How to find stars in the sky. The meaning of the trapezoid of Orion in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, BSE Constellation in the form of a trapezoid 5 stars

Since time immemorial, people have looked in awe at the night sky, strewn with myriads of shining stars. Probably even primitive “astronomers”, having tried to understand what they were seeing, found out: almost all stars consist of certain unchanging groups that can shift in the sky and even disappear beyond the horizon, but after a while they return to their places. These groups began to be given proper names: names of animals, mythical creatures, legendary heroes and even household items. Different cultures have formed different naming systems - scientists Ancient China, for example, they called clusters of stars after the names of imperial palaces or premises attached to them. However, we mainly owe the familiar names of the 48 constellations visible in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere to the ancient cultures of Europe and the Middle East. Another 40 groups of stars have been identified since the beginning of the 16th century - however, almost all of them are visible only in the Southern Hemisphere, so the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the Arabs, knew nothing about them.

So for today on celestial sphere There are a total of 88 constellations identified and officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

Constellations of the Northern Subpolar Region

Just like the Moon, the constellations move across the night sky in the direction from east to west - this is caused by the fact that the Earth rotates around its axis from west to east. Constellations located in the 40-degree zone from the North Pole of the world belong to the so-called Northern circumpolar region; all of them remain visible at any time of the year, never disappearing beyond the horizon. To the five main subpolar constellations include Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor and Dragon. The latter is a broken chain of stars stretching across a vast area of the sky: the tail of the Dragon is located between the North Star and Ursa Major, the body goes around Ursa Minor and Cepheus, and the head is directed towards the constellation Hercules.

Summer star triangle of the Northern Hemisphere

Starry light appears in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere on warm summer nights triangle(that's what they call him - Summer) constitute the three brightest luminaries in the constellations Lyres, Swan And Orla: Vega, Deneb And Altair.

Northern Hemisphere Winter Star Triangle

In winter, it appears on the midnight sky Winter triangle, the term most bright stars Orion ( Betelgeuse), Canis Major (Sirius) and Canis Minor ( Procyon).

Other “carriers” of bright stars include constellations Leo And Virgo– They are best observed in the spring. Other constellations, not included in the subpolar region, are sometimes almost completely hidden for us behind the horizon, but at the same time become partially visible south of the equator. Among them are the constellations Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, and Gemini.

Constellations of the northern hemisphere

Andromeda
Twins
Big Dipper
Auriga
Bootes
Veronica's hair
Hercules
Hound Dogs
Dolphin
The Dragon
Giraffe
Cassiopeia
Swan
Chanterelle
Ursa Minor
Small Horse
Little Leo
Small Dog
Pegasus
Perseus
Northern Crown
Arrow
Taurus
Triangle
Cepheus
Lizard

Description of interesting constellations of the Northern Hemisphere

Andromeda

Andromeda is a constellation of the northern hemisphere, consisting of three bright stars, located in a line. The Alamak star is a triple system consisting of a main star yellow color with a magnitude of 2m and its two satellites - bluish stars. Star Alpherats (another name is Alpharet, in Arabic “Sirrah ap-Faras”, translated as “navel of a horse”). Both stars are navigation stars by which sailors navigate the sea. The third star is Mirakh, located between them.

Big Dipper

Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern hemisphere. Of course, Ursa Major is the oldest constellation in the sky. According to Yu.A. Karpenko, a hundred thousand years ago, in the Middle Paleolithic, Neanderthals already identified this group of stars. Average modern man will not be inferior to the Neanderthal in this: almost everyone will be able to find the seven-star Big Dipper in the night sky. However, the Big Dipper is only a small, although the most memorable part of the constellation: the third largest in area and including approximately 125 stars visible to the naked eye. Seven stars form the most famous figure in the sky. This is a ladle, which with its two extreme stars Dubhe and Merak gives direction to North Star. The brightest star is Aliot, and the most famous double system is Mizar - “horse” and Alcor - “rider”. It is believed that the one who distinguishes between these two stars has keen vision.

Auriga

Auriga is a constellation of the northern hemisphere, located in the circumpolar region of the sky. The brightest star is the yellow double Capella, translated from Latin as “goat” or “goat star”. Capella is the sixth brightest star in the sky, its luminosity is 170 times greater than the Sun, the distance to this giant is 13 parsecs. The star is a system of six stars, which, unfortunately, cannot be seen separately even with good binoculars.

Bootes

Bootes is one of the most beautiful constellations in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It attracts attention with its characteristic design, similar to an air-filled parachute, where the parachutist is Arcturus, the third brightest star in the sky. The name of the star comes from “arktos” - guardian and “ursus” - bear (“guardian bear” following the constellation Ursa Major in the sky).

Veronica's hair

Coma Berenices is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, containing about 60 stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest, Coma Berenices, has a magnitude of 4.3”. Looking at it, you can see what the Sun looks like from a distance of 27 light years, since this star is very similar in its characteristics to our star.

Hercules

Hercules is one of the largest constellations in the northern hemisphere. On a clear and moonless night, about 140 stars can be discerned with the naked eye in the constellation Hercules, the brightest of which are third magnitude stars. If you mentally connect them with lines, you will get a characteristic geometric figure of the constellation Hercules - two large trapezoids with a common base, located one on top of the other.

