Name _____________________________________________________________

Constellations Workbook

THE STARS OF AUTUMN

Copyright © 1997 by Bob Martino - All rights reserved; www.perkins-observatory.org

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After completing the Constellations Unit, you should pass the following standards with a 3-Level or higher proficiency. Standard Description Passed

SciBer Text Understand and correctly use unit vocabulary.

IV.2.a Recognize stars are grouped into constellations.

IV.2.b Be aware of the historical nature of constellations.

IV.2.c Be knowledgeable that the stars in a constellation are different distances from Earth.

IV.2.d Give an explanation why we see different constellations throughout the year.

IV.2.d Give details why we see different constellations throughout an evening.

IV.2.e Understand uses of constellations (i.e., historical and current)

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About Constellations (modified from a NASA/Amazing Space Student Background Reading)

Look up at the sky on a clear night. You will see vast patterns of bright stars. Close your eyes and think about the shapes of these patterns. Do they remind you of people, or animals, or mythological beings? Ancient astronomers imagined they saw people, animals, and mythological beings in the sky. They called them constellations. Constellation Myths Constellation myths are ancient stories about the gods, heroes, and mythological creatures (serpents, dragons, and flying horses) featured in the constellations. The Greeks and Romans created the stories for their constellations. Other societies had their own myths for the stars. The stories were part of their religions, helping them to explain everyday events, such as the seasons. These stories usually have a hero, who was given an honorary place in the sky, as either a reward or a tribute. Most of the constellations in the Southern Hemisphere are more modern. European explorers identified and named these constellations. They are not usually associated with myths . Constellations and the Star Patterns They’re Based On Currently, the entire sky has been divided into 88 constellations. A simple star pattern lies at the heart of each constellation. The stars in these patterns may appear to be close to each other, but they are often very far apart.

Often, there is little resemblance between the constellation and what it represents. For example, consider the Northern Hemisphere’s winter constellation, Orion, the Hunter. The star pattern — four bright stars at the corners of a trapezoid and three stars in a row near the center — doesn’t look much like a person. The ancients used a lot of imagination when they created the constellations. The History of Constellations

Many of our modern constellations come from the ancient Greeks, but they were not the first to “see” patterns among the stars. Historians believe that the ancient Babylonians and Sumerians invented many of the constellations. They passed the tradition on to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.

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Arabs learned of the Greeks’ writings on astronomy and translated them into Arabic. Greeks had named their stars based on the star’s position in a constellation, but Arabs began naming individual stars for people. Later, the Romans translated the Arabic writings into Latin. We now have Arabic names (Zubenelgenubi) for stars in Greek constellations that bear Latin (Ursa Major) names! Original Uses for the Constellations Ancient farmers may have used the stars to tell them when to plant and harvest their crops. Since some constellations are only visible at certain times of the year, their appearance can reveal the month. Some historians think the constellation myths were invented to help the farmers remember the constellations.

Throughout history, the stars have also been used for navigation. Travelers have historically relied on the North Star, Polaris, to mark their way. Polaris is the last star at the end of the handle of the asterism1 of the Little Dipper, in the constellation of the Little Bear. Due to Earth’s rotation, the stars appear to move across the night sky. But, Polaris is located above

Earth’s North Pole, so it doesn’t appear to change position through the night. Modern Uses for the Constellations Constellations give modern-day sky watchers a means of keeping track of the many bright stars in the sky. By looking for groups of stars in a particular pattern, professional and amateur astronomers can locate specific stars within the group. For example, many people can pick out the trapezoidal winter star pattern known as Orion. Once they have found Orion, they can find Betelgeuse (Orion’s left shoulder) and Rigel (Orion’s right foot), two of the brightest stars in this region of the sky. Constellations are also used to locate other objects, such as galaxies and nebulae (areas where gas and dust are clustered).

1 The term “asterism” is used here to indicate a subset of the stars in a constellation that make a separate, recognized pattern of their own. The Little Dipper is such a group of stars, found within the Little Bear, one of the 88 constellations. The stars making up the Big Dipper are another “asterism,” falling within the constellation of the Great Bear.

