Ancient astronomers, peering into the night sky, noticed that some stars were located close to each other, while others were far away. Nearby luminaries were united into groups or constellations. They began to play an important role in people's lives. This was especially true for the sailors of merchant ships, who used the stars to determine the direction of movement of their ships.

The first constellation map appeared in the 2nd century BC. uh. It was created by one of the greatest Greek astronomers, Hipparchus of Nicaea. While working at the Library of Alexandria, he compiled a catalog of 850 stars visible to the naked eye. He distributed all these luminaries among 48 constellations.

The final point on this issue was put by the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. He wrote his famous monograph "Almagest". In it he outlined all the astronomical knowledge that existed at that time. This work was unshakable for a whole millennium until the appearance of the greatest scientist from Khorezm, Al-Bruni, at the beginning of the 11th century.

In the 15th century, the German astronomer and mathematician Johann Müller (not to be confused with the biologist Johann Peter Müller) founded one of the first astronomical laboratories in Nuremberg. On the initiative of this respected master, astronomical tables based on the works of Ptolemy were published.

These first maps of the starry sky were used by such famous navigators as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus. The latter, guided by them, crossed in 1492 Atlantic Ocean and reached the shores of South America.

The German artist and engraver Albrecht Dürer became acquainted with the works of Johann Müller, who is better known under the nickname Regiomontanus. It is thanks to his skill that in 1515 the first printed map of the constellations appeared. Those on it were depicted in the form of figures from Greek mythology. This was the beginning of the publication of celestial atlases.

They tried to reflect the brightness of the stars in descending order. For this they began to use letters of the Greek alphabet. The brightest luminaries within the constellations were assigned the letter "alpha". Then came the letter "beta", "gamma" and so on. This principle is still used today.

In the 17th century, Polish astronomer and telescope designer Jan Hevelius compiled a catalog that included 1,564 stars.. He also indicated their coordinates on the celestial sphere.

The modern names of the constellations and their boundaries were finally established by international agreement in 1922. There are 88 constellations in total, and their names are mostly borrowed from ancient Greek mythology. Each cluster of stars also has a generally accepted Latin name. This is to astronomers speaking different languages, understood each other.

constellation map,
located in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere

The picture above shows celestial map of the Northern Hemisphere. It includes the following constellations: Andromeda (1), Ursa Major (2), Auriga (3), Bootes (4), Coma Berenices (5), Hercules (6), Canes Venatici (7), Dolphin (8), Dragon (9), Giraffe (10), Cassiopeia (13), Swan (14), Lyra (15), Chanterelle (16), Ursa Minor (17), Little Horse (18), Little Lion (19), Pegasus (21 ), Perseus (22), Lynx (23), Northern Crown (24), Arrow (25), Triangle (26), Cepheus (27), Lizard (29), Hydra (33), Unicorn (35), Whale ( 43), Canis Minor (47), Orion (53).

The white circles contain the numbers of the Zodiac constellations: Aries (77), Taurus (78), Gemini (79), Cancer (80), Leo (81), Virgo (82), Pisces (88).

The figure below shows celestial map of the southern hemisphere. These include: Ophiuchus (11), Snake (12), Eagle (20), Shield (28), Canis Major (30), Wolf (31), Raven (32), Dove (34), Altar (36), Painter (37), Crane (38), Hare (39), Golden Fish(40), Indian (41), Keel (42), Compass (44), Stern (45), Flying Fish (46), Microscope (48), Fly (49), Pump (50), Square (51), Octant (52), Peacock (54), Sails (55), Furnace (56), Bird of Paradise (57), Cutter (58), Sextant (59), Reticle (60), Sculptor (61), Table Mountain (62) ), Telescope (63), Toucan (64), Phoenix (65), Chameleon (66), Centaurus (67), Compass (68), Clock (69), Chalice (70), Eridanus (71), South Hydra ( 72), South Crown (73), Southern Fish(74), Southern Cross (75), Southern Triangle (76).

The white circles show the numbers corresponding to the following Zodiac constellations: Libra (83), Scorpio (84), Sagittarius (85), Capricorn (86), Aquarius (87).

constellation map,
located in the sky of the Southern Hemisphere

The most famous constellation in the Northern Hemisphere is Ursa Major. These are 7 bright stars forming a bucket. If you draw a straight line through its “wall” opposite the “handle” (the stars Dubhe and Merak), then it will rest against the North Star, that is, it will indicate the northern direction. Over the centuries, the position of these stars in the sky changes. Therefore, several thousand years ago the outline of the ladle did not look the same as it does today.