Hound dogs

Hound Dogs – small constellation northern hemisphere of the sky, in which about thirty stars can be distinguished, visible to the naked eye. The brightest star of the Canes Venatici was named by the English astronomer Edmund Halley in honor of King Charles II, whose name is associated with the restoration of royal power in England in the 17th century. This is a beautiful double star: one of its components is golden yellow (3.2), the other is purple (5.7), located at a distance of 20 arc seconds from the first. The pair is best observed through binoculars or a small telescope.

The Dragon

Draco is a circumpolar constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, one of the largest in area. It contains more than two hundred stars that can be seen with the naked eye, of which 80 stars are brighter than 6t. Thuban or "Serpent" (Alpha Draconis, 3.7) was the northern pole star during the period 3700 to 1500 BC. e. The brightest star is Etamin (Gamma Draconis, 2.2). In Arabic, al-Ras al-Tinnin means “the head of the Dragon.” Another very interesting star is Kuma (Nu Draconis) - an optical double, its components are clearly visible in binoculars.

Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia is a non-setting constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It contains about 90 stars brighter than 6, they are visible to the naked eye. The most striking are Rukbah, Rukba, Navi, Shedar and Kaf. They form the “W” figure, being navigational, by which navigators determine their location at sea. An unusual variable star is Navi. It looks like an exploding nova, changing its brightness from 1.6 to 3. Cassiopeia's variable rho changes from 4 to 6.2, and then it becomes invisible to the naked eye. This star is a supergiant, 40 times heavier and about 500,000 times brighter than the Sun.

Swan

Cygnus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. Bright stars form a characteristic cross-shaped pattern - the “Northern Cross”, stretching along the Milky Way. Ancient peoples saw a flying bird in the constellation; the Babylonians “forest bird”, the Arabs - “chicken”. Deneb "hen's tail" is a very bright star, a blue supergiant with 67,000 times the luminosity of the Sun. This is the upper left corner of the Summer Triangle. Albireo (Beta Cygni "hen's beak") is a beautiful binary system, easily visible in a small telescope.

Ursa Minor

Ursa Minor is a circumpolar constellation located in the northern hemisphere. It contains almost forty stars that can be seen with the naked eye. Currently, the North Celestial Pole is located in Ursa Minor at a distance of less than 1° from the North Star. Ursa Minor is made up of seven stars, better known as the Little Dipper. The outermost star in the "handle" of the Bucket is the North Star (alpha Ursa Minor with gloss 2.0). The next brightest star is Kohab (beta Ursa Minor with a magnitude of 2.1. In the period from approximately 2000 BC to 500 AD, Kohab was a polar star, translated from Arabic Kohab-z-Shemali - “ Star of the North."

Small Horse

Lesser Horse is the smallest constellation in area in the northern hemisphere of the sky. It contains no more than ten stars visible to the naked eye on a clear night. These faint stars do not form any characteristic geometric figure, which might attract the observer's attention. The star (alpha) of the Little Horse has its own name - Kitalfa or in Arabic al Kitah al Faras, which translated means “part of the horse”. Its brightness is 3.9 magnitude. The brightness of the remaining stars does not exceed 4.5; they do not have proper names.

Orion

Orion is a bright equatorial constellation of the northern hemisphere with a characteristic pattern. The star Betelgeuse (alpha Orionis), which means "armpit" in Arabic, is a red supergiant, an irregular variable whose magnitude varies from 0.2 to 1.2. The distance to the star is 520 light years, and its luminosity is 14,000 times greater than the Sun. This is one of the largest stars known to astronomers: if placed in the place of the Sun, it will reach the orbit of Jupiter. The volume of Betelgeuse is 160 million times that of the Sun.

Pegasus

Pegasus is a large equatorial constellation located southwest of Andromeda. It contains more than one and a half hundred stars visible to the naked eye. The brightest of them are Enif, with a magnitude of 2.5, and Markab (alpha Pegasus) with a magnitude of 2.6. The fairly bright star Sheat (beta Pegasus) is a semi-regular star whose magnitude varies randomly from 2.4 to 2.8. Translated from Arabic, the names of the brightest stars of the constellation mean: Markab - “saddle” or “cart”, Sheat - “shoulder”, Algenib - “horse’s navel”, Enif - “nose”.

Perseus

Perseus is a constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky with a characteristic pattern that looks like an open compass. The brightest star of Perseus is Mirfak, which means “elbow” in Arabic. This huge giant, located at a distance of 590 light years, has a magnitude of 1.8, 62 times larger than the Sun and 5000 times brighter.

Arrow

Sagittarius is a small and very beautiful constellation of the northern hemisphere. Contains about thirty stars visible to the naked eye. There are no bright stars in it and only one star - the Arrow - has its own name - Sham. The constellation contains the variable FG Sagittarius, which gave its name to the independent type variable stars. Over 100 years it changed its temperature from 50,000 to 4,600°K and chemical composition atmosphere. The FG Sagittarius star is spewing out huge clouds of carbon dust as its envelope expands.

Triangle

Triangulum is a beautiful, but small constellation in the northern hemisphere. It contains about twenty stars with brightness greater than 6th magnitude. When viewed with the naked eye, the constellation takes on the shape right triangle, located under Andromeda. The apex of the Triangle is the star Metallah (alpha), translated from Arabic as “top of the triangle.” The brightest star is beta with magnitude 3.

