What are constellations, how many are there and what are they for?

Constellations are part of the results provided by human intelligence to organize extraterrestrial reality.

Since ancient times, the observation of space and human interest and imagination has been decisive in establishing knowledge, until today, universe. In this aspect, the Constellations They provide one of the best examples, as they are the result of the need to organize and specify what transcends land boundaries. Its definition was useful in other non-science fields as well Astrology.

Constellations and stars

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (PotIts abbreviation in English) explains Constellations are A group Stars Together, they form a specific pattern in the sky. Precisely for this reason, they are named after the imagination approaches them.

Even if it seems like you are Starsor nodes Constellation, are close to each other, the truth is, they are not close to each other. They are also far away land.

According to the encyclopedia BritannicaThe oldest Greek work that already considered the constellations, The Phenomena of the astronomer Eudoxus of Cnidus (395-337 BC). Among them, 48 respect the names and orientation of the past. The rest were added by European astronomers 17th and 18th centuries.

This might interest you: Ptolemy, the Greek astronomer who gave the constellations their names 2,000 years ago

Speaking of ConstellationsIt is also correct to give space to Stars. First, it is currently recognized First 88, officially. Some of them are visible from both terrestrial hemispheres, while others are visible only from one of them.

Considering the above, it can be said that Starssuch as Constellations, supported by human imagination, groups of stars associated with certain figures. The difference is that these groups They are not recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). In fact, the Stars participate regularly Constellations Differs in form.

What is a star?

Stars understood as any celestial body that produces Light and heat due to the activity of its core, which is composed mainly of helium and hydrogen. A very close example land Is he the sunBut scientists estimate that only the Milky Way exists 300 billion stars.

Constellations in science

For astronomers, Constellations act as symbols of the universe. These have very little movement and are practically invisible. It suggests that many stars, nebulae and other objects are named after the constellation in which they are found. Pot.

This may interest you: They discovered the most distant stars in our galaxy, a million light-years away

Also, some events are named by virtue Constellation In it they are formed. This is the case Meteor showers, for example. One of them occurs every October and is called OrianidesBecause it has been Orion the Hunter constellation.

In ancient times, sailors used it Constellation knowledge To orient themselves before the enormity of the ocean. Currently, robotic instruments sent into space by various agencies use maps of the stars to locate themselves.

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