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Constellations and the World’s Cultures

Many cultures have identified star patterns, but rarely do these patterns correspond to those of other cultures. One of the patterns in the northern sky that many cultures have recognized is the asterism1 called, in the U.S., the Big Dipper. In southern France, it is called a “saucepan.” In Britain, it’s the “plough.” The Mayans called it Seven Macaw, a parrot. The Hindus saw seven wise men. The Micmac Indians of Maritime Canada, and other North American Indians saw a bear (the part we see as the bowl of

the dipper), with hunters tracking it (the handle). The runaway slaves called it the “drinking gourd” and followed it north to freedom. The Big Dipper became a symbol of freedom. It is unusual for so many cultures to pick out the same set of stars. Perhaps it is because all seven stars are very bright.

About Constellations Student Reading Worksheet 1. What do we CALL patterns in the sky? _________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What ARE constellation myths? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Which constellations ARE NOT usually associated with myths? _________________________________________________________________________________ 4. There are HOW MANY constellations? _________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Describe the LOCATION of the stars in a constellation (near to each other, far away, in different parts of the sky, etc.). _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 6. Who INVENTED many of our constellations? _________________________________________________________________________________

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7. How did farmers USE constellations? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Travelers have historically relied on the _____________________________ to mark their way. 9. How do modern sky watchers USE the stars? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 10. Constellations are also USED to find … a. b. 11. In the United States, this asterism is called the Big Dipper. List OTHER names of this constellation. a. b. c. d. e. f. 12. What was the SIGNIFICANCE of the “drinking gourd”? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 13. Describe the various USES of constellations. _________________________________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 14. Why did most societies DEVELOP myths surrounding the constellations? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 15. How could YOU USE constellations today? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

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Constellation Confusion Constellations are groups of stars that look like recognizable objects. It’s difficult to see all the fainter stars that make up the shape, unless you are out of the city under clear dark skies. They were named long ago by the first astronomers, and are still used today to divide the night sky into manageable areas. Twenty of the largest or most prominent constellations are shown in the diagram. All are drawn to their approximate relative size, but their orientations are arbitrary ... they won’t always turned the way you see them here. This is one of the most difficult things about astronomy ... you have to learn how to rotate things in your “mind’s eye” in order to recognize them. Constellation Confusion is an exercise that will help you develop this skill.

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Each constellation on the Reference Chart is included in the image on the next page.

Find them and trace them out using the same connecting lines. Here are some things to remember as you search...

1. Constellations are plotted the same size as on the Reference Chart, but ... 2. Constellations may be rotated from how they appear on the Reference Chart. 3. There are over a 100 additional stars plotted, beyond those in the

constellations.

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4. Other false stars may appear inside the constellations (like planets do in the real sky).

Hint: Using the brightest stars in a constellation is the easiest way to spot it. Happy stargazing!

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Constellation Detective

(Modified from a lesson plan by Erica Howson)

Have you ever tried to find constellations in the evening sky? Without city lights, moonlight, and clouds, we can see many more stars! The star maps whose stars that can be seen from the middle of the Sahara Desert on a moonless, clear night. Using the maps, find the following constellations: Big Dipper, Orion, and Sagittarius? Here are your constellations:

1 2

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Constellation Star Map # Big Dipper

Orion Sagittarius

Constellations I Should Know Everybody should be able to go outside and recognize a few constellations. Here are some you should know.

Season: Winter Orion, the Hunter Write the Orion Myth. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ How do you find Orion? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are its brightest stars? __________________________________________________________________

Season: Spring Leo, the Lion Write the Leo Myth _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How do you find Leo? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are its brightest stars? __________________________________________________________________

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Season: Summer Scorpius, the Scorpion Write the Scorpius Myth. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ How do you Find Scorpius? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are its brightest stars? __________________________________________________________________

Season: Fall Auriga, the Charioteer Write the Auriga Myth.

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

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How do you find Auriga? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ What are its brightest stars? __________________________________________________________________

Constellations I Should Know Fact Sheet (Information in this section comes from The Constellations (Richard Dibon-Smith, http://www.dibonsmith.com/menu.htm) and eHow,

