Constellation

A **constellation** is both a figure made of stars and a region in space. A constellation is commonly drawn with lines between the stars, while longer back ago sometimes as a picture. Constellations can be drawn with lines in different ways and has therefor no firm rule how to look like. As a good system of navigation, the whole space in Milky Way is divided in regions where each is bordered by another one.

There are 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Because there are still several other constellations from other cultures and historical, the idea of these recognized 88 constellations by the International Astronomical Union is to use and see a common system for the whole of humanity.

## Etymology

The word "constellation" comes from the Late Latin term *cōnstellātiō*, which can be translated as "set of stars"; it came into use in Middle English during the 14th century. The Ancient Greek word for constellation is ἄστρον. These terms generally referred to a recognisable pattern of stars whose appearance is associated with mythological characters or creatures, earthbound animals, or objects. A more modern astronomical sense of the term "constellation" denotes one of the 88 IAU designated constellations recognized today.

## History

Most of the constellation names came from the ancient Middle Eastern, Greek, and Chinese cultures. They identified clusters of stars as gods, goddesses, animals, and objects of their literature. It is important to understand that these were not the only cultures populating the night sky with characters important to their lives. There are 48 ancient constellations and they are the brightest groupings of stars, those observed easily by the unaided eye. There actually are 50 “ancient” constellations; astronomers divided one of the constellations (Argo) into 3 parts.

“Modern” constellations — like the Peacock, Telescope, and Giraffe — were identified by later astronomers of the 1500s, 1600s, and 1700s who used telescopes and who were able to observe the night sky in the southern hemisphere. These scientists “connected” the dimmer stars between the ancient constellations. There are 38 modern constellations.

In 1930 the International Astronomical Union officially listed 88 modern and ancient constellations (one of the ancient constellations was divided into 3 parts) and drew a boundary around each. The boundary edges meet, dividing the imaginary sphere — the celestial sphere — surrounding Earth into 88 pieces. Astronomers consider any star within a constellation boundary to be part of that constellation, even if it is not part of the actual picture.

## Constellations

A list of 88 constellations in alphabetical order.

* Andromeda
* Antlia
* Apus
* Aquarius
* Aquila
* Ara
* Aries
* Auriga
* Bootes
* Caelum
* Camelopardalis
* Cancer
* Canes Venatici
* Canis Major
* Canis Minor
* Capricornus
* Carina
* Cassiopeia
* Centaurus
* Cepheus
* Cetus
* Chamaeleon
* Circinus
* Columba
* Coma Berenices
* Corona Australis
* Corona Borealis
* Corvus
* Crater
* Crux
* Cygnus

* Delphinus
* Dorado
* Draco
* Equuleus
* Eridanus
* Fornax
* Gemini
* Grus

* Hercules
* Horologium
* Hydra
* Hydrus
* Indus

* Lacerta
* Leo
* Leo Minor
* Lepus
* Libra
* Lupus
* Lynx
* Lyra

* Mensa
* Microscopium
* Monoceros
* Musca
* Norma
* Octans
* Ophiuchus
* Orion

* Pavo
* Pegasus
* Perseus
* Phoenix
* Pictor
* Pisces
* Piscis Austrinus
* Puppis
* Pyxis
* Reticulum

* Sagitta
* Sagittarius
* Scorpius
* Sculptor
* Scutum
* Serpens
* Sextans

* Taurus
* Telescopium
* Triangulum
* Triangulum Australe
* Tucana

* Ursa Major
* Ursa Minor

* Vela
* Virgo
* Volans
* Vulpecula