies, located in space at great distances from each other and having nothing in common with each other, on the celestial sphere may seem to be very close. In this respect, physical, multiple stars, star clusters, stellar associations, etc., are exceptions. Individual stars in these formations are not only apparently close, but the actual distances between them are not so large (on an astronomical scale).

Turning our gaze to the starry sky, we see countless stars randomly scattered in space. In reality, only about 6 thousand stars in the celestial sphere can be seen with the naked eye, and from any point on the earth's surface at any given moment - only half of them.

With longer regular observations, it can be seen that the figures formed by brighter stars remain "invariant" and that in general the appearance of the starry sky "does not change" with the passage of time. It is possible that the "immutability" of the figures that the stars form on the celestial sphere is the first discovery made by man at the dawn of his conscious life. (In fact, due to the appearance of the starry sky, it changes over a period of about 25,800 years. Due to the proper movement of the stars, the contours of the constellations also change. But these changes occur so slowly that they become perceptible only after thousands of years and cannot be noted during one human life, unless astronomical methods of observation are used.)

Even a few millennia before our era, those regions of the starry sky, where brighter stars form characteristic figures, were delimited into separate constellations. First of all, apparently, the constellations were demarcated, which, with their bright stars and the configurations formed, most attracted attention. Man was also impressed by the appearance of the same constellations in the starry sky in spring, summer, autumn and winter. The appearance of some of these constellations was associated (in time) with human economic activity, and therefore they received the appropriate names.

According to the information that has come down to us, the delimitation of the zodiacal constellations and most of the constellations of the northern celestial hemisphere occurred in Egypt around 2500 BC. e. But the Egyptian names of the constellations are not known to us. The ancient Greeks adopted the Egyptian delimitation of the constellations, but gave them new names. Nobody can say when this happened. Note that when describing the famous shield of Achilles in the Iliad, Homer calls the constellations Ursa Major, Bootes, Orion depicted on the shield by the god Hephaestus, clusters of stars in the constellation Taurus - the Pleiades, Hyades, just as they are called now.

By decision of the International Astronomical Union (MAC), it is accepted that the number of constellations in the entire celestial sphere is 88, of which 47 were named approximately 4,500 years ago. Most of the names are taken from Greek mythology.

The total number of constellations indicated so far is 83. The remaining five constellations are Carina, Korma, Sails, Serpent and Corner. Previously, three of them - Carina, Korma and Sails - formed one large constellation Ship, in which the ancient Greeks personified the mythical ship of the Argonauts, led by Jason, undertook a campaign to distant Colchis for the Golden Fleece.
The constellation Serpens is the only constellation located in two separate areas of the sky. In essence, it is divided into two parts by the constellation Ophiuchus, and thus, an interesting combination of two constellations has turned out. In ancient star atlases, these constellations were depicted as a man (Ophiuchus) holding a huge snake in his hands.

For the first time, the designation of stars in Greek letters was introduced by Bayer in his star atlas. The brightest star in any constellation was denoted by the letter ‘ a’ (alpha), followed by descending brightness - the letter ‘ b' (beta), hereinafter - the letter ' y' (gamma), etc. Only in a few constellations these designations do not correspond to the decrease in the brightness of the stars.

About 300 of the brightest stars also have their own names, most of which are given by the Arabs. Interestingly, the Arabs gave names to the star depending on what position it occupies in the allegorical or mythological image of the constellation. For example, a Taurus was named Aldebaran ("Taurus's Eye"), a Orion is called Betelgeuse ("The Shoulder of the Giant"), b Leo - Denebola ("Lion's Tail"), etc. The Greeks gave names to some stars according to other characteristics, for example, the star Sirius is named so because of its strong brilliance (from the Greek "sirios" - brilliant).

Some churchmen made repeated attempts to replace the "impious pagan" names of the constellations with Christian names. It was proposed, for example, to call the constellation Aries the Apostle Peter, Perseus - St. Paul, Andromeda - the Holy Sepulcher, Cassiopeia - Mary Magdalene, Cepheus - King Solomon, Pisces - the Apostle Matthew, etc. These proposals were unanimously rejected by astronomers.

