3.1 Constellations

Question 1

How many star can you see on clear ideal night with the naked eye

Answer 1

2000

Question 2

When did stars begin to be grouped in patterns (constellations)

Answer 2

Since antiquity

Question 3

What is a constellation

Answer 3

An area of sky containing a pattern of stars

Question 4

What are smaller groups of stars called

Answer 4

Asterisms - they form similar shapes eg the plough and the Summer Triangle

Question 5

What ar nebulae

Answer 5

Faint fuzzy patches of light

Question 6

How are stars labelled

Answer 6

Witt. Names of Greek letters according to how bright they appear

Scheme introduced by johann Breyer in early 17th century

Question 7

Describe Orion

Answer 7

Asterism of Orion’s belt

Pointer stars to Aldebaran (up and to the right )
and Sirius (down and to the left).

Contains the Orion Nebula (below the belt)

Question 8

Describe the winter triangle

Answer 8

Sirius
Procyon
Betelgeuse

Question 9

Describe the Bayer designation naming scheme

Answer 9

Brightest star in constellation is Alpha
Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon… as stars get dimmer.
1st 3 letters of the constellation of which the star is found.
β cent is 2nd brightest star in constellation centaurus.
γ Gem is 3rd brightest star in constellation Gemini.

Question 10

Tell me the first 5 letters of Greek alphabet

Answer 10

αβγδε

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon

Question 11

When and who published the first list of constellations

Answer 11

Ptolemy (Egyptian)
150 AD
Almagest

Question 12

Where did a lot of the work in the Almagest originate

Answer 12

Hiparchus of Nicaea (Greek).

Question 13

Who had the southern constellations

Answer 13

Dutch navigators
Dirkszoon & Houtman.
12 constellations added to original 8
Named after birds and animals.

Question 14

Who was Nicolas Louis de Lacaille?

Answer 14

French astronomer
Set up observatory in South Africa (Table Mountain).
Invented 14 new constellations to fill in gap in southern sky.

Question 15

Why was 1922 a significant year for constellations

Answer 15

IAU (international Astronomical Union)

Adopted official list of 88 constellations.

Question 16

Describe some cultural differences in the interpretations of constellations

Answer 16

Capricornus (the sea goat).
Aztecs whale .
Indians Antelope.

Orion’s Belt
Lakota (chief’s hand)

The Plough
Navaho (7 brothers of the changing bear Maiden)

Question 17

Why are some constellations only visible during certain seasons of the year?

Answer 17

Stars visible at e1 can only be seen when the earth is at e1, and stars at e2 can only be seen when earth at e2

This explains why some constellations can only be seen at certain seasons of the year!
Note: You can’t see stars visible at E2 when the earth is at E1 because those stars are behind the sun.

Check a diagram lol

Question 18

Describe how you would find Fomalhaut and the Andromeda Galaxy in the night sky.

Answer 18

For Fomalhaut
make line between top and bottom right corners of the great square of Pegasus and follow this line down.

 For Andromeda (M31)
From the top left corner of the square of Pegasus, jump two stars left and two up.

Question 19

What’s M31?

Answer 19

This is the Andromeda Galaxy.

This is the furthest thing that is not in our galaxy

Question 20

What’s fomalhaut

Answer 20

It is the star of which the first exoplanet was discovered.