The constellation map would lose a lot without Orion. Its brightest star is called Betelgeuse. And the second brightest is called Rigel. Three second magnitude stars form Orion's belt. To the south you can find the brightest star in the night sky, called Sirius. She enters the constellation Big Dog. Still, the diversity and beauty of the night sky is impossible to describe. This must be seen and admired by the cosmic forces that are capable of creating such splendor.

Constellations are areas of the starry sky. To better navigate the starry sky, ancient people began to identify groups of stars that could be linked into individual figures, similar objects, mythological characters and animals. This system allowed people to organize the night sky, making each part of it easily recognizable. This made it easier to learn celestial bodies, helped to measure time, apply astronomical knowledge in agriculture and navigate by the stars. The stars that we see in our sky as if in one area can actually be extremely far from each other. In one constellation there may be stars that are in no way connected with each other, both very close and very far from the Earth.

There are 88 official constellations in total. In 1922, the International Astronomical Union officially recognized 88 constellations, 48 ​​of which were described by the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy in his star catalog Almagest around 150 BC. There were gaps in Ptolemy's maps, especially regarding the southern sky. Which is quite logical - the constellations described by Ptolemy covered that part of the night sky that is visible from the south of Europe. The remaining gaps began to be filled during the times of the great geographical discoveries. In the 14th century, the Dutch scientists Gerard Mercator, Pieter Keyser and Frederic de Houtman added new constellations to the existing list, and the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius and the French Nicolas Louis de Lacaille completed what Ptolemy had started. On the territory of Russia, out of 88 constellations, about 54 can be observed.

Knowledge about the constellations came to us from ancient cultures. Ptolemy compiled a map of the starry sky, but people used knowledge about the constellations long before that. At least in the 8th century BC, when Homer mentioned Bootes, Orion and the Big Dipper in his poems “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, people were already grouping the sky into separate figures. It is believed that the bulk of the knowledge of the ancient Greeks about the constellations came to them from the Egyptians, who, in turn, inherited it from the inhabitants of Ancient Babylon, Sumerians or Akkadians. About thirty constellations were already distinguished by the inhabitants of the Late Bronze Age, in 1650−1050. BC, judging by the records on clay tablets of Ancient Mesopotamia. References to constellations can also be found in Hebrew biblical texts. The most remarkable constellation, perhaps, is the constellation Orion: in almost every ancient culture it had its own name and was revered as special. So, in Ancient Egypt he was considered the incarnation of Osiris, and in Ancient Babylon he was called “The Faithful Shepherd of Heaven.” But the most amazing discovery was made in 1972: a piece of mammoth ivory, more than 32 thousand years old, was found in Germany, on which the constellation Orion was carved.

We see different constellations depending on the time of year. Throughout the year, we see different parts of the sky (and different celestial bodies, respectively) because the Earth makes its annual voyage around the Sun. The constellations we see at night are those located behind the Earth on our side of the Sun, because... During the day, behind the bright rays of the Sun, we are unable to see them.

To better understand how this works, imagine that you are riding on a merry-go-round (this is the Earth) with a very bright, blinding light emanating from the center (the Sun). You will not be able to see what is in front of you because of the light, but you will only be able to discern what is outside the carousel. In this case, the picture will constantly change as you ride in a circle. Which constellations you observe in the sky and at what time of year they appear also depends on the geographic latitude of the viewer.

Constellations travel from east to west, like the Sun. As soon as it begins to get dark, at dusk, the first constellations appear in the eastern part of the sky to pass across the entire sky and disappear with dawn in the western part. Due to the rotation of the Earth around its axis, it seems that the constellations, like the Sun, rise and set. The constellations we just observed on the western horizon just after sunset will soon disappear from our view, to be replaced by constellations that were higher up at sunset just a few weeks ago.

Constellations arising in the east have a diurnal shift of about 1 degree per day: completing a 360-degree trip around the Sun in 365 days gives about the same speed. Exactly one year later, at the same time, the stars will occupy exactly the same position in the sky.

The movement of stars is an illusion and a matter of perspective. The direction in which stars move across the night sky is determined by the rotation of the Earth on its axis and really depends on the perspective and which way the viewer is facing.

Looking north, the constellations appear to move counterclockwise around a fixed point in the night sky, called north pole world located near the North Star. This perception is due to the fact that the earth rotates from west to east, i.e. the earth under your feet moves to the right, and the stars like the Sun, Moon and planets above your head follow the east-west direction, i.e. to the right left. However, if you face south, the stars will appear to move clockwise, from left to right.

