61. Discovering Stars Discovering stars. Identifying and comparing constellations. VOCABULARY.constellation; galaxy; light year; nebula; star; universe. MATERIALS http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/uc/universe/2/ucu2_1a.html

Universe Cycle - Universe (2) Pre Lab OBJECTIVES: Discovering stars. Identifying and comparing constellations. VOCABULARY: constellation galaxy light year nebula star universe MATERIALS: Celestial Globe Model The Big Dipper by F. Branley (Harper) Searching the Universe (slideshow) Students identify Orion and Ursa Major. BACKGROUND: The Universe is a vast space of unknown dimensions. The Milky Way is our address in the Universe. Our Sun is only one small component amongst the other billions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way. The Solar System is a group of 9 planets that revolve around the Sun. We see objects in the night sky because they are either generating or reflecting light. While these objects also shine or reflect light during the day, we generally cannot see them because they are much dimmer than the bright light emitted by the nearby Sun. Most of the light we see at night comes from within our own galaxy, the Milky Way. Some points of light, however, are from other galaxies or nebulas, which are glowing clouds of gas within our galaxy. Most of the stars and galaxies we see at night are very far away. This is difficult for humans to comprehend. We do not even measure the distance in kilometers; instead, we use light years. Light travels about 300,000 km per second, faster than anything we know. A light year is the distance light can travel in one year, an almost unimaginable number. Multiply the number of seconds in one year (31,557,000) times 300,000 km/yr. This results in a distance of 9,467,100,000,000 km per year, or about 9.5 quadrillion kilometers/year.

62. Constellation Virgo Gamma Vir consists of two yellowwhite, nearly equal stars in brightness onewith 3.6 As noted above there are lots of galaxies in this constellation; http://www.seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/Fig/virgo.html

Virgo Abbreviation: Vir English name: Virgin Coordinates see Stellar data see Object data VI. sign of zodiac Particulars: Binaries gamma Vir Double star theta Vir, tau Vir Variable star S Vir Supernova SN1997X Virgo - Supercluster Spiral galaxy M 58 M 61 M 90 M 104 Elliptical Galaxies M 49 M 59 M 60 M 84 ... M 89 Radio Source Virgo A Meteor Showers: Eta Virginids Theta Virginids Pi Virginids General: Virgo is the 6th sign of the zodiac; the sun passes through this constellation from late september to the end of october. It is the second largest constellation in the sky (the largest is Hydra ). The most outstanding Virgo Supercluster of galaxies is located on the northern border of Virgo reaching into the neighbouring constellation of Coma Berenices . The brightest galaxies can be located with small telescopes as faintly glowing patches of light. This supercluster is about 65 million lightyears away. (Because its lying half in Coma Berenices it is often referred as Virgo-Coma Supercluster Stars and other objects In a distance of 260 lightyears lies the leading star, alpha Vir Spica (meaning the ear of wheat), a blue-white star of 1.0 mag. The fact that in its neighborhood nearly no other bright stars are found gives it an additional brilliance in the sky.

63. HubbleSite - All FAQs For Stars And Star Clusters The stars in a particular constellation are not necessarily related to one another, But Hubble pictures of other galaxies sometimes reveal globularlike http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/faq/all.php.cat=stars

NEWS GALLERY DISCOVERIES FUN ... Frequently Asked Questions What are constellations? The entire sky (half of which is above the horizon at any moment) is divided into 88 constellations. The constellations and their borders have nothing to do with science. The stars in a particular constellation are not necessarily related to one another, nor are they even near each other in space. The constellations recognized by astronomers in the northern sky come from ancient Greek and Roman mythological star-pictures. The southern constellations were named by the first Western mariners to explore southern waters. Other cultures have their own constellation patterns, which do not necessarily match "classical" ones. Constellations cover much too broad an area of space to be imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), and there really is no reason for HST to photograph constellation patterns even if it could be done. Has Hubble found planets around other stars? Astronomers believe that there is little chance of finding new planets in our own solar system, and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has not been involved in any searches. However, the search for planets around other stars is very active, and HST is involved. Not even HST has directly seen planets around other stars, but it can detect indirect evidence, as described on our Web site.

