Have you ever had any questions about the constellations? Like...
What are they and where did they come from? Or, have they always been here and will they ever be gone?
Well, those *are* good questions...and the answers are pretty interesting too - let's check them out...
first question - What are they?
Constellations are a distinct group of stars that form a pattern in the sky. They were given names and stories were associated with them, maybe to make them easier to remember.
second question - Where did they come from?
Long ago, when the Egyptians and other ancient astronomers were beginning to study the sky, they divided the sky into regions containing groups of stars and called the groups, constellations. Actually, the constellations are merely areas in the sky that happen to have stars in particular directions as we view them from earth.
third question - Have they always been here?
Well, yes and no. The stars have always been there, but not in the exact position we see them in today. There are several reasons for this. Because the universe is still expanding and the precession of the earth, the constellations that the ancient astronomers saw were somewhat different than what we see today.
fourth question - Will they ever be gone?
Eventually yes. As the universe continues to expand, the stars will continue to change positions as well. But not to worry, that will be thousands of years from now.
If you'd like to know more about the constellations and their stories, there is are excellent sites all over the web. One that's great for starters is the Northern Summer and Southern Winter Constellations. Another is the The Constellations and their Stars site. For others, use your browser to search for 'constellations' and have fun! (But don't forget to come back!)