Zodiac constellations- these are those through which the Sun moves. The most famous constellations out of the 88 existing ones are the zodiacal ones. These include those through which the center of the Sun passes during the year. It is generally accepted that there are 12 zodiacal constellations in total, although in fact there are 13 of them: from November 30 to December 17, the Sun is in the constellation Ophiuchus, but astrologers do not classify it as a zodiac constellation. All zodiacal constellations are located along the visible annual path of the Sun among the stars, the ecliptic, at an inclination of 23.5 degrees to the equator.

Some constellations have families are groups of constellations located in the same area of ​​the night sky. As a rule, they assign the names of the most significant constellation. The most “largely populated” constellation is Hercules, which has as many as 19 constellations. Other major families include Ursa Major (10 constellations), Perseus (9) and Orion (9).

Celebrity constellations. The largest constellation is Hydra, which covers more than 3% of the night sky, while the smallest constellation, the Southern Cross, covers just 0.165% of the sky. Centauri boasts the largest number visible stars: 101 stars are included in the famous constellation of the southern hemisphere of the sky. The constellation Canis Major includes the brightest star in our sky, Sirius, whose brilliance is −1.46m. But the constellation called Table Mountain is considered the dimmest and does not contain stars brighter than 5th magnitude. Let us remind you that in numerical characteristics brightness of celestial bodies than less value, the brighter the object (the brightness of the Sun, for example, is −26.7m).

Asterism- this is not a constellation. An asterism is a group of stars with an established name, for example, the “Big Dipper,” which is part of the constellation Ursa Major, or “Orion’s Belt,” three stars encircling the figure of Orion in the constellation of the same name. In other words, these are fragments of constellations that have secured a separate name for themselves. The term itself is not strictly scientific, but rather simply represents a tribute to tradition.

Even ancient people united the stars in our sky into constellations. In ancient times, when the true nature of the celestial bodies was unknown, residents assigned the characteristic “patterns” of stars to the outlines of some animals or objects. Subsequently, the stars and constellations became overgrown with legends and myths.

Star maps

Today there are 88 constellations. Many of them are quite remarkable (Orion, Cassiopeia, Ursa Ursa) and contain many interesting objects accessible not only to professional and amateur astronomers, but also ordinary people. On the pages of this section we will tell you about the most interesting objects in the constellations, their location, and provide many photographs and entertaining video recordings.

