Looking towards the sky at night is one of the greatest pleasures that our planet gives us. Millions of dazzling points rise before our sight, forming swarms of stars. And although at first it seems that they do not follow any pattern, if you observe the night sky regularly you gradually discover that there are small patterns hidden up there. Cosmonauts have called them and we have prepared a list of the names of the most famous constellations. How many of them do you know?
What are constellations?
The International Astronomical Union officially recognizes the existence of eighty-eight constellations in total. These are groupings of stars that form small, well-defined patterns. They do not touch each other and each one has a specific name.
In ancient times, astronomers created constellations without a well-established system, so over the years the celestial map ended up becoming a true chaos where stars shared more than one constellation. More than a hundred of them came to exist, however, there was no order to classify them.
In this sense, the International Astronomical Union convened a first meeting in 1922 to establish a binding order of the constellations. On that occasion, the list of constellations was reduced to eighty-eight of them, each with well-defined names. But in 1925 a meeting was called again to now establish the limits between each of them. This is how the celestial map that we now know emerged, where the eighty-eight constellations appear with their well-defined limits.
Names of the best-known constellations
Each of the constellations has a name, a limit and also a list of the stars that make it up. Most of the names are inherited from Greek mythology and behind some, there are hidden stories related to the worldview of Ancient Greece. Each star, in turn, has its own name and is classified by its brightness and size. We can say then that the constellations have a main star that is the one that stands out the most among all due to its luminosity.
However, due to the characteristics of the Earth and its movements, not all constellations are visible throughout the world. They are divided into two large southern groups that are observed in the southern celestial hemisphere. And the northern constellations, which can be seen in the northern hemisphere.
The best-known constellations are perhaps those that are part of the zodiacal constellations that parade through the ecliptic. There are 12 in total and they are famous as they are the easiest to locate.
Aquarius
Aries
Cancer
Capricornus
Gemini
Leo
Pound
Pisces
Sagittarius
Scorpius
Taurus
Virgo
Canis Major
But there are also other important constellations, either due to their size, visibility or because they house the brightest stars in the sky. One of them is the constellation Canis Major, which is famous for being the host of the largest star in the sky: Sirius.
Orion
It is another must-see in the night sky, it has the shape of a hunter and is part of the ancient Greek worldview. Its famous belt forms a pattern of three perfectly aligned stars that is very easy to identify in the night sky. The brightest star in the constellation is Rigel, followed by Betelgeuse and Bellatrix. It is located right next to the constellation of Taurus.
Great Bear
The Big Dipper is one of the most important constellations to see in the sky, because thanks to it it is possible to identify the North Star that is located in the northern hemisphere and that tells us where this cardinal point is located. In fact, it has been used by sailors for centuries to locate themselves in the dark night over the sea.
Little Bear
The Little Dipper is very similar to its older sister, except smaller, less luminous and inversely shaped. It is made up of seven stars, the North Star being the brightest of all.
If you want to venture into the art of constellation hunting, you can start with this practical guide that shows how to identify the main constellations in the sky. You just need patience and love for the night sky.