Cepheus

Cepheus is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky, with a characteristic pattern resembling an irregular pentagon. The southern part of Cepheus enters the Milky Way. The constellation contains about one hundred and fifty stars visible to the naked eye. The constellation has no bright stars; the brightest is Alderamin (Alpha Cephei) with a magnitude of 2.4. The star Delta Cephei is a double star, with a magnitude from 3.7 to 4.5 with a period of 5.4 days, it was discovered by the English amateur astronomer John Goodrike in 1784.

Lizard

The Lizard is a small constellation lying in the Milky Way. Its faint stars do not form any characteristic geometric figure. On a clear night, about thirty stars can be found in it with the naked eye. Only one of them has a magnitude of 3.8, so the entire constellation can only be seen on a moonless night under very good observing conditions.

Learning to find Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and Dragon

So, let's begin our acquaintance with starry sky. Today we will get acquainted with the four constellations of the Northern sky: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor (with the famous Polar Star), Draco and Cassiopeia. All these constellations, due to their proximity to North Pole peace on European territory former USSR are non-setting. Those. they can be found in the starry sky on any day and at any time. The first steps should begin with the well-known “bucket” of the Big Dipper. Did you find it in the sky? If not, then to find it, remember that on summer evenings the “bucket” is located in the northwest, in autumn – in the north, in winter – in the northeast, in spring – directly overhead. Now pay attention to the two extreme stars of this “bucket”.

If you mentally draw a straight line through these two stars, then the first star, the brightness of which is comparable to the brightness of the stars in the “bucket” of the Big Dipper, will be the North Star, which belongs to the constellation Ursa Minor. Try to find the rest of the stars in this constellation. If you are observing in an urban environment, then it will be difficult to see the stars of the “small dipper” (that is how the constellation Ursa Minor is unofficially called): they are not as bright as the stars of the “big dipper”, i.e. Ursa Major. For this it is better to have binoculars on hand. When you see the constellation Ursa Minor, you can try to find the constellation Cassiopeia. I don’t know about you, but for me it was initially associated with another “bucket”. It’s more like a “coffee pot.” So, look at the second-to-last “bucket handle” star of Ursa Major. This is the star next to which there is an asterisk barely visible to the naked eye. The bright star is named Mizar, and the one next to it is Alcor (here is the range of iconic Soviet telescopes for astronomy enthusiasts produced by the Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant (Refinery)). They say that if translated from Arabic, Mizar is a horse, and Alcor is a rider. Being familiar with Arabic I can’t confirm this, but we’ll trust the books.

So, Mizar has been found. Now draw a mental line from Mizar through the North Star and further to approximately the same distance. And you will probably see a rather bright constellation in the form of the Latin letter W. This is Cassiopeia. It still looks a bit like a “coffee pot,” doesn’t it?

Learning to find Perseus, Andromeda and Auriga

To find Auriga and the Pleiades, it is recommended to look at the sky around midnight in August, around 11 pm in September, and after 10 pm in October. To begin our walk through the starry sky today, find the North Star, and then the constellation Cassiopeia. On these August evenings, it is visible high above the northeastern part of the sky in the evening.

Extend your arm forward, placing the thumb and index finger of that hand at the maximum possible angle. This angle will be approximately 18°. Now point forefinger on Cassiopeia, and lower your thumb perpendicularly down. There you will see stars belonging to the constellation Perseus. Match the observed stars with a fragment of the star map and remember the location of the constellation Perseus.

After this, pay attention to the long chain of stars stretching from Perseus towards the point of the south. This is the constellation Andromeda. If you draw a mental line from the North Star through Cassiopeia, then this line will also point to the central part of Andromeda. Using a star map, find this constellation. Now pay attention to the central bright star of the constellation. The star has its own name - Mirach. Above it you can find three dim stars forming a triangle, and together with Alferats - a figure resembling a slingshot. Between the top stars of this “slingshot” on moonless nights outside the city you can see a faint speck of fog. This is the famous Andromeda nebula - a gigantic galaxy visible to the naked eye from Earth. Within the city limits, you can use small binoculars or a telescope to find it.

While searching for Perseus, you may have noticed a bright yellow star to the left and below Perseus. This is Capella - the main star of the constellation Auriga. The constellation Auriga itself is visible under the constellation Perseus, but for a more effective search for it, it is necessary to carry out observations after midnight, although part of the constellation is visible already in the evening (in central Russia, Capella is a non-setting star).

If you follow the chain of stars in the constellation Perseus, as shown on the map, you will notice that the chain first goes vertically down (4 stars) and then turns to the right (3 stars). If you continue the mental straight line from these three stars further to the right, you will find a silvery cloud; upon closer examination, for a person with normal vision, it will break up into 6-7 stars in the form of a miniature “bucket”. This is scattered star cluster Pleiades.

Learning to find Lyra and Cepheus

Let's start with Vega, especially in August - September the star is clearly visible high above the horizon in the southwestern, and then in the western part. Residents of the middle zone can observe this star all year round, because it is non-setting in middle latitudes.