List of sky constellations in alphabetical order

Russian name	Latin name	Reduction	Square (square degrees)	Number of stars brighter 6.0m
	Andromeda	And	722	100
	Gemini	Gem	514	70
	Ursa Major	UMa	1280	125
	Canis Major	CMa	380	80
	Libra	Lib	538	50
	Aquarius	Aqr	980	90
	Auriga	Aur	657	90
	Lupus	Lup	334	70
	Boots	Boo	907	90
	Coma Berenices	Com	386	50
	Corvus	Crv	184	15
	Hercules	Her	1225	140
	Hydra	Hya	1303	130
	Columba	Col	270	40
	Canes Venatici	CVn	465	30
	Virgo	Vir	1294	95
	Delphinus	Del	189	30
	Draco	Dra	1083	80
	Monoceros	Mon	482	85
	Ara	Ara	237	30
	Pictor	Pic	247	30
	Camelopardalis	Cam	757	50
	Grus	Gru	366	30
	Lepus	Lep	290	40
	Ophiuchus	Oph	948	100
	Serpens	Ser	637	60
	Dorado	Dor	179	20
	Indus	Ind	294	20
	Cassiopeia	Cas	598	90
	Carina	Car	494	110
	Cetus	Set	1231	100
	Capricornus	Cap	414	50
	Pyxis	Pyx	221	25
	Puppis	Pup	673	140
	Cygnus	Cyg	804	150
	Leo	Leo	947	70
	Volans	Vol	141	20
	Lyra	Lyr	286	45
	Vulpecula	Vul	268	45
	Ursa Minor	UMi	256	20
	Equuleus	Equ	72	10
	Leo Minor	LMi	232	20
	Canis Minor	CMi	183	20
	Microscopium	Mic	210	20
	Musca	Mus	138	30
	Antlia	Ant	239	20
	Norma	Nor	165	20
	Aries	Ari	441	50
	Octans	Oct	291	35
	Aquila	Aql	652	70
	Orion	Ori	594	120
	Pavo	Pav	378	45
	Vela	Vel	500	110
	Pegasus	Peg	1121	100
	Perseus	Per	615	90
	Fornax	For	398	35
	Apus	Aps	206	20
	Cancer	Cnc	506	60
	Caelum	Cae	125	10
	Pisces	Psc	889	75
	Lynx	Lyn	545	60
	Corona Borealis	CrB	179	20
	Sextans	Sex	314	25
	Reticulum	Ret	114	15
	Scorpius	Sco	497	100
	Sculptor	Scl	475	30
	Mensa	Men	153	15
	Sagitta	Sge	80	20
	Sagittarius	Sgr	867	115
	Telescopium	Tel	252	30
	Taurus	Tau	797	125
	Triangulum	Tri	132	15
	Tucana	Tuc	295	25
	Phoenix	Phe	469	40
	Chamaeleon	Cha	132	20
	Centaurus	Cen	1060	150
	Cepheus	Cep	588	60
	Circinus	Cir	93	20
	Horologium	Hor	249	20
	Crater	Crt	282	20
	Scutum	Sct	109	20
	Eridanus	Eri	1138	100
Thanks to observations by astronomers, it turned out that the location of stars gradually changes over time. On precise measurements These changes take many hundreds and thousands of years. The night sky creates the appearance of a countless number of celestial bodies, randomly located in relation to each other, which often outline constellations in the sky. More than 3 thousand stars are visible in the visible part of the sky, and 6000 in the entire sky. Visible location Constellation Cygnus from Johann Bayer's atlas "Uranometria" 1603 The location of dim stars can be determined by finding bright ones, and thus the necessary constellation can be found. Since ancient times, in order to make it easier to find constellations, bright stars have been grouped together. These constellations received the names of animals (Scorpio, Ursa Major, etc.), were named after the heroes of Greek myths (Perseus, Andromeda, etc.), or simple names of objects (Libra, Arrow, Northern Crown, etc.). Since the 18th century, some of the bright stars of each constellation began to be named by letters of the Greek alphabet. In addition, about 130 brightly shining stars were named after them. After some time, astronomers designated them with the numbers that are used today for stars of low brightness. Since 1922, some large constellations were divided into small ones, and instead of groups of constellations, they began to be considered sections of the starry sky. On this moment There are 88 separate areas in the sky called constellations. Observation Over the course of several hours of observing the night sky, you can see how the celestial sphere, which includes the luminaries, as one whole, smoothly rotates around an invisible axis. This movement was called diurnal. The movement of the luminaries occurs from left to right. The Moon and the Sun, as well as the stars, rise in the east, in the southern part they rise to maximum height, set on the western horizon. Watching the rising and setting of these luminaries, it is discovered that, unlike stars, corresponding different days year, they rise at different points in the east and set at different points in the west. In December, the Sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. Over time, the points of west and sunrise shift to the northern horizon. Accordingly, the Sun rises higher above the horizon at noon every day, the length of the day becomes longer, and the length of the night decreases. Movement of celestial objects along the constellations From the observations made, it is clear that the Moon is not always in the same constellation, but moves from one to another, moving from west to east by 13 degrees per day. The moon makes a full circle in the sky in 27.32 days, passing through 12 constellations. The Sun makes a similar journey as the Moon, however, the speed of the Sun's movement is 1 degree per day and the entire journey takes place in a year. Zodiac constellations The names of the constellations through which the Sun and Moon pass were given the names of the zodiacs (Pisces, Capricorn, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Leo, Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Aries). The Sun passes through the first three constellations in the spring, the next three in the summer, and the subsequent ones in the same way. Only six months later those constellations in which the Sun is now located become visible. Popular science film "Secrets of the Universe - Constellations"

Pleshakov developed good idea- create an atlas for children that will make it easy to identify stars and constellations. Our teachers picked up this idea and created their own atlas-identifier, which is even more informative and visual.

What are constellations?

If you look up into the sky on a clear night, you can see many sparkling lights of different sizes, like a scattering of diamonds, decorating the sky. These lights are called stars. Some of them seem to be collected in clusters and, upon prolonged examination, they can be divided into certain groups. Man called such groups “constellations.” Some of them may resemble the shape of a ladle or the intricate outlines of animals, however, in many respects this is just a figment of the imagination.

For many centuries, astronomers tried to study such clusters of stars and gave them mystical properties. People tried to systematize them and find general pattern, and that’s how the constellations appeared. For a long time, constellations were carefully studied, some were divided into smaller ones, and they ceased to exist, and some, after clarification, were simply adjusted. For example, the constellation Argo was divided into smaller constellations: Compass, Carina, Parus, Poop.

