Throughout the ages, mankind has looked to the heavens and tried to make sense of the lights in the sky. The ancient peoples of the world thought they could see pictures in the stars. These chance alignments of stars, also known as asterisms, are known as today constellations. Many ancient cultures around the world have assigned pictures to these star groupings. Many of these images find their roots shrouded in mythology. In our modern world, it can be difficult to make out the shapes of the constellations because city lights obscure the dimmer stars. But they are still used to help identify and locate objects in space. There are currently 88 main constellations recognized by the astronomical community. Here we will explore these constellations and identify the major points of interest within each. They are often grouped according to the month in which they are best visible. These monthly listings assume that you are looking at the sky at 9:00 PM. For every hour later than 9:00, add half of a month. For every hour before 9:00, subtract half a month. At the bottom of the page is an alphabetic listing for those looking for a particular constellation. Please note that the illustrations of each constellation will show only the brightest stars for purposes of simplicity. If you need an accurate rendering of any of these star groupings, please consult a star chart or planisphere. For information on how to use this section, click here. |
