Modern star sky map. Interactive Star Sky Cards with Constellations

Ancient astronomers, peering at the night sky, noticed that some stars are located close to each other, while others are far away. Nearby Ramp were merged into groups or constellations. In the life of people, they began to play an important role. Especially this concerned sailors of commercial ships, which in the stars determined the direction of movement of their courts.

The first constellation card appeared in the second century BC. E.. Created it one of the greatest Greek astronomers Hipparch Nicesky. Working in the Alexandria library, he made a catalog of 850 stars visible to the naked eye. All these shines he distributed 48 constellations.

The final point in this matter set the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in the II century by our era. He wrote his famous monograph "Almagest". In it, he outlined all those astronomical knowledge that existed on that period of time. This work was unshakable throughout the whole millennium until the greatest scientist from Khorezm al-Bruni appeared at the beginning of the XI century.

In the XV century, a German astronomer and mathematician Johann Muller (not to be confused with a biologist Johann Peter Muller) founded one of the first astronomical laboratories in Nuremberg. At the initiative of this distinguished mat, there were light astronomical tables based on the works of Ptolemy.

These first cards of the starry sky used such famous navigators like Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus. The latter, guided by them, recalculated in 1492 the Atlantic Ocean and reached the shores of South America.

With the works of Johann Muller, who is more famous for the nickname region, the German artist and Graraver Albrecht Durer got acquainted. It is, thanks to his skill, in 1515, the first printed card of constellations appeared. Those on it were depicted in the form of figures from Greek mythology. So it was necessary to start the publication of Heavenly Atlas.

They tried to reflect the brightness of the stars in descending order. For this, the letters of the Greek alphabet began to use. The brightest luminaries within the constellations were assigned the letter "Alpha". Then there was a letter "Beta", "Gamma" and so on. This principle is used in our day.

In the XVII century, the Polish astronomer and telescope designer Jan Gevelius made a catalog in which 1564 stars entered. He also pointed out their coordinates in the heavenly sphere.

The current names of constellations and their borders were finally approved by the International Agreement in 1922. In total there are 88 constellations, and their names in the bulk are borrowed from ancient Greek mythology. Each stars accumulation also has a generally accepted Latin name. This is that astronomers speaking different languages \u200b\u200bunderstood each other.

Map of constellations
Located in the Northern Hemisphere Sky

Above the figure shows heavenly map of the northern hemisphere. It includes the following constellations: Andromeda (1), big bear (2), arcing (3), Volos (4), Veronica's hair (5), Hercules (6), racing dogs (7), Dolphin (8), Dragon (9), Giraffe (10), Cassiopeia (13), Swan (14), Lira (15), chanterelle (16), small bear (17), Small horse (18), Small Lion (19), Pegasus (21 ), Perseus (22), Lynx (23), Northern Crown (24), Arrow (25), Triangle (26), Cefi (27), Lizard (29), Hydra (33), Unicorn (35), KIT ( 43), Small dog (47), Orion (53).

In white circles there are figures of zodiac constellations: Aries (77), Taurus (78), twins (79), Cancer (80), Lion (81), Virgo (82), Fish (88).

Below in the figure is given heavenly Card Southern Hemisphere. It includes: snakers (11), snake (12), Orel (20), shield (28), big dog (30), wolf (31), raven (32), pigeon (34), altar (36) Painter (37), Crane (38), Hare (39), Gold Fish (40), Indian (41), Kiel (42), Compass (44), Food (45), Bat Fish (46), Microscope (48 ), Fly (49), Pump (50), Shagolnik (51), Octante (52), Peacock (54), Sails (55), Oven (56), Paradise Bird (57), Cutter (58), Sextant (57) 59), Mesh (60), Sculptor (61), Dining Mountain (62), Telescope (63), Toucan (64), Phoenix (65), Chameleon (66), Centaur (67), Circul (68), Clock (69), bowl (70), Eridan (71), South Hydra (72), South Crown (73), South Fish (74), South Cross (75), South Triangle (76).

In white circles, figures corresponding to the following zodiac constellations are shown: scales (83), Scorpio (84), Sagittarius (85), Capricorn (86), Aquarius (87).

Map of constellations
located in the sky of the southern hemisphere

The most famous constellation of the Northern Hemisphere is a big bear. These are 7 bright stars forming the bucket. If through his "wall" opposite to the "handle" (Dubhi and Merac stars), spend a straight line, then it will be preserved into the polar star, that is, will indicate the northern direction. After the centuries, the position of these stars changes in the sky. Therefore, a few millennia ago the outline of the bucket looked not like today.

Map of constellations would have lost a lot without Orion. His brightest star is called Bethelgeuse. And the second brightness is called the Rigel. Three stars of the second magnitude form an Orion belt. It is possible to find the brightest star of the night sky, which is called Sirius. It enters the constellation of a large dog. All the same diversity and beauty of the night sky is impossible to describe. It is necessary to see and admire the cosmic forces that are able to create such splendor.

Constellations are plots of starry sky. To better navigate in the starry sky, the ancients began to highlight the stars that could be associated with separate figures, similar objects, mythological characters and animals. Such a system allowed people to organize the night sky, making each site easily recognizable. It simplified the study of heavenly bodies, helped to measure time, apply astronomical knowledge in agriculture and navigate the stars. Stars that we see in our sky as if on one site, can actually be extremely far from each other. In one constellation, non-related stars can be in any way as very close and very far from the ground.

There are 88 official constellations. In 1922, the International Astronomical Union was officially recognized by 88 constellations, 48 \u200b\u200bof which were described by another ancient Greek astronomer Ptolem in his star catalog "Almagest" about 150 g. BC. In the cards of Ptolemy there were spaces, especially this concerned the southern sky. That is quite logical - the constellations described by Ptolem, covered the part of the night sky, which is visible from the south of Europe. The rest of the lacques began to be filled into the times of great geographical discoveries. In the XIV century, Dutch scientists Gerard Mercator, Peter Cayer and Frederick de Hautman added to the existing list of new constellations, and the Polish astronomer Yang Gevelii and the French Nicola Louis de Lakail were completed by Ptolem. On the territory of Russia from 88 and constellations can be observed about 54.

Knowledge of constellations came to us from ancient cultures. Ptolemy made a star of the starry sky, but the knowledge of the constellations people used long before that. At least in the VIII B to AD, when Homer in his poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey" mentioned Volopasa, Orion and a big naughty, people have already grown the sky into separate figures. It is believed that the main array of knowledge of the ancient Greeks on constellations came to them from the Egyptians, which, in turn, inherited them from the inhabitants of the ancient Babylon, Sumerians or Ackadov. About thirty constellations were highlighted by the residents of the late Bronze Age, in 1650-1050. BC, judging by entries on clay signs of ancient Mesopotamia. Signing to constellations can be found in the Hebrew biblical texts. The most remarkable constellation is perhaps the Constellation of Orion: In almost every ancient culture, it had its name and revered as special. So, in ancient Egypt, he was considered the embodiment of Osiris, and in the ancient Babylon called "the faithful shepherd of heaven." But the most amazing discovery was made in 1972: a piece of ivory mammoth was found in Germany, more than 32 thousand years old, at which the Constellation of Orion was cut out.

We see various constellations depending on the time of year. During the year, our eyes appear different parts of the sky (and different celestial bodies, respectively), because the Earth makes its annual warri around around the Sun. Constellations that we see at night, these are those located behind the earth on our side of the Sun, because In the afternoon, behind the bright rays of the sun, we are unable to see them.

To better understand how it works, imagine that you ride the carousel (this is the Earth), from the center of which it comes very bright, blinding light (sun). You will not be able to see what is opposite you because of the light, and you can distinguish only what is outside the carousel. In this case, the picture will constantly change because you ride in a circle. What kind of constellation you are watching in the sky and at what time of year they appear, also depends on the geographical latitude of the watching.

Constellations travel from east to west, like the sun. As soon as the first constellations appear in the eastern part of the sky, the first constellations appear in the eastern sky to go throughout the sky and disappear with the dawn in the western part. Because of the rotation of the Earth around its axis, the impression is that constellations, like the sun, go go up and enter. The constellations that we have just observed on the Western Horizon immediately after sunset, will soon disappear from our field of view so that they are replaced by the constellations that were above during the sunset just a few weeks ago.

Constellations arising in the East have a daily shift about 1 degree per day: the completion of a 360-degree trip around the Sun for 365 days gives approximately the same speed. Exactly one year later, at the same time, the stars will take exactly the same position in the sky.

The movement of stars is an illusion and question of perspective. The direction in which the stars move along the night sky is due to the rotation of the Earth around its axis and does indeed depend on the perspective and on which direction the face is facing.

Looking north, constellation seems to be moving counterclockwise, around the stationary point of the night sky, the so-called North Pole of the world, located near the polar star. Such perception is due to the fact that the Earth rotates from the west to the East, that is, the land under your legs moves to the right, and the stars, like the sun, the moon and the planet, follow the direction of East-West, i.e. on the right left. However, if you turn to face south, the stars will move as if clockwise, from left to right.

Zodiacal constellations - These are those through which the sun moves. The most famous constellations from 88 and existing - zodiacal. These include those through which the center of the Sun goes over the year. It is believed that there are 12 zodiac constellations in total, although in fact they are 13: From November 30 to December 17, the Sun is in the constellation of the serpentian, but its astrologers do not count it to the zodiacal. All zodiac constellations are located along the visible annual way of the Sun among the stars, ecliptic, tilting 23.5 degrees to the equator.

Some constellations have families - These are groups of constellations located in the same area of \u200b\u200bthe night sky. As a rule, they assign the names of the most significant constellation. The most "large" is the constellation of Hercules, which has as many as 19 constellations. Other major families include a big bear (10 constellations), Perseus (9) and Orion (9).

Celebrity constellations. The largest constellation is a hydra, it extends more than 3% of the night sky, while the smallest area, the southern cross, takes only 0.165% of the sky. Centaurus boasts the highest amount of visible stars: 101 star enters the famous South Hemisphere Constellation. In the constellation of Big PSA, the brightest star of our sky, Sirius, the brillia of which is equal to -1.46m. But the constellation called the Mountain Mountain is considered the most dull and does not contain stars brighter than the 5th stellar magnitude. Recall, in the numerical characteristic of the brightness of the celestial bodies, the less value, the brighter object (the brightness of the Sun, for example, is -26.7M).

Asterism - This is not a constellation. Asterism is called a group of stars with a well-established name, for example, the "Big Bucket", which is included in the constellation a large bear, or the "Orion belt" - three stars encircling the figure of Orion in the constellation of the same name. In other words, these are fragments of constellations that secured a separate name. The term itself is not strictly scientific, rather simply representing the tribute to tradition.

More ancient people united the stars in our chaise in the constellation. In ancient times, when the true nature of the celestial bodies were unknown, residents were assigned by the characteristic "patterns" from stars outlining any animals or items. In the future, the stars and constellations turned out the legends and myths.

Star sky cards

To date, there are 88 constellations. Many of them are very noteworthy (Orion, Cassiopeia, Medoli) and contain many interesting facilities available not only to professional astronomers and lovers, but also to ordinary people. On the pages of this category, we will tell you about the most interesting objects in the constellations, their location, give many photos and entertaining video records.

List of Sky Constellations in alphabetical order

Russian name	Latin name	Abbreviation	Area (quarter degrees)	The number of stars brighter 6,0m.
	Andromeda.	And.	722	100
	Gemini.	Gem.	514	70
	Ursa Major.	Uma.	1280	125
	Canis major	CMA.	380	80
	Libra.	Lib	538	50
	Aquarius.	AQR.	980	90
	Auriga.	AUR	657	90
	Lupus	Lup.	334	70
	Bootes.	Boo	907	90
	COMA BERENICES.	Com.	386	50
	Corvus.	CRV.	184	15
	Hercules.	HER.	1225	140
	Hydra.	HYA.	1303	130
	Columba.	Col	270	40
	Canes Venatici.	CVN.	465	30
	Virgo.	Vir.	1294	95
	Delphinus.	Del.	189	30
	Draco.	DRA	1083	80
	Monoceros.	MON.	482	85
	Ara	Ara	237	30
	Pictor	PIC	247	30
	Camelopardalis	Cam	757	50
	Grus.	Gru	366	30
	Lepus.	LEP.	290	40
	Ophiuchus.	Oph.	948	100
	Serpane	Ser.	637	60
	Dorado.	Dor.	179	20
	Indus	Ind	294	20
	Cassiopeia.	Cas.	598	90
	Carina.	Car	494	110
	Cetus.	Cet.	1231	100
	Capricornus.	Cap	414	50
	Pyxis.	PYX.	221	25
	Puppis	Pup.	673	140
	Cygnus.	Cyg.	804	150
	LEO.	LEO.	947	70
	Volns.	Vol.	141	20
	Lyra.	Lyr.	286	45
	Vulpecula.	Vul	268	45
	Ursa Minor	UMI	256	20
	Equuleus.	Equ.	72	10
	Leo Minor	LMI	232	20
	Canis minor	CMI	183	20
	Microscopium.	MIC	210	20
	Musca.	Mus.	138	30
	Antlia	Ant.	239	20
	Norma.	NOR.	165	20
	Aries.	ARI	441	50
	Octans.	Oct.	291	35
	Aquila	AQL	652	70
	Orion.	Ori.	594	120
	PAVO.	Pav	378	45
	Vela	Vel	500	110
	Pegasus.	Peg.	1121	100
	Perseus.	Per.	615	90
	Fornax	For	398	35
	APUS.	APS	206	20
	Cancer.	CNC.	506	60
	Caylum	Cae.	125	10
	Pisces.	PSC	889	75
	Lynx	Lyn.	545	60
	Corona Borealis.	CRB.	179	20
	Sextans.	Sex	314	25
	Reticulum.	RET.	114	15
	Scorpius.	SCO.	497	100
	Sculptor	SCL.	475	30
	Mensa.	MEN.	153	15
	Sagitta.	SGE	80	20
	Sagittarius.	SGR.	867	115
	Telescopium.	TEL.	252	30
	Taurus.	Tau.	797	125
	Triangulum.	TRI	132	15
	Tucana.	TUC	295	25
	Phoenix.	Phe.	469	40
	Chamaeleon.	Cha.	132	20
	Centaurus.	Cen.	1060	150
	Cepheus.	Cep.	588	60
	Circinus.	Cir.	93	20
	Horologium.	HOR.	249	20
	Crater	CRT	282	20
	Scutum	SCT	109	20
	Eridanus.	ERI	1138	100
Thanks to the observations of astronomers, it turned out that the location of the stars over time gradually changes. For accurate measurements of these changes, many hundreds and thousands of years needed. The night sky creates the visibility of an innumerable amount of heavenly luminaries, randomly located along the location of each other, which often evaporate the constellations in the sky. On the visible part of the sky, more than 3 thousand stars are visible, and on all heaven - 6000. Visible location Swan Constellation from Atlas Johanna Bayer "Uranometry" 1603 The location of non-labor stars can be determined by finding bright, and thus find the necessary constellation. From a long time, with the purpose of easily finding constellations, bright stars were combined into groups. These constellations received animal names (scorpion, big bear and so on) were called the names of the heroes of Greek myths (Perseus, Andromeda, etc.), or the simple names of objects (scales, arrow, northern crown, etc.). From the 18th century, some bright stars of each constellation began to call the letters of the Greek alphabet. In addition, about 130 bright luminous stars were named their names. After some time, astronomers denoted them by the numbers that are currently used for stars of weak brightness. Since 1922, some major constellations were divided into small, and instead of groups of constellations, they began to consider the stars of the starry sky. At the moment, there are 88 separate sections in the sky, called constellations. Observation For several hours of observation, the night sky can be seen as the heavenly sphere, which includes the luminaries, as one, smoothly rotates around the invisible axis. This movement was called daily. The movement of the luminaire is performed from left to right. The moon and the sun, as well as the stars, are torn in the east, in the southern part rise to the maximum height, go on the horizon of the west side. Watching the sunrise and entering these shining, it is found that, unlike stars, corresponding to different days of the year, they are torn in the east and at different points enter the West. In December, the Sun in the south-east rises and in the southwest comes. Over time, the West point and sunrise are shifted to the northern side horizon. Accordingly, the Sun goes back at noon above the horizon line every day, the duration of the day becomes greater, and the duration of the night decreases. The movement of celestial objects on constellations According to the observations, it is clear that the moon is not all the time in the same constellation, but makes movement from one to another, moving from the west to the east to 13 degrees per day. In the sky, the moon makes a full circle for 27.32 days, passing 12 constellations. The sun makes a similar path like the moon, however, the speed of the sun is 1 degree per day and all the way goes over the year. Zodiac convened The names of the constellations for which the sun and the moon pass, received the names of the zodiacs (fish, Capricorn, Deva, Scales, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Lion, Aquarius, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Aries). The first three constellations The Sun passes in the spring, the next three in the summer, subsequent in the same way. Only in six months, those constellations become visible in which the sun is now. Scientific popular film "Secrets of the Universe - Constellation"

How often do you pay your eyes on the sky in search of a constellation? Do you know the star sky map? The following links to constellation and stars cards, constellation cards both online and static, as well as descriptions of services and programs for working with star sky cards, space and galaxies of our universe will help you navigate the star sky map.

Card Constellation and Star Sky

One of the best, in my opinion, map of the starry sky. The equatorial part of the starry sky is built in a cylindrical projection, and the poles in the azimuthal. Thanks to this refraction in the connection places of these projections are reduced to the minimum quantity, however, let you not be surprised as if some constellations are seen twice: on the poles and equatorial cards. Map of constellations is presented as an image in a JPG format in a fairly large resolution.

Photo mirkosmosa.ru.

Map of Constellation and Star Sky Google Sky

Interactive map of the starry sky, stars, constellations and galaxies that have no equal. A lot of work has been done from a huge number of photos made by the Hubble orbital telescope compiled a map of the entire star sky, a raising the scale of which you can see the starry sky, which is not visible not that the naked eye, but also in the optical telescope from the ground. In addition, this constellation card gives you the opportunity to assemble the starry sky in the constellation, look at their historical images, as well as to accomplish the tour of our solar system, consider the sky in invisible infrared and microwave spectra.

Google Sky.

Card Constellation and Star Sky from Google Service Planet Earth (Google Earth)

Taking Google Sky and Google Map for the basic basis of Google and Google artists went even further and created a browser program that, connecting to a single database through the web, loads to your PC map of the Earth and the star sky card, as well as the Moons and Mars cards . Google Planet Earth project is rapidly deployed and disclosed for any wishes to bring their own contribution. For example, you can apply a three-dimensional model of your own objects on the map of the constellation, if this has not yet done anyone else.
Another service allows you to record card-based vocabulary, impose a voice or music accompaniment on them and save it as a video file.

Google Planet Earth Service (Google Earth)

Map of constellations and starry sky PHOTOPIC SKY SURVEY

Another exciting, cool, interactive starry sky project with convenient navigation. As well as in the last case with Google Planet Earth, the constellation card is obtained by connecting the large number of real 5 megapixel photos in one picture and receiving a circular panorama of stars and constellations.
It is allowed to display a layer with the connected traits of constellations, however, unlike Google Sky and Google Planet Earth, the image cannot be saved.

It is difficult to disagree that when the star sky is coming across the eyes, and we carefully peer into the dots and lines forming the frame of the constellations, the question involuntarily occurs: and what story is behind each of them? Special interest cause zodiac constellations. However, it should be noted that the signs of the zodiac have nothing to do with the zodiacal constellations and are used only when drawing up horoscopes and in order to consider such zodiac constellations such as Aries, Lev, Cancer and Gemini, you will need a map of the star sky of the northern hemisphere, because that they are located exactly there. The time that the sun is in the constellation is lagging behind that we are accustomed to, almost a month. If the astrological year begins on March 21, the sun enters the constellation of Aries only on April 19.

What are the zodiac constellations?

Astronomers share the zodiac constellations on the northern, equatorial and southern. Northern is the constellation of Aries, Taurus, twins, cancer, lion. Southern called the constellation of scales, scorpion, firing, Capricorn, Aquarius. At the equator there are constellations of the Virgin and Fish. In order to see their location, you will need a star sky map like that you can see below.

Secrets of Aries, Taurus and Gemini

The history of many constellations is directly related to the myths of ancient Greece. Aries, according to the ancient Greek legend, was the very agricultural ram, in search of the skin of which was once sent to Jason and Argonauts. Taurus is the embodiment of the lubricent god-roster Zeus, who killed the daughter of Tsar Finika Europe and delivering it to the island of Crete. In there is the brightest star Aldebaran. Also, the map of the starry sky of the Northern Hemisphere shows that the zodiacal history is also located is also connected with the time of Jason and Argonauts. Myths tell us that the twins of Dioscury, Pollux and Castor are prototypes of this constellation.

What are the lion, Virgo and Cancer silent?

The constellation of cancer is also an interesting story that identifies it with the very cancer who spoke against Hercules when he fought with how the legend says, at the time when the rest of the animals helped the hero, he jumped out of the water and bitten him, but was crushed . However, the goddess of Hera, hated herakla, appreciated the act of cancer and turned it into the constellation. To everyone who falls on the eye map of the starry sky, the magnificent lion located next to the cancer, which is also among the zodiacal constellations. As an ancient story says, he also did not cost without an ancient Greek hero of Hercules, who defeated the Nemoy Lion, who personifies in the sky this accumulation of stars. No less interesting and the constellation of the Virgin, if only because neither historians nor the ancient Greeks themselves could decide who it should represent. Nevertheless, it is believed that the ancient Greek goddess of Demeter's fertility appears in the form of a virgin, the mother of Persephone, the wife of the god of the underground kingdom of Aida.

History of scales, scorpion, Sagittarius

The constellation of the scales was imposed as an independent education from heavenly luminaries rather late, and for a long time he was called no other than the tongue of scorpion. Now he is considered an incidental attribute of the femis, the blind goddess of justice. And Scorpion, from which the scales separated, is, according to the story of the myth, the killer of the Hunter Orion, who sent the Goddess of Artemis after a quarrel to him. That is why both these constellations - Orion and Scorpio - are not together in the sky. When scorpion appears, Orion disappears. The movable map of the starry sky very well demonstrates this is the most interesting phenomenon. Sagittarius, a neighbor of scorpion, is depicted in the form of a centaur, no accurate data on the origin of which is unknown. According to one data, his name was meme. Other sources say that it was Hiron - the inventor of the Globe for the Travel of Argonauts for the Golden Room.

What hide Capricorn, Aquarius and Fish?

Capricorn's constellation stores a lot of secrets, as well as the star of the starry sky itself. In ancient times, this creation was called "fish-goat" because of his fish tail instead of the rear hooves. The version is distributed that this fourth of the Zeus goat Amalfa. Aquarius, located next to her, got several roles at once: This is Ganymed, the young man and Vinolrypius originally from Troy, Gengoron and the Old Attalist King Kecrope. The last of personifies the goddess of love by Aphrodite and her son Erota, who flew to Egypt from Cranki Typhon.

It's amazing, but, as you can see, for each of the 12 zodiac constellations there is a story and and when you fall on the eyes of a star sky with constellations next time, it will not be considered as a collection of beautiful pictures. And all because now you know what is behind each of these star clusters.