The history of the origin of the names of the constellations is also very interesting. To make it easier to memorize, they were given names united by one element or literary work. For example, it was noticed that during heavy rains The sun rises from the direction of certain constellations, which were given the following names: Capricorn, Whale, Aquarius, the constellation Pisces.

In order to bring all constellations to a certain classification, in 1930, at a meeting of the International Astronomical Union, it was decided to officially register 88 constellations. According to the decision taken constellations do not consist of groups of stars, but are sections of the starry sky.

What are the constellations?

Constellations vary in the number and brightness of the stars that make up them. The 30 most noticeable groups of stars are identified. The largest constellation in terms of area is Ursa Major. It consists of 7 bright and 118 stars visible to the naked eye.

The smallest constellation located in southern hemisphere, called the Southern Cross and it is impossible to see it with the naked eye. It consists of 5 bright and 25 less visible stars.

Lesser Horse is the smallest constellation in the northern hemisphere and consists of 10 faint stars that can be seen with the naked eye.

The constellation Orion is considered the most beautiful and brightest. It consists of 120 stars visible to the naked eye, and 7 of them are very bright.

All constellations are conventionally divided into those located in the southern or northern hemisphere. Those who live in the southern hemisphere of the Earth cannot see star clusters located in the northern hemisphere and vice versa. Of the 88 constellations, 48 ​​are in the southern hemisphere, and 31 are in the northern hemisphere. The remaining 9 groups of stars are located in both hemispheres. The Northern Hemisphere is easily identified by the North Star, which always shines very brightly in the sky. She is the extreme star on the handle of the Ursa Minor dipper.

Due to the fact that the Earth rotates around the Sun, which prevents some constellations from being seen, the seasons change and the position of this star in the sky changes. For example, in winter the location of our planet in its circumsolar orbit is opposite to that in summer. Therefore, at each time of the year you can only see certain constellations. For example, in the summer, in the night sky you can see a triangle formed by the stars Altair, Vega and Deneb. IN winter time There is an opportunity to admire the infinitely beautiful constellation Orion. That’s why they sometimes say: autumn constellations, winter, summer or spring constellations.

Constellations are best seen in summer time and it is advisable to observe them in open space, outside the city. Some stars can be seen with the naked eye, while others may require a telescope. The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, as well as Cassiopeia, are best visible. In autumn and winter, the constellations Taurus and Orion are clearly visible.

Bright constellations that are visible in Russia

The most beautiful constellations of the northern hemisphere visible in Russia include: Orion, Ursa Major, Taurus, Canis Major, Canis Minor.

If you look closely at their location and give free rein to your imagination, you can see a hunting scene, which, like an ancient fresco, has been depicted in the sky for more than two thousand years. The brave hunter Orion is always depicted surrounded by animals. Taurus runs to his right, and the hunter swings his club at him. At Orion's feet are the faithful Canis Major and Canis Minor.

Constellation Orion

This is the largest and most colorful constellation. It is clearly visible in autumn and winter. Orion can be seen over the entire territory of Russia. The arrangement of its stars resembles the outline of a person.

The history of the formation of this constellation originates from ancient Greek myths. According to them, Orion was a brave and strong hunter, the son of Poseidon and the nymph Emvriala. He often hunted with Artemis, but one day, for defeating her during a hunt, he was struck by the goddess’s arrow and died. After death, he was turned into a constellation.

Orion's brightest star is Rigel. It is 25 thousand times brighter than the Sun and 33 times its size. This star has a bluish-white glow and is considered supergiant. However, despite such impressive dimensions, it is significantly smaller than Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse adorns Orion's right shoulder. It is 450 times larger than the diameter of the Sun and if we put it in the place of our star, then this star will take the place of four planets before Mars. Betelgeuse shines 14,000 times brighter than the Sun.

The constellation Orion also includes nebulae and asterisms.

Constellation Taurus

Another large and unimaginably beautiful constellation of the northern hemisphere is Taurus. It is located northwest of Orion and is located between the constellations Aries and Gemini. Not far from Taurus there are such constellations as: Auriga, Cetus, Perseus, Eridanus.

This constellation in mid-latitudes can be observed throughout almost the entire year, with the exception of the second half of spring and early summer.

The history of the constellation dates back to ancient myths. They talk about Zeus turning into a calf in order to kidnap the goddess Europa and bring her to the island of Crete. This constellation was first described by Eudoxus, a mathematician who lived long before our era.

