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'''Constellations''' are the random arrangement of the stars visible to the naked eye that has remained essentially unchanged since the time of the first written records. One of the earliest complete lists we have was compiled in about 120 BC by the [[Greek]] astronomer [[Hipparchus]], and all the stars that he described can be found, with the same brightness and in practically the same place, in our skies today.

'''Constellations''' are the random arrangement of the stars visible to the naked eye that has remained essentially unchanged since the time of the first written records. One of the earliest complete lists we have was compiled in about 120 BC by the [[Greek]] astronomer [[Hipparchus]], and all the stars that he described can be found, with the same brightness and in practically the same place, in our skies today.

The whole sky has been arbitrarily divided into eighty-eight areas, which differ greatly in size and shape. Each area is a "constellation," or group of stars, and was thought to represent a mythical or semi-mythical being. Over half the constellations were recognized and mentioned by [[Hipparchus]] (and by [[Ptolemy]], whose star catalogue came down to us through the [[Muslim]] scholars as the "[[Almagest]]"). The remaining constellations lie in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] and were not named until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Traditionally, constellations represented mythical or semi-mythical beings. Over half the constellations were recognized and mentioned by [[Hipparchus]] (and by [[Ptolemy]], whose star catalogue came down to us through the [[Muslim]] scholars as the "[[Almagest]]"). The remaining constellations, mostly in the [[Southern Hemisphere]] and were not named until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

 

Astronomers have arbitrarily divided the whole sky into eighty-eight areas, or "constellations", which differ greatly in size and shape.  Traditional constellations such as the [[Big Dipper]] and [[Northern Cross]] which fall inside another astronomical constellation have been renamed '''asterisms'''.

Few of the groups of stars that form constellations look much like the objects they represent. Much imagination is needed to see the "pictures" seen by those gazing at the skies so many years ago.

Few of the groups of stars that form constellations look much like the objects they represent. Much imagination is needed to see the "pictures" seen by those gazing at the skies so many years ago.