(http://www.ehow.com)) Orion, the Hunter Facts Myth Orion was the son of the God of the Sea Poseidon. It was said of Orion that he was so tall that he could stride across the bottom of the sea with his head sticking out above the waves, but his father Poseidon gave him the ability to walk on the surface of the water. In the sky, Orion carries an unbreakable bronze club. In his other hand, he bears the pelt of a lion. Myth has it that the sting of a Scorpion killed Orion. The Scorpion is identified with the constellation of Scorpius, halfway around the sky from Orion. Some say that the Scorpion was sent by the Gaia the Goddess of the Earth; others say it was Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, who sent the Scorpion to kill Orion, because Orion had dared to hunt down all the animals of the earth. As the Scorpion rises in the east, Orion sets, indicating the victory of the Scorpion over the Hunter. How to Find Orion Finding Orion should be no problem. Its stars are some of the most familiar in all the heavens. The constellation's main feature is of course the three stars which form the "belt" across the middle of Orion. Bright Stars Above the belt, slightly to the left, is Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse, the right arm of Orion (or "armpit" as the name suggests), glows with a dull red. Rigel (the right foot of Orion) is about 40,000 times brighter than the Sun. Its name is from the Arabic word meaning "foot," indicating its position in the constellation.

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Leo, the Lion The Myth The first on the list of Heracles' labors was the task of killing the Nemean Lion, a giant beast that roamed the hills and the streets of the Peloponnesian villages, devouring whomever it met. The animal's skin was impervious to iron, bronze, and stone. Heracles' arrows harmlessly bounced off the lion; his sword bent in two; his wooden club smashed to pieces. So Heracles wrestled with the beast, finally choking it to death. He then wrapped the lion's pelt about him; it would protect him from the next labor: killing the poisonous Hydra. As the story goes, the lion found its way to the heavens to commemorate the great battle with Heracles.

How to Find Leo Using the two stars at the handle end of the bowl, draw a line away from the Big Dipper until you see the bright star Regulus.

Bright Stars The brightest star is named "Regulus" because it was seen as the Heaven's Guardian, one who regulated all things in the heavens. While the name Regulus was given us by Copernicus, the star was better known in antiquity as Cor Leonis, the Lion's Heart. Scorpius, the Scorpion The Myth As mentioned regarding Orion, Gaia may have sent the scorpion to kill the mighty hunter, as he had vowed to rid the earth of all wild animals. Or Apollo might have told Gaia of Orion's boast, fearful that Orion had designs on Apollo's sister Artemis. In any case, it was Gaia who sent the scorpion to kill Orion. Later the animal would chase Orion across the heavens, but it could never catch him, for the scorpion was so placed that it would rise in the east only after Orion had safely disappeared over the western horizon. How to Find Scorpius Venture outside and look to the southwest horizon late on a summer’s evening. This is the optimum time to view Scorpius. Scorpius lies in the Milky Way, the part of our galaxy thick with stars. You will need to be able to get a clear look at the horizon to see all of Scorpius.

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Focus your attention on the reddish star Antares. This is the heart of Scorpius. It will be above the horizon and extremely obvious. Bright Stars This is one of the four Royal Stars of the ancients, along with Aldebaran, Regulus, and Fomalhaut. It glitters with an unusual metallic red. Antares is what is called a red giant star and is many times larger than our own sun. Antares means “rival of Mars,” which is a reference to how red it appears in comparison to the red planet. Auriga, the Charioteer The Myth Auriga is usually pictured as a charioteer; the youth Auriga wields a whip in one hand and holds a goat (Capella) and her two kids in the other. Capella means "small goat". A previous name of this star was Amalthea, which was the goat that suckled the baby Zeus. How to Find Auriga Find the North Star (Polaris). Draw a line directly away from Polaris until you see a bright yellow star near the line. You have found Capella, the brightest star in Auriga. Bright Stars Capella is the sixth brightness star. The star is 43.5 light years away, and is about ten times the size of our Sun.

Why Do We See Different Constellations During the Year? If observed through the year, the constellations shift gradually to the west. This is caused by Earth’s orbit around our Sun. In the summer, viewers are looking in a different direction in space at night than they are during the winter.

Constellation “Think” Questions (from Constellations for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave)

1. Look at the picture. In what constellation would you see the Sun? __________________________________________________________

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2. Look at the picture. In what constellation would you see the Sun? ______________________________________________ 3. Look carefully at the picture.

a. In what constellation would you see the Sun if it were in Position D? ____________________________________________________________________________ b. In what constellation would you see the Sun if it were in Position A? ____________________________________________________________________________ c. In what constellation would you see the Sun if it were in Position B? ____________________________________________________________________________ d. In what constellation would you see the Sun if it were in Position C? ____________________________________________________________________________

Making a Star Finder Step 1: Cut along the black outer circle of the Star Wheel and along the solid lines on the Star Wheel Holder. Remove the interior oval shape on the Star Wheel Holder. Step 2: On the Star Wheel Holder, fold the cardboard along the dashed lines.