When you became acquainted with the constellation Draco, you probably noticed the four trapezoid-shaped stars that form the “head” of Draco in its western part. And you probably noticed a bright white star not far from the “head” of the Dragon. This is Vega. To verify this, draw a mental line from the outermost star of the “bucket” of the Big Dipper (the star is called Dubge) through the “head” of the Dragon. Vega will lie exactly on the continuation of this straight line. Now look closely around Vega and you will see several faint stars forming a figure reminiscent of a parallelogram. This is the constellation Lyra. Looking ahead a little, we note that Vega is one of the vertices of the so-called summer-autumn triangle, the other vertices of which are the bright stars Altair (the main star of the constellation Eagle) and Deneb (the main star of the constellation Cygnus). Deneb is located near Vega and is labeled on our map, so try to find it yourself. If it doesn’t work out, then don’t despair - in the next task we will learn to look for both the Swan and the Eagle.

Now turn your gaze to the near-zenith area of the sky, unless, of course, you are watching in the late summer or autumn evening. Outside of a big city, you'll probably be able to see a strip of the Milky Way stretching from south to northeast. So, between Draco and Cassiopeia, you can easily find a constellation that resembles a house with a roof, which seems to “float” along the Milky Way. This is the constellation Cepheus. If you are observing in a large city and the Milky Way is not visible, then your reference points should also be Cassiopeia and Draco. The constellation Cepheus is located just between the “break” of Draco and Cassiopeia. “The roof of the house” is not strictly directed towards the North Star.

August 11th, 2017 , 02:20 am

Author - Astronel. This is a quote from this post

How to find stars in the sky
Starry sky
Two things never cease to amaze me - the starry sky above and the moral law within us.
Immanuel Kant
At night, thousands of stars flash in the sky, and the picture of the starry sky always delights and amazes us.
And in order to navigate in this sea of sparkles of the universe, the stars in the sky were united into constellations. Total 88 constellations, of which 12 belong to the zodiac. The stars in the constellations are designated by Greek letters, and the brightest of them have their own name.

So, night came, garlands of stars flashed in the sky, and the Milky Way, our Galaxy, stretched like a white river across the sky. Let's look together at this multitude of distant suns and find the constellations.
Let's start with the summer-autumn sky
Let's get acquainted with the 4 constellations of the northern sky:
Are looking for Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and the Dragon.
In the middle latitudes of our country, these constellations, close to the North Pole of the world, are non-setting.
Even people far from astronomy can find in the sky Ursa Major, due to her great recognition the bucket becomes the starting point to search for many other constellations.
So let's start with Ursa Major. Bucket in late summer and autumn - in the north, in winter - in the northeast.

Let's find the two extreme stars of this bucket. If mentally draw a straight line through these two stars, then the first bright star will be polar Star constellations Ursa Minor. The rest of the stars are located from it towards the handle of the larger bucket. Ursa Minor.

Poems from a children's astronomy site will help you remember the stars.
URSA GREAT
I recognize it by the BUCKET!
Seven stars sparkle here
Here's what their names are:

DUBHE illuminates the darkness,
MERAK is burning next to him,
On the side is FEKDA with MEGRETZ,
A daring fellow.
From MEGRETZ away
ALIOT is located

And behind him - MITZAR with ALCOR
(These two shine in unison.)
Our ladle closes
Incomparable BENETNASH.
He points to the eye
The path to the constellation BOOTES,
Where the beautiful ARCTURUS shines,
Everyone will notice him now!
………………….
Let's find a constellation Dragon.
It seems to stretch between the buckets Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, leaving towards Cepheus, Lyra, Hercules and Cygnus. More about these constellations later.
Constellation Cassiopeia.
Look at the second star from the end handles of the Ursa Major bucket. The bright star bears the name Mizar, and next to it is Alcor. From Arabic, Mizar is a horse, and Alcor is a rider.
Do a mental straight from Mizar through the North Star and beyond approximately the same distance. Constellation in the form Latin letter W, That's what it is Cassiopeia.
We should now be able to find constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Dragon.

And we are looking for a few more constellations
Cepheus, Perseus, Andromeda, Pegasus, Auriga and Pleiades
Constellation Cepheus
In summer, being outside the big city, you will be able to see a strip of the Milky Way stretching from south to northeast. Between Draco and Cassiopeia you will find a constellation that resembles a pentagon or a house with a roof, which seems to “float” along the Milky Way. This constellation Cepheus. It is located just between the “break” of the Dragon and Cassiopeia, and the “Roof of the House” is not strictly directed to the North Star.
You can connect the stars α and β Cassiopeia and extend this line a little.
Perseus
In August it is a little to the left and lower Cassiopeia, you can test yourself by drawing a line between the stars γ and δ Cassiopeia and extending three times further.
Andromeda
Pay attention to the chain of stars stretching from Perseus towards the south. This is a constellation Andromeda. If you draw a line from the North Star through Cassiopeia, this line will also point to the central part Andromeda. The central bright star of the constellation is Mirah. Above it on moonless nights outside the city you can see faint hazy speck. This is famous The Andromeda Nebula is a gigantic spiral galaxy M31, the most distant object visible to the naked eye. The distance is about 2.5 million light years.

Pegasus
Pegasus wonderful its square, formed by four stars.
And up and to the left of the extreme star of the Pegasus square are visible three bright stars of the Andromeda constellation. Together they form a bucket.
The δ, γ, ε and α of Cassiopeia will indicate the Pegasus square; these two lines will intersect just in the area of the Pegasus square.

