Pictures in the sky
On a clear night you can see many stars. Long ago, people joined bright stars together with imaginary lines to make pictures. A group of stars that makes a pattern like this is called a constellation.
Key idea
A constellation is a group of stars that seems to form a pattern or picture in the sky.
Why they are useful
Constellations help people find their way at night and know the seasons. Sailors and travellers used them like a map before there were phones. Some famous constellations are Orion (the hunter), the Southern Cross and Scorpius (the scorpion). Remember, the stars in a constellation are not really close together — they only look close from Earth.
Different constellations appear at different times of the year, so they can even tell us which season it is. Today we still enjoy looking for these star pictures on a clear, dark night.
Example
The Southern Cross looks like a small cross of four bright stars. People in the southern sky use it to help find the south direction when they are travelling at night.
Remember
- A constellation is a star pattern.
- Stars only look close; they are really far apart.
- Constellations help with direction and seasons.