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Step 3: Tape or staple along the edges of the Star Wheel Holder forming a pocket. Step 4: Place the Star Wheel in the Star Wheel Holder.

How to Use the Sky Wheel To find a constellation in the sky using the Star Wheel, follow these steps: 1. Set date and time of night: Rotate the Star Wheel in the Star Holder until your desired time of night lines up with the desired date. 2. View it right-side up. For the constellation, you want to find, note which horizon to which it is closest. Orient the Star Wheel Holder so that horizon is at the bottom. Then that part of the sky will look right-side up to you. For example, if your constellation is closest to the northern horizon, flip the Star Holder upside down so that you are reading northern horizon at the bottom of the oval. 3. Note how high the constellation is in the sky: Is the constellation closer to the zenith (center of the map) or closer to the horizon? 4. Memorize the shape of the constellation. 5. Then look for the constellation in the sky and find it!

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Use your Star Finder. List four constellations that can be seen during a season. Winter a. b. c. d.

Spring

a. b. c. d.

Summer a. b. c. d.

Autumn a. b. c. d.

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Coyote and the Stars (Mythology of the Stars)

As the weather warms, we begin spending more and more time outside. Those who appreciate the night sky can brave going out and seeing the myriad of stars. It is a humbling experience, and one which stirs something within us. We seemingly have always wondered the hows and whys of the cosmos. Our thoughts were reflected in the stories our ancestors told. One of my favorite stories comes from the Navaho tribe and the story explains where the stars came from. A very long time ago, before the two leggeds walked the Earth, the world was very different from the way it is now. Back then, in the beginning time there were no stars in the night sky, and there was no moon. The nights were very dark, and the animals could not see to walk around and so were always bumping into each other. Finally they talked and decided to go ask the Great Spirit for help. The animals gathered and talked to Great Spirit. They told Great Spirit that they were grateful for all they had, yet they wanted something else. They would like to be able to see at night. Great Spirit nodded and smiled and told the animals "watch me, little ones." He then picked up a bright shiny stone from a stream and placed it in the sky, where it became a star. "This is the home star," Great Spirit explained "it does not move, use it to find your way home when you are lost" (Note, this star is Polaris, the North Star.) Then Great Spirit told the animals to go collect up piles of these shiny stones and carry them up into the sky and make pictures of themselves. The animals began this task, but soon the little animals grew tired. After awhile longer, the bigger animals also grew tired. Back they went to Great Spirit and asked for more help. "Go to Coyote" Great Spirit said, "Tell him to help you." And so they did. Now Coyote thought he was the wisest and most clever of all the animals, and he did not want to waste his time helping the other animals. Still, he also did not want to offend Great Spirit. So coyote told the animals to leave their stones with him, and he would finish the job

for them. After the animals left, Coyote began thinking of what a grand picture of himself he would create in the sky, "it will be better than all the others," he thought. It will have the most stones and will be the brightest of all! Suddenly Coyote was reminded that he must finish the animals work. Coyote did not want to waste a lot of time finishing the pictures of the other animals. So, hurriedly he snatched up the bag of stones and flung them up into the air. The stones went here and there, all over. None of the stones really helped finish

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the pictures of the other animals. And that is why not all constellations appear finished, and why some do not look like what they are named after. But, coyote was punished for his treachery, for in his haste, he forgot to save stones for his own picture! Coyote was furious and he howled in rage. That is why Coyote howls at night now, because he cannot see a picture of himself in the night sky! The story ends here.

Copyright © 2001 Kathy A. Miles and Charles F. Peters II Questions 1. What was the night sky like in the beginning? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 2. What did the animals ask the Creator? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 3. What did the Creator offer to the animals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 4. What did the animals do? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 5. What was asked of Coyote? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

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6. What did Coyote do? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 7. What happened to Coyote? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ 8. Why do coyotes howl at the night sky? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Constellation___________________________ (Latin Name)

Nickname _____________________________ Myth _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Drawing of My Constellation

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__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ I can see my constellation (which month): __________________________________________________________________ Three interesting facts about my constellation: a. b. c.