Auriga
You may have noticed a bright yellow star to the left and below Perseus. This Chapel- the main star of the constellation Auriga, which is visible under the constellation Perseus.
If you follow the chain of stars in the constellation Perseus, you will notice that the chain first goes vertically down (4 stars), then turns to the right (3 stars). If you continue straight to the right from these three stars, you will find a silvery cloud; upon careful examination, it will disintegrate into 6-7 miniature “bucket” stars. That's what it is diffuse stellar Pleiades cluster, included in the constellation Taurus.
……………………………
We are looking for Vega with Lyra, Swan, Orla, Delphine, And summer-autumntriangle
Let's return to the constellation Draco
The Dragon as if it extends between the buckets of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, going towards Cepheus, Lyra with Vega, Hercules and Cygnus.
At the constellation Dragon, There is four stars in the form of a trapezoid, forming "head" of the Dragon in its western part.
We are looking for Vega, in August - September the star is clearly visible in the southwest.
Bright white star near the "head" of the Dragon and there is Vega, one of the brightest stars northern sky.

Draw a direct line from the extreme star of the "bucket"» Ursa Major (Dubge) through the "head" of the Dragon.
Vega will lie on the continuation of this line. Several stars form a figure reminiscent of a parallelogram - Lyra constellation. Vega - staraLyra constellation. After Arcturus (aBootes), is the second brightest star in the northern sky. Vega's brightness is +0.03m.

Summer-autumn triangle
Vega- one of the peaks summer-autumn triangle, the remaining peaks of which are bright stars Altair (Alpha Eagle) and Deneb (Alpha Cygnus)).
Swan
One of the most beautiful constellations our sky - Swan is a cross with a bright star α Cygnus (Deneb) at the top, it looks like a bird flying across the sky or a cross,
"Northern Cross". You can find it to the left of Lyra.

Eagle
Let's find the constellation Aquila. Look down from Vega and about halfway to the horizon you will spot a bright star - Altair(α Eagle). Altair together with Deneb and Vega form
summer-autumn triangle.

Brightest in the evening world
Blue VEGA in LYRA!!!
I'm amazed by the beauty
And so our DRAGON froze!
Between Vega and DENEB
Draw a dotted line to the South -
There the EAGLE flies across the sky,
And ALTAIR sparkles!
All summer Summer Triangle visible in the south and southeast, in autumn - high in the south and southwest.
To the left of Altair you will find a weak constellation Delphinus, The constellation is beautiful, it resembles one emerging from the water dolphin
Summer is the period of the Perseid meteor shower., which lasts from July 17 to August 24 from maximum August 12, against the backdrop of scattered stars and the Milky Way, meteors (“shooting stars”) will fly by every now and then with bright flashes. Do not miss!!
…….
Other constellations of the summer sky.
Our summer nights are white, the stars are visible only at the end of August, but for the sake of order I will write about the summer sky.
Bootes constellation α Bootes (Arcturus).
To the left of Bootes is a semicircle facing downwards - constellation Corona Borealis, even further to the left Hercules constellation, - a quadrangle with broken lines diverging from its corners (the arms and legs of Hercules).
Under the constellation Hercules there is a constellation Ophiuchus, looking like an irregular polygon, and left and right from him the constellation Snakes.
Bright stars of the summer sky!

Below the constellations Serpens and Ophiuchus is the constellation Scorpio, which resembles this animal. And to the right and below the constellation Libra.
Under the constellations Eagle and Shield located Sagittarius constellation.
Scientists suggest that it is in the direction of this constellation that the center of our galaxy is located.
Below the constellations Pegasus and the Lesser Horse is constellation Aquarius. It is easily recognized by the so-called “propeller” and four stars that resemble this object.
.............................
Constellations of the winter sky
From late autumn and winter we are looking for Gemini, Orion, Taurus, Auriga, Canis Minor, Canis Major.
In January, at about eight o'clock in the evening, we will find the Big Bear's bucket. Let's draw a straight line from the weakest star of the bucket (Megrets) through the rightmost star of the bucket (Merak) to the East. On the path of your straight line you will meet two bright stars located one above the other. These are the main stars Gemini constellation. Ta the star that is higher -Castor, lower and brighter - Pollux.

In the south and southeast we see a beautiful picture of winter constellations. Seven stars brighter than second magnitude are visible in a small area of the sky. Yellow is visible almost at the zenith Chapel of the Auriga, under it - orange Aldebaran, to the left and below - Betelgeuse And Rigel, stars of Orion. Floats just above the horizon Sirius, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. On the left, in the southeast, a yellowish color is visible Procyon(α Canis Minor) and Pollux from the constellation Gemini.
Unfortunately, Sirius is practically invisible at our latitudes.
The main character in the picture of winter constellations is the hunter Orion. Its seven brightest stars are instantly memorable: three bright stars form Orion's belt, above it, closer to the constellation Gemini, there is a reddish Betelgeuse, and to the right hot star Bellatrix(they mark the hunter's shoulders), and below is a bright star Rigel and Saif's star point to his feet.

By the way, top star Orion's belt is located almost at the celestial equator, therefore, those stars below it belong to the southern hemisphere of the sky, those above belong to the northern hemisphere.
Below Orion's belt there is a small nebulous speck. This is the Orion Nebula, a gigantic cloud of interstellar gas, the cradle of a new generation of stars.
To the right and above the hunter is the constellation Taurus, it extended to the right letter U. The bull is furious and rushes towards Orion; Aldebaran notes the red eye of Taurus. The body of Taurus is marked with a small scoop Pleiades.Pleiades- the brightest open star cluster earth's sky. A person can see 6-7 stars in the Pleiades with the naked eye.

