Constellation

Handboek sterrenbeelden. Alle sterrenbeelden op één plek, voor uw gemak.

The program is a guide to the constellations. All constellations are presented in one place, for your convenience.

Constellations are a conditional association of stars in groups based on the fact that the human eye sees them nearby. It is important to understand that such a convention is valid only within our solar system, because the view of the "sky" from another galaxy will show a completely different picture, in which the stars are grouped in a completely different way. It is also important to understand that the stars collected in the constellation can be located at a colossal distance from each other and even in different parts of the universe. Therefore, if it is necessary to single out precisely that "neighboring" stars close to each other, then we must turn to the concept of a galaxy.

Unlike the ancient world, when the sky was mentally painted with images, now the entire sky is pragmatically divided into 88 sections. All the stars that fall within the boundaries of such a site just form a constellation.

As constellations came up with.

Constellations were invented by people in the ancient world in order to better remember and navigate the stars. The brightest "neighboring" looking stars were mentally connected by lines and then such a "skeleton" was thought up to a certain image: for example, an animal or a hero from legends. The people of the ancient world lived mainly in the northern hemisphere of the Earth and saw only a part of the celestial sphere discovered by him. Therefore, half (47 of 88) of the constellations have long been named after mythological characters, and the other half - mostly visible from the southern hemisphere - was discovered and called more “modern” and only in the 17th century, after great geographical discoveries.

Zodiac constellations

Many have heard the signs of the zodiac, which are 12 constellations. These are the constellations through which the sun passes through the year. The number of zodiac constellations is traditional, not actual, since the thirteenth constellation Ophiuchus is not taken into account.

With this program you can get acquainted with any of the available constellations. See it in two modes, as well as read a brief information about this constellation.