Constellations

Constellations are formations of stars in the sky that are believed to create certain pictures. If you look on a clear night you will be able to spot some of them. It is believed it was these constellations that helped travelers at night be able to go the right direction. You may be able to come up with your own pictures in the sky at night just as a person does with the formations of clouds.

Yet there are many great constellations that have been sighted by man and they are part of history. There are a total of 88 recognized constellations in the sky. Most of them are linked to some type of mythological story. In fact, it is believed that it was the discovery of these constellations that often lead to magnificent tales being told about them.

The most well known and easiest to spot of all the constellations is the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper. Many people love the story of Draco who was said to be the last of the great dragons. He shared his heart with an evil boy who was king so the brave dragon had to die to save the people.

Many people also love the stories with Pegasus who was a horse who had wings to fly. She is often part of the stories with Perseus who battles with Medusa and wins. The Big Bear and Little Bear are also well known constellations that people search for. With many of them you will only be able to see them at certain times of the year. This is when they will line up for the images to be outlined in the sky.

Should you have an evening to spend gazing up at the stars, try to look for the various constellations. It can be very fun to do and you will find that once you locate one you can usually find it again with ease the next time. You can get an astronomy book too that will help to guide you in your initial search for them. You can also find out more about the legends behind each of the different constellations that you find in the sky.