Orion
Not afraid of winter and cold,
Having belted myself tighter,
Equipped for hunting
ORION performs
Two stars from the major leagues
IN ORION - this is RIGEL
In the lower right corner,
Like a bow on a shoe.
And on the left epaulette -
BETHELGEUSE shines brightly.
Three stars diagonally
Decorate the belt.
This belt is like a hint.
He is a heavenly pointer.
If you go to the left,
Miracle- SIRIUS you will find it.
And from the right end
Path to the constellation TAURUS
He points straight
Into the red eye ALDEBARANA.
Under Orion's feet is the small constellation Hare, and to his left, low above the horizon, is the constellation Canis Major. His main star Sirius is the brightest in the entire night sky of the Earth. Orion's other dog Small Dog, marked bright Procyon, is under Gemini.
To the left of Taurus under the constellation Perseus, familiar to us since the summer, find the constellation Charioteer(just under it there will be those already familiar to us Twins). There is a bright star in the constellation Auriga, even brighter than Aldebaran. This Chapel.

Winter triangle
We'll find it again Betelgeuse(orange bright star in Orion) and Procyon. Below Betelgeuse and to the right of Procyon low above the horizon we will see (if we see!) a bright white flicker Sirius - brightest star Earth's starry sky!
Sirius - Procyon - Betelgeuse form winter triangle stars

Unfortunately, the constellation Canis Major is a southern constellation and at the latitude of Moscow it rises low above the horizon, i.e. almost invisible.
If you decide to rush to the latitude of the Egyptian resorts in winter, then under Sirius you will find another bright star - Canopus(constellation Carina) is second The brightest star in the earth's sky is after Sirius.
The brightness of Sirius is minus 1.4m, that of Canopus is minus 0.6m. Shine Chapels +0.1m, Aldebarana +0.9m. And the shine North Star only 2m.

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Constellations of the spring sky.
Let's connect North Star with two extreme stars Ursa Major and extend this line below. This will lead us to constellation Leo. There is a notable bright star in this constellation Regulus(α Leo).
Located between the constellations Leo and Gemini constellation Cancer.
To the left of the constellation Leo there is a group of faint stars - constellation Coma Berenices.
Between the handle of the Ursa Major dipper and the Coma of Veronica you will see two stars forming constellation Canes Venatici.

Bootes constellation. Resembles an elongated pentagon with a bright star in the lower corner α Bootes (Arcturus). We'll find Arcturus, it is enough to extend the line between the two outermost stars of the handle of the Ursa Major bucket downwards and here it is.
By connecting δ, ε and α Bootes, and extending this line down, we find Virgo constellation containing a bright star Spica (α Virgo).
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The stars are shining, shining...
Sometimes I can’t even believe it
That the Universe is so big.
Into the pitch-black sky
I look, forgetting everything in the world...
Still, it's great
That the stars shine for us at night!
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For observations, it is good to have a flashlight that produces red light; it does not interfere with the adaptation of the eye to the dark. It is enough to put a red cloth on a regular flashlight. In addition, you will need a star map (preferably with an overlay circle). A similar map can be found in Astronomical calendar.
Well, how did you manage to find the pearls of the starry sky?
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I also have a star theme:
Constellations and stars in myths and legends

TRAPEZOUS OF ORION

Orion, a multiple star q" Orion, located in the middle part of the large nebula of the constellation Orion. 9 components of this star are known, of which the 4 brightest (in Fig. A, B, C, D) are located approximately in the form of a trapezoid.

In 1949, V. A. Ambartsumyan discovered a number of other similar stellar systems, in which the distances between the components are of the same order of magnitude. Such systems began to be called multiple stars of the T.O. type. Periodic orbital motions observed in ordinary multiple stars are unlikely in them (see Double stars), as a result of which multiple stars of the T.O. type should be considered unstable and decaying. According to Ambartsumyan’s definitions, multiple stars of the T.O. type decay within a few million years. It follows from this that such systems currently observed cannot be older than this age and are young formations. A significant number of multiple stars of the T.O. type are found in stellar associations.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB. 2012

Bird of paradise

This is a constellation of the southern hemisphere, located close to the pole. Bird of Paradise is small in area (206 sq. degrees) and one of the most inconspicuous. You can find it in the sky by following the Southern Triangle. Alpha and Gamma of the Triangulum point precisely to the Bird of Paradise, if you extend the lines from them to the pole. It is not possible to see this constellation on Russian territory.

With the naked eye, no more than two dozen stars can be distinguished in the constellation, with the largest ones having only magnitudes 4 and 5.

The constellation's most prominent point is Alpha Bird of Paradise, an orange giant that is now gradually turning into a white dwarf.

The second brightest star is Gamma Bird of Paradise, a yellow giant 160 light years away from Earth.

Rounding out the trio of bright stars is Beta Bird of Paradise, a double star consisting of an orange giant and a white companion.

It is necessary to note one more star called Alice. Kir Bulychev called her that. The science fiction classic even has a certificate confirming that he is the owner of the name of the star in the constellation Bird of Paradise.

Of deep space objects, the globular cluster NGC 6101 is of particular interest, which can be viewed with a medium-power telescope.

