Constellations

Constellations are groups of stars that are near each other in the sky. People have always looked to the stars and traced the outline of familiar objects in the sky. They are just like dot to dot drawings using the stars in the sky!

People have attached meaning to these constellations, using them to help get from one to place to another (navigate), tell time, and to develop myths to unite their community.

Pleiades: Pleiades is an open cluster of more than 300 stars in the constellation Taurus. Six or seven of these stars are blue-white giants clearly visible to the human eye. These stars are often referred to as the Seven Sisters.

The appearance of the Pleiades at a high point in the sky marked the end of a 52-year cycle for the Aztecs.

Ursa Major and Ursa Minor: Ursa Major is the saucepan-shaped constellation that points to the North Star. It contains seven stars which form the Big Dipper. It is also called the Great Bear.

Ursa Minor is a small constellation in the sky of the northern hemisphere that contains the North Star. It is also called the Little Dipper and the Little Bear.

The Egyptians are thought to have relied on the stars of these constellations to determine true north for the construction of their pyramids.

The Southern Cross: The Southern Cross is a cluster of stars in the sky in the southern hemisphere with four bright stars that look like the points of a cross.

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