As a result of the expansion of international cooperation in the field of astronomy, it became necessary to more accurately determine the boundaries of the constellations, because in different atlases the same stars belonged to different constellations. As early as 1801, Bode outlined the boundaries of the constellations, attributing the weaker "void" stars, which had not previously been included in any of the constellations, to one or another neighboring constellation. Thanks to this, no "voids" were left, and at the same time, the boundaries of the constellations on the celestial sphere were determined. The fact that the boundaries between the constellations were broken lines forced the International Astronomical Union to specifically consider this issue at a congress in 1922. It was decided to exclude 27 constellations with inappropriate names in order to preserve the names of ancient constellations and constellations added by Bayer, Hevelius and Lacaille, drawing the boundaries of the constellations along the celestial parallels and. It was recommended that the new constellation boundaries, as far as possible, follow the old ones and not deviate significantly from them.

There are now 88 constellations in the entire celestial sphere. Their boundaries run along celestial parallels and circles of declination and are determined in relation to the main coordinate systems (equatorial and ecliptic) for 1875. Due to precession, the boundaries of the constellations slowly change over time. After the completion of one precessional period (25,800 years) from 1875, the boundaries of the constellations will be restored approximately in the form they had in 1875. But on the celestial sphere, the boundaries of the constellations are strictly fixed and unchanged; by the coordinates of a star, you can determine its position in the corresponding constellation.

At the same time, the International Astronomical Union expanded the concept of "constellation". Now, a constellation is not understood as a configuration created by brighter stars, but one of the 88 sections of the celestial sphere, inside which there are figures formed by the brightest stars characteristic of this constellation. Consequently, in one constellation, in addition to bright and generally visible to the naked eye stars, all space objects accessible for observation by all observational means are also included. That is why for variable stars, after their designation, the constellation in which they are located is always indicated. This rule applies to new and flares up in about ten days. Then its brilliance begins to slowly decrease. At its maximum brightness, it shines like several billion stars, similar to the Sun! In addition to the expanding shell of gas ejected during the outburst, a rapidly rotating neutron star, or pulsar, also remains in place of the supernova.")"> supernovae- the constellation in which they can be observed is always indicated. For each comet, it is certainly indicated in which constellation it is currently located, so that it is easier to detect and observe it.

Meteor showers are usually identified by the constellation in which they are located. Even for more visible galaxies, the constellation in which they are located is indicated. For example, the closest known galaxy to us is in the constellation Andromeda. All this requires a good knowledge of the constellations. They are indispensable reference points for everyone who is interested in astronomical phenomena and problems of astronomy.

General information

Zodiac constellations of the solar system: names

Constellation name:

Aries;
Calf;
Twins;
Virgo;
Capricorn;
Aquarius;
Fish;
Scales;
Scorpion;
Sagittarius;
Ophiuchus.

Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

Of course, there are other main objects in this constellation of the starry sky, the names of which are listed below:

Kohab (Beta);
Ferhad (Gamma);
Delta;
Epsilon;
Zeta;

Dubhe (Alpha);
Merak (Beta);
Fekda (Gamma);
Megrets (Delta);
Aliot (Epsilon);
Mizar (Zeta);
Benetnash (This).

Ursa Major has nebulae and galaxies, as do numerous other star constellations. Their names are shown below:

Spiral galaxy M81;
Nebula "Owl";
Spiral galaxy "Pinwheel;
Barred spiral galaxy M109.

The most amazing stars

Major and minor constellations

Seasonal constellations

It should also be noted that the name of the constellations in the sky also changes from time to time. For example, in summer you can clearly see:

Lyra;
Eagle;
Hercules;
Snake;
Chanterelle;
Dolphin etc.

The winter sky is characterized by other constellations. Eg:

Big Dog;
Small Dog;
Auriga;
Unicorn;
Eridan and others

The autumn sky is the following constellations:

Pegasus;
Andromeda;
Perseus;
Triangle;
Keith and others

And the following constellations open the spring sky:

Small Lion;
Crow;
Bowl;
Hounds Dogs, etc.

constellations of the northern hemisphere

Andromeda;
Auriga;
Twins;
Veronica's hair;
Giraffe;
Cassiopeia;
North Crown and others.

constellations of the southern hemisphere

The names of the stars and the constellations they belong to are also different for the southern hemisphere. Let's consider some of them:

Crow;
Altar;
Peacock;
Octant;
Bowl;
Phoenix;
Centaurus;
Chameleon and others.