Altar

One of the oldest constellations mentioned in Ptolemy's catalog, Altar is a small constellation in the southern hemisphere, which can be found by focusing on neighboring Pavo and Scorpio. The altar is located south of the "tail" of Scorpio and slightly west of Alpha Peacock. It is impossible to see it on Russian territory.

The shape of the constellation resembles the letter N. With the naked eye, up to 60 stars of the Altar can be distinguished.

The brightest is considered to be Beta Altar - an orange giant that is 4.6 thousand times brighter than the Sun.

The alpha star is a double star and is 242 light years away from Earth.

The most interesting is Mu Altar, which is very similar to our Sun and is located only 50 light years away. Moreover, astronomers discovered that 4 planets revolve around it.

The constellation includes a lot of deep space objects: star clusters, globular clusters and nebulae.

Northern Crown

This is a constellation of the northern hemisphere, known since ancient times. It ranks only 73rd in area, and no more than 20 stars can be discerned with the naked eye.

The Northern Crown can be seen throughout Russia, and is best seen in late June and early July. It is easy to find it in the sky - the shape of the constellation resembles a crown or a semicircular arc of 6 stars. The constellation Bootes and the head of the Serpent can serve as landmarks.

Alpha of the Northern Crown is often called Gemma or Agnosia. This is a double star surrounded by a disk of dust, which is very similar to Vega.

Beta Star, or Nusakan, is a double star system 114 light years away from Earth.

Three more stars from this constellation have planets. And the most remarkable object for study is the star R. This yellow supergiant became the prototype of a whole class of variable stars.

The constellation includes a cluster of galaxies, which in astronomy is called Abel 2065. This cluster is easy to distinguish with the naked eye.

The Dragon

This is one of the largest constellations in the northern hemisphere, located close to the pole. The dragon occupies a vast territory of 1083 sq. degrees and is in 8th place in size.

In outline, the constellation really looks like a reptile with a diamond-shaped head and a long tail. It can be observed in the northern hemisphere at any time of the year. But the best period is considered to be from May to December.

Despite the huge area and more than 80 stars visible without the help of optics, this constellation is not easy to detect. It is most convenient to focus on the two Ursa Dippers. The dragon seems to float between them. Part of its tail runs almost parallel to the handle of the Big Dipper's bucket. Then the Dragon, as it were, goes around the Ursa Minor bucket and rushes further to the south. Following this winding line, you will reach the Dragon's Head - a rhombus of 4 bright stars.

Among the stars, there are several of the most interesting:

Alpha Draconis is located closest to Polaris and is the “tip of the tail” of this celestial beast. This star is often called Thuban. And during construction Egyptian pyramids It was Thuban that served as the northernmost landmark for navigators.

Gamma Draconis, or Etamine, is the brightest star in Draconis, an orange giant 148 light-years from Earth. In fact, this is an entire star system consisting of seven stars of different sizes. Astronomers say that in a million years Etamine will approach Earth at a distance of 28 light years and become the brightest star in the sky.

The constellation contains several double stars, and the star Kepler-10b is orbited by a planet very similar to Earth. There are several small galaxies and the Cat's Eye Nebula. And near the head of the Dragon, frequent and powerful meteor showers are observed. You can see them in mid-autumn.

Hercules

This is one of the largest constellations in the northern hemisphere, covering an area of 1225 sq. degrees (5th place). In such a vast space, without optics, one can distinguish over 200 stars included in this constellation.

The outline of the constellation really resembles a man with a square head and a sword in his hands, running across the sky. It is difficult to discern the full figure of Hercules in the sky, since it occupies a vast area. They focus on an asterism in the form of a trapezoid, which represents the “torso” of Hercules. The constellation is located between the Northern Crown and Virgo.

The best time to observe Hercules is in June. In the northern hemisphere, the constellation is visible almost all year round.

Despite its gigantic size, Hercules cannot boast of a set of the brightest stars. The brightest star is Beta, or Korniforos, with a brightness of 2.8 magnitudes. Alpha Hercules is a variable star because its brightness varies over 90 days.

Among the deep space objects, the constellation can boast of three globular clusters and a bright planetary nebula. The most remarkable object is located in the area of the "lumbar" of Hercules - the solar apex.

Square

One of the small constellations of the southern hemisphere. You can find it in the sky by focusing on your “neighbors.” The square looks like an elongated line, which is located approximately at an equal distance between the constellations of the Wolf and the Altar.

This is a new constellation, identified in 1754 by the astronomer Lacaille.

In the constellation, however, more than 40 stars can be distinguished with the naked eye. And part of Naugolnik can be seen in the south of Russia in the summer.

There are no stars in the Square that have their own names. The brightest is Gamma Anguli, a double star consisting of a supergiant and a bright companion.

Another interesting star is Epsilon Anguli. It is located 600 light years from Earth and is also a binary. It is noteworthy that each component of Epsilon Anguli is, in turn, also a binary star system.

Of the deep space objects, the most remarkable is the planetary nebula, which is called the Ant. The shape of the nebula actually resembles this insect.

Ophiuchus

This is a huge equatorial constellation, occupying 11th place in area in the ranking of 88 known constellations. Its territory is estimated at 948 sq. degrees.

The outline of the constellation rather resembles a rocket, the top of which is directed towards the constellation Hercules. And the constellation Serpens, located to the south, is divided into two parts by Ophiuchus: the Head and the Tail. In Russia, the constellation is best observed in June. It is visible almost throughout the country, with the exception of the northern regions.

