At first, constellations were determined by the shapes that their star patterns created, but as astronomical discoveries accelerated in the early 20th century, astronomers believed that having a standard set of boundaries would be beneficial. One of those standard norms was to help name new variable stars, which shine intermittently rather than continuously. It is crucial to agree on where one constellation ends and another begins because such stars are named for the constellation in which they are located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the D\u00e9limitation Scientifique Des Constellations<\/a>, published on behalf of IAU Commission 3, Eug\u00e8ne Delporte first enumerated the 88 “modern” constellations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An asterism is a pattern or collection of stars that are observed in the sky. Asterisms are a broader concept than the 88 officially recognised constellations because they can represent any recognised pattern or collection of stars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, how are constellations and asterisms different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asterisms have served as the basis for the 88 categorised constellations. Although constellations are based on asterisms, they entirely divide the sky and all of its celestial objects into regions around their centre asterisms, unlike asterisms. The Big Dipper<\/a>, for instance, is an asterism made up of the seven brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major. Another example is the Southern Cross asterism, which is located in the constellation Crux.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asterisms<\/a> can range in complexity from modest gatherings of a few stars spanning small areas of the sky to more complicated collections of many stars. Even while the stars may be fainter or even invisible to the human eye, they are typically all of the similar brightness to one another. For those who are curious and getting acquainted with the night sky, the larger, brighter asterisms are helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asterisms are made up of patterns of stars that are not necessarily the consequence of any physical association between the stars but rather are the outcome of the observers’ unique points of view\u2014the major difference between constellations and asterisms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/em>Wikipedia<\/em><\/a> | The stars of Orion’s Belt are all members of the Orion association<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The stars of Orion’s Belt, for instance, are all members of the Orion association, and five of the stars comprising the Big Dipper are part of the Ursa Major Moving Group, whereas the Summer Triangle is solely an observational group of stars that is not physically related. Physical associations like the Hyades or Pleiades can be independent asterisms and components of other asterisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/em>Star Name<\/em><\/a> | Constellations and asterisms: Ursa Major<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The enormous bear constellation, Ursa Major, is visible in the northern hemisphere. It is an expansive constellation, covering 1,280 square degrees. The third-largest constellation in the night sky as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/em>Pinterest<\/em><\/a> |Constellations and asterisms: Bigger Dipper in Ursa Major<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Big Dipper comprises Ursa Major’s seven brightest stars. These stars outline the bear’s exaggerated tail and hindquarters, or they could represent the “handle” that forms the top of its head and neck. The constellation Ursa Minor, sometimes known as the Little Dipper, has a longer tail and hardly resembles a bear at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ursa Major, to the north, has several asteroids. The bright stars Alkaid (Eta UMa), Mizar (Zeta UMa), Alioth (Epsilon UMa), Megrez (Delta UMa), Phecda (Gamma UMa), Dubhe (Alpha UMa), and Merak combine to form the most well-known of these, the Big Dipper (Beta UMa).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out of the 88 constellations, it is the smallest. Crux is one of the most well-known constellations in the southern hemisphere despite its small size. The Southern Cross, an asterism formed by its five brightest stars, makes it simple to identify. The constellation is linked to a variety of tales and is a central figure in numerous southern hemisphere myths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/em>EarthSky.org<\/em><\/a> | Crux is one of the most well-known constellations in the southern hemisphere despite its small size. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n By name, the Southern Cross is an asterism, but today, the entire region is known as the constellation Crux. The brightest stars in the constellation Crux, including Acrux (Alpha Crucis), Mimosa (Beta Crucis), Gacrux (Gamma Crucis), Imai (Delta Cruis), and Ginan, make up the Southern Cross (Epsilon Crucis). The smallest of the five stars, Ginan, is not often seen in representations of asterism. When Bayer constructed Crux in Uranometria (1603) using stars in Centaurus’ hind legs, he reduced Centaurus’ size and declared it to be an asterism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like its southern neighbours, the Diamond Cross and the False Cross, for which it is occasionally mistaken, the Southern Cross does not resemble a cross. It resembles a diamond more. It has two first-magnitude stars (Acrux and Mimosa) at its vertices, making it appear brighter and smaller than the other two asterisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/em>ThoughtsCo<\/em><\/a> | Constellations and asterisms: Fish Hook in Scorpion<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The scorpion-shaped constellation Scorpius can be found in the southern hemisphere of the night sky. Although it is low in the sky and best visible from the southern hemisphere or the southern United States, it can be seen in the summer from the northern hemisphere. At latitudes between 40 and -90 degrees, it can be seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Between Libra to the west and Sagittarius to the east is where it is located. If the chart’s lines from Antares to Beta Scorpii and Pi Scorpii are swapped out for a line from Beta to Delta Scorpii to Pi, a giant capped “J” will form, making the image even more clear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The asterism known as the Fish Hook is what gives the constellation Scorpius its distinctive appearance. The native Hawaiian term for Scorpius is The Fish Hook. The Fish Hook is located between the Teapot and the Scorpion’s claws and is outlined by a sloping line of stars that runs from Antares at heart to Shaula and Lesath at the stinger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xamidimura (Mu1 Scorpii), Pipirima (Mu2 Scorpii), Zeta1 and Zeta2 Scorpii, Eta Scorpii, Sargas (Theta Scorpii), Paikauhale (Tau Scorpii), Iota Scorpii, Antares (Alpha Scorpii), Kappa Scorpii, Shaula (Lambda Scorpii), and Lesath (Upsilon Scorpii) are the stars that make up the asterism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bo\u00f6tes is occasionally referred to as the Ice Cream Cone. One of the brightest stars in the night sky, Arcturus, may be found in the northern hemisphere constellation Bo\u00f6tes. The best time to observe Bo\u00f6tes is in the spring, rising in the northeast after dusk. Looking down the handle of the Big Dipper away from its spout, arcing to the bright orange star Arcturus, creating the base of the constellation Bo\u00f6tes, which to some observers resembles a kite, i.e. Kite asterism<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Kite, which may be seen on a clear night between the handle of the Big Dipper and the crown-like pattern of Corona Borealis, is a little fainter than these two objects. A nickname for Cassiopeia is the shape of its stars, which resemble a W.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It also includes the stars Izar (Epsilon Bo\u00f6tis), Princeps (Delta Bo\u00f6tis), Nekkar (Beta Bo\u00f6tis), Seginus (Gamma Bo\u00f6tis), and Rho Bo\u00f6tis. Izar and Rho Bo\u00f6tis are sometimes left out of the pattern, while Zeta, Eta, Tau, and Upsilon Bo\u00f6tis are sometimes added to give the celestial Kite a tether and tail.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is the difference between constellations and asterisms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Big Dipper – Ursa Major<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Southern Cross – Crux Constellation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fish Hook – Scorpion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Kite – Bo\u00f6tes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Y of Virgo – Virgo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n