Conclusion

Constellations are the sections into which the star chart is divided. In ancient times, constellations were called figures formed by groups of stars.

For the convenience of orientation, the stars were combined into sectors. The division into constellations appeared in the second century BC. e., serving as the basis for the creation of the first maps of the starry sky.

The division was conditional, not confirming the presence of any connections between the stars that make up the stellar group. Often one group of stars fell into the composition of another, and the regions of the sky, “poor” in stars, did not have constellations at all.

Such a division led to the fact that in some areas the stars fell into two or even three constellations, while others remained empty "homeless". With the beginning of the 19th century, borders appeared on the starry sky map, eliminating empty areas. But the official, generally accepted distinction still has not appeared.

In July 1919, the International Astronomical Union, an organization dealing with astronomy and astronautics, was established in Brussels. Thanks to his work in 1928, the final boundaries of 88 star sectors were determined and officially recognized, which greatly simplified the work of cartographers, sailors, astronomers and mutual understanding between scientists.

Zodiac circle

A separate place on the heavenly map is occupied by the zodiac circle, consisting of 13 constellations - Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and Ophiuchus.

The latter is not officially included in the zodiac, but in fact is on the annual path of the Sun-Earth-Moon. These constellations are well known to us from the fashionable astrological forecasts and charts that modern astrologers make up.

The design of the zodiac as a special celestial belt is the merit of the Babylonians. We learn about this from a series of cuneiform tables "Mul-Apin" (VII century BC), in which 18 constellations are named, located on the path of the Moon, the Sun and the five planets.

After 200 years in Babylon, the 12-sector zodiac is already in use and zodiac horoscopes are used with might and main.

The official boundaries of each of the constellations of the zodiac were determined in 1928, in the process of delimiting the entire chart of stars.

How many constellations are in the sky?

The number of star groups is constantly changing. For example, in China, in the IV century BC. e. there were 122 of them, and in the XVIII century in Mongolia - 237. Today there are 88 constellations. This number was officially approved in 1922 at a meeting of the General Assembly of the Astronomical Union.

The names of part of the star groups from the finally approved list have been preserved since the time of the ancient Greeks. In the astronomical work of Ptolemy "Amalgest" descriptions of 47 constellations are given, the names of which have come down to us. In Russia, out of the total number of groups, only 54 constellations can be seen.

How did the names of the star groups come about?

The names of the constellations appeared based on cultural traditions, mythology, and the outlines of objects. Most of the names came to us from Ancient Rome, and there - from the ancient Greeks, who were also prone to borrowing, for example, from the ancient Babylonians.

Babylonian astronomers-astrologers gave groups of stars the names of mythical heroes, rulers, and the names of animals. and adopted by the ancient Greek scientists, replacing the Babylonian heroes with their own.

In ancient Rome, they enriched the starry sky with their achievements and outstanding personalities and beings. The result was Andromeda, Hercules, Hydra, Cassiopeia, Pegasus, Centaurus and others.

At the time of geographical discoveries, a Peacock, an Indian, a Bird of Paradise appeared in the sky.

New times gave the constellations very simple names, associated either with animals or with an instrument, for example - Toucan, Microscope, Compass.

Why are the constellations Ursa Minor and the Southern Cross famous?

Each of them is visible only in one hemisphere: Ursa Minor - in the north, the Southern Cross - in the south. They are clearly visible and practically motionless.

These properties became invaluable for ancient and medieval navigators, because the constellations indicated the direction exactly: the quartet of stars in the Southern Cross - to the south, and the Polar Star of Ursa Minor - to the north.

General information

Zodiac constellations of the solar system: names

Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

The most amazing stars

Major and minor constellations

Seasonal constellations

constellations of the northern hemisphere

constellations of the southern hemisphere

Conclusion

General information

Zodiac constellations of the solar system: names

Constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor

The most amazing stars

Major and minor constellations

Seasonal constellations

constellations of the northern hemisphere

constellations of the southern hemisphere

Conclusion

Zodiac circle

How many constellations are in the sky?

How did the names of the star groups come about?

Why are the constellations Ursa Minor and the Southern Cross famous?

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