The brightest star not only of this constellation, but also of the other 12 groups of stars is Aldebaran. It is located on the head of Taurus and was previously called the “eye”. Aldebaran is 38 times the diameter of the Sun and 150 times brighter. This star is located 62 light years away from us.

The second brightest star in the constellation is Nat or El-Nat (the horns of the bull). It is located near Auriga. It is 700 times brighter than the Sun and 4.5 times larger.

Within the constellation there are two incredibly beautiful open clusters of stars, the Hyades and the Pleiades.

The age of the Hyades is 650 million years. They can be easily found in the starry sky thanks to Aldebaran, which is clearly visible among them. They include about 200 stars.

The Pleiades got its name from its nine parts. Seven of them are named after the seven sisters Ancient Greece(Pleiades), and two more - in honor of their parents. The Pleiades are very visible in winter. They include about 1000 stellar bodies.

An equally interesting formation in the constellation Taurus is the Crab Nebula. It was formed after a supernova explosion in 1054 and was discovered in 1731. The distance of the nebula from the Earth is 6500 light years, and its diameter is about 11 light years. years.

This constellation belongs to the Orion family and borders the constellations Orion, Unicorn, Canis Minor, and Hare.

The constellation Canis Major was first discovered by Ptolemy in the second century.

There is a myth according to which the Great Dog used to be Lelap. It was a very fast dog that could catch up with any prey. One day he chased a fox, which was not inferior to him in speed. The outcome of the race was a foregone conclusion, and Zeus turned both animals to stone. He placed the dog in heaven.

The constellation Canis Major is very visible in winter. The brightest star not only of this, but also of all other constellations is Sirius. It has a bluish luster and is located quite close to Earth, at a distance of 8.6 light years. According to the brightness in our solar system it is surpassed by Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon. Light from Sirius takes 9 years to reach Earth and is 24 times stronger than the sun. This star has a satellite called "Puppy".

The formation of such a concept as “Holidays” is associated with Sirius. The fact is that this star appeared in the sky during the summer heat. Since Sirius is translated from Greek as “canis,” the Greeks began to call this period vacation.

Constellation Canis Minor

Canis Minor borders on such constellations as: Unicorn, Hydra, Cancer, Gemini. This constellation represents an animal that, together with Big Dog follows the hunter Orion.

The history of the formation of this constellation, if we rely on myths, is very interesting. According to them, Canis Minor is Mera, the dog of Icaria. This man was taught how to make wine by Dionysus and the drink turned out to be very strong. One day his guests decided that Ikaria had decided to poison them and killed him. The mayor was very sad for his owner and soon died. Zeus placed it in the form of a constellation in the starry sky.

This constellation is best observed in January and February.

The brightest stars in this constellation are Porcyon and Gomeisa. Porcyon is located 11.4 light years from Earth. It is somewhat brighter and hotter than the Sun, but physically differs little from it.

Gomeiza is visible to the naked eye and glows with a blue-white light.

Constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major, shaped like a ladle, is one of the three largest constellations. It is mentioned in the writings of Homer and in the Bible. This constellation is very well studied and has great importance in many religions.

It borders with such constellations as: Waterfall, Leo, Canes Venatici, Dragon, Lynx.

According to ancient Greek myths, the Big Dipper is associated with Callisto, a beautiful nymph and lover of Zeus. His wife Hera turned Callisto into a bear as punishment. One day, this bear came across Hera and her son, Arcas, with Zeus in the forest. To avoid tragedy, Zeus turned his son and nymph into constellations.

The big ladle is formed by seven stars. The most striking of them are three: Dubhe, Alkaid, Aliot.

Dubhe is a red giant and points to the North Star. It is located 120 light years from Earth.

Alkaid, the third brightest star in the constellation, expresses the end of the tail of Ursa Major. It is located 100 light years away from Earth.

Alioth is the brightest star in the constellation. She represents the tail. Because of its brightness, it is used in navigation. Alioth shines 108 times brighter than the Sun.

These constellations are the brightest and most beautiful in the northern hemisphere. They can be perfectly seen with the naked eye in autumn or frosty weather. winter night. The legends of their formation allow your imagination to run wild and imagine how the mighty hunter Orion, together with his faithful dogs runs after the prey, and Taurus and Ursa Major watch him carefully.

Russia is located in the northern hemisphere, and in this part of the sky we are able to see only a few of all the constellations existing in the sky. Depending on the time of year, only their position in the sky changes.

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