Should Uncle Fred Be in the Sky??? (modified from an activity by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and PBS Seeing in the Dark) Ancient cultures named the patterns of bright stars in the sky after their mythological heroes and monsters. Different countries and ethnic groups had completely different stories to tell about the same groups of stars. For example, the seven stars we call the Big Dipper were seen as a plow in England, as a stretcher with a sick patient by the Skidi Pawnee tribe of North America, and as seven Watchmen guarding the pole of the sky in Siberia. What if we could start over and rename the constellations (the star patterns) today? Who are the heroes we would now put in the sky? If you were making constellations today, whom would you put in the sky? Would it be your mother or father? An aunt or cousin? Someone famous? A character from your favorite book? Your assignment is to create a hero constellation. Outline the object by drawing 10-15 stars on the grid paper. Once you have completed your constellation, using sticky stars (keep use to no more than 15!), outline your constellation on a black sheet of construction paper. Connect the stars with a white crayon. Write the name of your constellation (your hero’s name) on the bottom. ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, explain why you selected this person to be your hero and put them in the sky. Be prepared to present this information to the class.

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Star Clocks & Dipper Finders

Using your Dipper Finder, draw the correct picture in each circle.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in July at 10 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in December at 9 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in April at 11 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in September at 8 p.m.

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In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in May at 1 a.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in November at 10 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in February at 10 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper and Polaris in August at midnight.

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Using your Star Clock, draw the correct picture in each circle.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in April at 3 a.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in September at 10 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in December at 7 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in October at midnight.

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In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in August at 3 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in February at 11 p.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in June at 2 a.m.

In the circle, draw a picture of the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia in January at 9 p.m.

Star Distances When you look at constellations, they all appear as if they are the same distance from Earth. That is because stars are so far away, we can’t tell which stars are close and are far away. We will use the constellation of Orion as our example.

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Below is a picture of Orion that shows the distance (light years – Ly.) to some major stars in the constellation. One the diagram on the next page, place a dot that shows how far away that star is from Earth. When you are done, you will see that, even though the stars appear to be the same distance, they are different distances away from Earth.

We know that light travels 186,000 miles per second. Let’s say that a 1 cm string equals the distance light travels in one second. If it takes about 8 minutes for light from the sun to reach us, how long would the string be? (480 cm) The light from the next nearest star takes 4½ years to reach us. How long would that string be? (141,912,000 cm) Materials

7 Beads

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150 cm of Thread Cardstock Ruler Scissors Pushpin Tape

Procedure 1. Get a copy of Orion on cardstock. 2. Get your string and beads. Tie a bead on the end of the string. 3. Using a pushpin, make a hole big enough for the thread at the location of the seven-labeled stars. 4. From the bead on the thread measure 15 cm long (Betelgeuse) and cut the thread. Thread the end through the star labeled 522 light years (ly) until 1 cm is on the backside of the cardstock. Tape the 1 cm piece of string securely on the back. 5. Use the measurements below to cut the remaining threads to the appropriate lengths and attach them to the cardstock using 1 cm of string on the back.

243 light years (ly) – 18 cm 815 light years – 12 cm 817 light years (ly) – 12 cm 773 light years – 13 cm 1,342 light years (ly) – 7 m 916 light years (ly) – 11 cm

6. Hold the model above your head to see the relative distance from the earth of each star.

Straw Stars (Modified from a lesson plan from Sky Tellers – Star Darts, Lunar and Planetary Institute)

Materials

Paint Non-bendable straws Star template Scissors Glue Tape

Safety Concerns: Scissors. Discuss safe and proper use of scissors.

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Procedures 1. Cut out seven cardstock stars from the template. Paint your seven stars. 2. Cut the straws into the following lengths:

9”

3.7”

5”

3.4”

4”

4.4”

4.4” Make five ½” cuts in both ends of each straw. Bend the sections back until all the sections are splayed to form bases at either end.

3. Tape a star to the splays on one end of the straw. 4. Using the table below, glue your “straw stars” to the Big Dipper template.

Star Length Light Years

Alkaid 9” 210

Alioth 3.7” 70

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Dubhe 5” 105

Megrez 3.4” 65

Merak 4” 80

Mizar 4.4” 88

Phecda (Phad) 4.4” 90 5. Explain how this activity demonstrates that the stars we see in a constellation are at different distances from Earth. _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________

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