The brightest star is Alpha Ophiuchi, or Ras Alhage. This is a double star system consisting of two giants. Alpha is located in the “head” of Ophiuchus, and together with Vega and Altair forms an equilateral triangle.

70 Ophiuchi is notable for being very close to Earth - only 16.5 light years. This is also a double star, consisting of two orange dwarfs.

And the most famous star in the constellation is SN 1604, or Kepler's Supernova. It broke out only in the fall of 1604.

And in terms of the number of variable stars, Ophiuchus is among the top three. There are 2500 such stars in the constellation.

From deep space objects, several globular clusters, an infrared galaxy and an open nebula are observed in the constellation.

Scorpion

This constellation is located entirely in the Milky Way. Finding it in the sky is not very difficult. The shape of the constellation resembles a wriggling snake, the tail of which borders on the Southern Crown, and the “head” with three tentacles extends towards Ophiuchus.

The constellation is quite large - it covers an area of 497 square degrees. Scorpio is also considered the most bright constellation firmament, as it contains 13 brightest stars.

The brightest is Alpha Scorpii, or Antares, a red supergiant that is 700 times larger than the Sun and shines 9 thousand times brighter. Antares is a double star, and if you look closely, you can find a less noticeable bluish satellite next to the blood-red giant.

Other brightest stars in Scorpio also have their own names: Shaula, Sargas, Akrab, Lesat, Alniyat, Girtab.

There are several open star clusters in the constellation, one of which soon threatens to turn into a black hole.

Snake

Snake is considered an equatorial constellation. It spans 637 square degrees in space and on a clear night, up to 106 stars can be seen with the naked eye.

This is a unique constellation because it is the only one not connected together. The fact is that Ophiuchus divides the constellation Serpens into two parts: the Head of the Serpent and the Tail of the Serpent. To get your bearings, you can first find the Northern Crown. A little to the west there will be a bright triangle - this will be the Head of the Snake. The rest of the constellation continues to the west.

On the territory of Russia, the Snake can be observed in almost all regions. Best time- June.

There are no stars of the first magnitude in Serpens. Alpha Serpens is a triple star located at the base of a triangle commonly called the Head. It is considered the brightest.

The second brightest is recognized as Eta Snake, which is often called Tang. This is a double star system consisting of an orange giant and a fainter satellite.

Another notable star is Delta Serpentis. This is a double star, which includes two also double stars.

Among the deep space objects, one can highlight the Eagle Nebula. Its star clusters are surrounded by gas clouds. Which were called the Pillars of Creation.

Southern Triangle

If you look at the July sky at midnight, then closer to the south above the horizon you can see three bright stars that form the Southern Triangle. This is one of the smallest (only 110 sq. degrees) constellations in the southern hemisphere, but one of the brightest.

You can find it by focusing on the constellation Bird of Paradise, which will be further south and closer to the pole; the Compass line extends in the east, and the Altar in the west. More than 30 stars can be distinguished with the naked eye. It is not observed on the territory of Russia.

Of the three brightest stars, only Alpha has its own name - Atria. This giant is 130 times heavier than the Sun.

The constellation includes a star cluster and a barred galaxy.

The Southern Triangle is notable for its important role in navigation. And his image appears on the flag of Brazil.

Orion's trapezoid

multiple star θ" Orionis, located in the middle part of the large nebula of the constellation Orion. 9 components of this star are known, of which 4 are the brightest (at rice. A, IN, WITH, D) are located approximately in the form of a trapezoid.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

Synonyms:

See what "Trapezium of Orion" is in other dictionaries:

Noun, number of synonyms: 1 star (503) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

- ... Wikipedia

One of the very large gas and dust clouds closest to the Solar System in the Galaxy (see Galactic Nebulae). The distance to it is about 300 ps. On moonless days winter nights visible in the constellation Orion as a flickering pale... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

This term has other meanings, see Theta Orionis. Theta1 Orionis C Star ... Wikipedia

Star Observational data (Epoch J2000.0) Type Single star Right ascension ... Wikipedia

This is a list of stars in the Orion constellation, stars sorted by increasing apparent magnitude (decreasing brightness). Name B F HD HIP RA Declension V.V. Abs.sv.vel. Distance (st. g) Sp. class Add. St. Rigel β 19 34085 24436... ... Wikipedia

How to find stars in the sky. The meaning of the trapezoid of Orion in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, BSE Constellation in the form of a trapezoid 5 stars

Constellations of the Northern Subpolar Region

Summer star triangle of the Northern Hemisphere

Northern Hemisphere Winter Star Triangle

Constellations of the northern hemisphere

Description of interesting constellations of the Northern Hemisphere

Andromeda

Big Dipper

Auriga

Bootes

Veronica's hair

Hercules

Hound dogs

The Dragon

Cassiopeia

Swan

Ursa Minor

Small Horse

Orion

Pegasus

Perseus

Arrow

Triangle

Cepheus

Lizard

Learning to find Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia and Dragon

Learning to find Perseus, Andromeda and Auriga

Learning to find Lyra and Cepheus

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what the TRAPEZE OF ORION is in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

Bird of paradise

Altar

Northern Crown

The Dragon

Hercules

Square

Ophiuchus

Scorpion

Snake

Southern Triangle

See what "Trapezium of Orion" is in other dictionaries: