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Purpose:
Constellations Lab
1. To learn to identify patterns of stars called constellations.
2. To use the North Star to identify familiar constellations on a star chart.
3. To observe how the night sky changes throughout the 4 seasons.
Introduction:
Constellations were observed more than 2,000 years ago by the Greeks, who grouped and named these star
patterns after characters in Greek fables. On a dark and clear night, you can observe these same constellations,
appearing much as they did in ancient times.
Constellations have a way of making you feel comfortable in unfamiliar places. For example, you may
travel with your family to another part of the United States. Even if you are hundreds of miles from home, as
long as you are in the northern hemisphere, the night sky will display the same familiar constellations.
Before you venture outside and look up at the night sky, learn to identify the patterns of constellations on
your star chart.
Procedure: Read all of the clues and steps carefully. Check off each box
as you go and be sure to circle only the complete constellations.
1. BIG DIPPER: In your spring star chart:
-Find the pattern of stars beneath and slightly to the left of center.
-It is a small group of 7 stars known as the Big Dipper (like a scoop).
-BLUE pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
2. POINTER STARS: In your spring star chart:
-Locate the 2 stars on the right side of the Big Dipper (the side without the handle).
-These stars are called the “Pointers”.
-RED pencil – LABEL the pointer stars in each season, and DRAW a neat line to connect the two
pointer stars.
3. NORTH STAR (Polaris): In your spring star chart:
-Find the Pointer star that is closest to the bottom of the Big Dipper.
-From this star, follow an imaginary line up with your pencil tip to the other Pointer star.
-Continue moving your pencil upward from the Pointers, keeping the line as straight as
possible, until you reach another star.
-This is the North Star (also called Polaris).
-You will use the North Star to locate other constellations and stars.
-GREEN pencil – LABEL the North Star and CIRCLE it in each season.
4. LITTLE DIPPER: In your spring star chart:
-The North Star is a star in the constellation called the Little Dipper.
-It is at the very end of the Little Dipper’s “handle”.
-Along with Polaris, these 7 stars make up the Little Dipper.
-ORANGE pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
5. LEO: In your spring chart:
- Follow the Pointers down to the group of 10 stars below them.
-This constellation is called Leo, “the lion”.
-According to Greek legend, Leo was the fiercest lion in the world. He was strangled by the
most famous of all Greek heroes, Hercules.
-PURPLE pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
6. HERCULES: In your spring chart:
- Hercules performed many incredible deeds throughout his life. In this constellation,
Hercules is carrying a club… perhaps he is after another lion like Leo!
-To find Hercules, you must first find the North Star.
-From the North Star, follow with your pencil, an imaginary line upward and to the left.
-Continue this imaginary line to the left until you come to a cluster of 18 stars.
-BLACK pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
7. GEMINI “the twins”: In your spring chart:
- A group of 13 stars to the right of the Big Dipper make up the constellation Gemini.
-According to an old Greek story, the Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux, were very close as
brothers. After one twin died, the other twin was sad and lonely, but soon they were
together again in the night sky.
-There are actually more than 13 stars in this constellation, however, Castor and Pollux
shine so brightly that they make it difficult for us to see the other stars around them.
-YELLOW pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
8. CASSIOPEIA: In your spring chart:
-Cassiopeia was very beautiful, but she also boasted that her beauty exceeded that of all the
sea nymphs. The sea nymphs complained to Neptune, asking him to punish Cassiopeia.
Neptune placed her in the heavens, and to embarrass her arranged it so that at certain
times of the year she appeared upside down.
-To find the constellation Cassiopeia, start at the North Star on the spring star chart.
-Above and slightly to the right of the North Star is a group of five stars, arranged in a “W”
pattern. This is Cassiopeia.
-PINK pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
9. PEGASUS: In your summer chart:
-a new constellation appears in the summer, called Pegasus.
- Pegasus is “the winged horse”.
-This group of 19 stars is to the left of Cassiopeia.
-BROWN pencil – CIRCLE & LABEL it in any of the seasons you may see it in its entirety.
Constellations Lab – 60 points
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Sky Chart
30 pts
Have Mrs. Meyers check the box showing that she has checked your sky chart.
Claim: Do the constellations actually move around the North Star
from season to season? State your claim below.
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Evidence: Use your sky chart to complete the following data table. Put
an "X" under the season(s) in which the ENTIRE constellation is seen.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Leo
Hercules
Gemini
Cassiopeia
Pegasus
Reasoning: Use your data table & star chart to answer the
questions. Use complete sentences for number 1.
1. Describe how the position of the North Star is different from the other
stars in the night sky. Explain why the constellations only appear to
move in a circle around the North Star from season to season. Be
sure to include if your answer matches your claim or not.
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2. How much does the Little Dipper appear to move from season to season?
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3. What direction does the Little Dipper appear to move from season to season?
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