64. HubbleSite - Glossary The collision rips streamers of stars from the galaxies, Constellation.A geometric pattern of bright stars that appears grouped in the sky. http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/glossary/c-e.shtml

NEWS GALLERY DISCOVERIES FUN ... glossary Alphabetical: By Topic: Astronomy Cosmology Galaxies Hubble Space Telescope ... Sun Alphabetical: Carbonaceous Chondrite A meteorite with embedded pebble-sized granules that contain significant quantities of organic (complex carbon-rich) matter. Celestial Object An object in the sky – examples include the Moon, the Sun, planets, comets, asteroids, stars, and galaxies. Celestial Sphere An imaginary sphere encompassing the Earth that represents the sky. Astronomers chart the sky using the celestial coordinates of the sphere to locate objects in the cosmos. This sphere is divided into 88 sections called constellations. Objects are sometimes named for the major constellation in which they appear. Celsius (Centigrade) Temperature Scale Cepheid Variable A type of pulsating star whose light and energy output vary noticeably over a set period of time. The time period over which the star varies is directly related to its light output or luminosity, making these stars useful standard candles for measuring intergalactic distances. Chandra X-Ray Observatory A space-based X-ray observatory; also known as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). Chandra is designed to observe X-rays from high-energy regions of the universe, such as hot gas in the remnants of exploded stars. The satellite was launched and deployed in July 1999.

65. SPACE.com -- Sky Survey Captures The Universe A member of the constellation Coma Berenices, M 99 is a bright galaxy in the Virgo Like stars, galaxies often form close groupssystems that contain http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/astronomy/sky_survey_000720.html

advertisement Half the Heavens: 1.9 Million Night Sky Images Online Sky Survey Captures the Universe By Maia Weinstock Staff Writer posted: 07:00 am ET 20 July 2000 The Two-Micron All Sky Survey, or 2MASS for short, has returned a flood of data from the skies, including images of millions of stars and galaxies. In fact, the most recent release of 2MASS data covers almost half of the sky and unleashes the most eye-catching near-infrared images to date. SPACE.com proudly presents some of the most interesting and spectacular of this latest batch. The Tarantula Nebula is a faint patch of light located some 160,000 light-years away from Earth in the Large Magellenic Cloud, the nearest galaxy to our native Milky Way galaxy. This is the only nebula outside the Milky Way that can be seen with the naked eye. At the core of the nebula lies a dense clump of hot stars, which until recently were thought to be one massive star. Scientists say this galaxy, dubbed NGC 891, is very similar to our own Milky Way galaxy. Though we can't see its complete form due to its oblique angle relative to Earth, researchers have shown that the galaxy is rather thin - a likely characteristic shared by the Milky Way. We also know that the galaxy's disk is composed of dust and light from supergiant stars, and is located about 30 million light-years away. The Flame Nebula, also known as the Christmas Tree Nebula, is an area of gas and dust located in the constellation Orion. Scientists say that this dense stellar cluster contains a great many young stars and disks of accreting material, which may be sites of planet formation. This cluster is thought to be less than one million years old.

66. Galaxies It s easy to create a galaxy of glowing constellationsincluding Libra, Orion, You can project bright starsincluding Southern constellations, http://www.historyoftheuniverse.com/galaxy_2.html

Web www.historyoftheuniverse.com Buying Goodies? Like this site? Basic Information Further Information Other Hotu Pages Physical Environment Earlier 13 Billion Years ago ... 'Hole' in space spotted Tuesday, May 4, 1999 Astronomers have spotted a "hole" in space. The region of the Milky Way they examined contains a myriad of stars, yet none can be seen over a large, black area. 100 Billion Suns : The Birth, Life, and Death of the Stars Click for details Rudolf Kippenhahn April 1993 After the First Three Minutes : The Story of Our Universe Click for details T. Padmanabhan March 1998 How does our Universe evolve? And how did structures like stars and galaxies form? In recent years, scientists’ understanding of these profound questions has developed enormously. This book presents a clear and detailed picture of contemporary cosmology for the general reader. Astronomical Society of the Pacific For over a hundred years, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific has worked to explain the mysteries of the universe to students, teachers, hobbyists, and the general public. As the largest general astronomy society in the world, our membership represents a community joined by its love of the heavens and a desire to share that enjoyment. Astronomy : A Beginner's Guide to the Universe Click for details Steve McMillan, Eric J. Chaisson

67. MSN Encarta - Related Items - Astronomy stars, main object of study in astronomy Astronomy of the 20th Century (table) calculating time constellations diagrams and illustrations http://encarta.msn.com/related_1741502444/Astronomy.html

var fSendSelectEvents = true; var fSendExpandCollapseEvents = true; var fCallDisplayUAText = false; MSN Home My MSN Hotmail Shopping ... Sign In Web Search: Encarta Subscriber Sign In Help Home ... Upgrade your Encarta Experience Search Encarta Related Items from Encarta Astronomy Cosmology, study of the history of the Universe Stars, main object of study in astronomy Astronomy of the 20th Century (table) Astronomy, History of ... , study of the universe as a whole, including its distant past and its future. Cosmologists study the universe observationally—by looking at... View article © 2005 Microsoft MSN Privacy Legal Advertise Feedback ... Help

68. JBO - Ursa Major Constellation: Alcor And Mizar, M81 And M82 And M51 The AList Objects in the constellations. Ursa Major and Canes Venatici. Alcor andMizar - Multiple star system. M81 and M82 - galaxies http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/public/AList/UrsaMajor.html

The A-List Objects in the Constellations Ursa Major and Canes Venatici Alcor and Mizar - Multiple star system M81 and M82 - Galaxies M51 - Interacting Galaxies Ursa Major Click on all images to enlarge Sadly, these two constellations are only visible to northern latitude observers. The 'Plough' or 'Big Dipper'- shown by the thicker lines in the chart - is one of the best known groups of stars in the sky and almost everyone knows that by following the line of the two stars, Merak and Dhube (known as the pointers), that make up the right hand side of the plough, brings you to the Pole Star, hence showing where true north is. The stars that make up the outline of the bear are not quite so obvious! Ursa Major contains two A-list objects along with some other interesting objects that are also shown on the chart. Canes Venatici is a very small and insignificant constellation that lies below the tail of the bear; but it does contain one of the most beautiful objects in the sky, the Whirlpool Nebula. Alcor and Mizar Visual and telescopic doubles Open Cluster E B M Position: 13h 23.9m +54deg 55min

69. NSO/EO: Mr. Sunspot's Answer Book: General Questions Astronomers deal often with faint stars and galaxies that do not have He numbered the brightest stars in each constellation, going from west to east. http://eo.nso.edu/MrSunspot/answerbook/general.html

NSO/Educational Outreach Mr. Sunspot's Answer Book: General Questions This page contains answers to general questions Mr Sunspot received about himself, the questions you can ask him, our observatory, and astronomy. The questions are: H-alpha, and other, photos of specific solar areas often have captions that read something like "Large-Scale Ha Image of Region 8206." How do you interpret the "8206" designation? asked by Sam C. of Boston, Massachusetts What is Sacramento Peak Observatory? asked by Chris Jones (13) of Paintsville, Kentucky 21 October 1997 I noticed that the astronomers spend a lot of time at the observatories which are located in very remote areas. Wouldn't the astronomers be away from their families most of the time and are most of them single? Asked by Alistar of Singapore 10 September 1997 What kind of questions does Mr Sunspot answer? Paraphrased question from Norma Jauregui of Mexico. What is astronomy? Asked by Mr Sunspot. Sacramento Peak Observatory Sacramento Peak Observatory is the old name of our observatory, which is now called the "National Solar Observatory at Sacramento Peak" (NSO/SP). The name was changed more than ten years ago, but the old name had been in use for thirty years or more and local residents still often refer to the observatory as "Sacramento Peak" or "Sac Peak" for short. NSO/SP is a solar observatory where astronomers study the Sun using big telescopes and advanced equipment. Other astronomers come from all over the world to use those telescopes, too. Our telescopes are only rarely used at night to look at night-time objects such as planets or comets, because they are designed for looking at the bright Sun and not the best for looking at faint night-time things.

70. Galaxies, Stars, And Planets, Oh My! galaxies, stars, and Planets, Oh My! An Internet WebQuest on Science stars andConstellations. Use the website below to answer these questions http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/websciencejo.html

Galaxies, Stars, and Planets, Oh My! An Internet WebQuest on Science created by Jordane Kittoe Introduction The Task Conclusion HyperText Dictionary Introduction Students should be able to get a good understanding of the basic concepts of space that will be discussed including: planets, constellations, the sun, the moon, and the Milky Way Galaxy. Our solar system is part of the Milky Way Galaxy and our solar system has nine planets. The sun, the largest object and the central object of our solar system, is a star. Stars are surrounding us in space and some are even arranged in a way that they look like pictures or different characters called constellations. While we know much about our solar system, there is much that is still a mystery. Make a list of 10 things that you want to 'discover' about our solar system while following this webquest! The Quest Why is it important for us to know about our solar system? Why does the solar system interest you? The Process and Resources In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will answer the Task or Quest(ion). As a member of the group you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about Science. Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom. You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic.

71. BUBL LINK: Stars Resource type document; Constellation Index Offers data on all recognised for celestial objects outside the solar system stars, galaxies, http://bubl.ac.uk/link/s/stars.htm

BUBL LINK Catalogue of Internet Resources Home Search Subject Menus Countries ... Z Stars Titles Descriptions 2MASS Second Incremental Data Release Gallery Astronomy Information Leaflets Black Holes FAQ Constellation Index ... Virtual Trips to Black Holes and Neutron Stars Comments: bubl@bubl.ac.uk 2MASS Second Incremental Data Release Gallery Gallery containing celestial images, including the centre of the Milky Way, the Sombrero galaxy, the Crab Nebula, and the Dark Nebula. Images are offered as thumbnails which link to full-sized images. Author: Two-Micron All Sky Survey Subjects: astronomy education, stars DeweyClass: Resource type: image collection Astronomy Information Leaflets Text from a series of educational leaflets covering a wide range of topics in astronomy and cosmology. Educational use of the information by private individuals or schools is encouraged. Author: Royal Greenwich Observatory Subjects: astronomy education, black holes, cosmology, pulsars, satellites, spectroscopy, stars DeweyClass: Resource type: document collection Black Holes FAQ Answers to questions such as 'how big is a black hole', 'what is a wormhole' and 'what is a white hole'.

72. Quickie Questions - Astronomy Anomalies - Stars We see those stars to day and therefore see the constellations! The numberof stars in each galaxy varies widely, but each galaxy probably has a couple http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/kids_space/qastr_star.html

Quickie Questions - Astronomy Anomalies - Stars Date Answered Questioner (age, location) Question Answer September 24, 2004 Jessica (age 13, MS, USA) What is the exact myth of the constellation, Aquarius. Aquarius is one of the constellations of the Zodiac. He is known as the waterbearer. September 8, 2004 Chelsea(age 14, Indiana) What is Pegasus? Pegasus is one of the constellations you can see in the Northern hemisphere. It is actually in the sky right now (just below the summer triangle) and will remain there through the Fall. Pegasus represents the white, winged horse of Greek mythology. April 4, 2003 Natassja (age 16, Australia) Because stars are so large (massive), the pressure and temperature at the center of a star is very high. So high, in fact, that it causes a nuclear reaction called "nuclear fusion" . Fusion reactions give off lots of energy, which is what causes a star to shine. Planets simply do not have enough mass to squeeze their centers to the point where nuclear fusion starts. August 31, 2002 Brian (age 40, Ohio, USA)

73. Hawaiian Astronomical Society -- Dorado This a more detailed view of the constellation. The map displays stars to Three bright spiral galaxies anchor the southwest (bottom, right) corner of http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/dor/

Home Deepsky Atlas The Astronews ... Solar System Hawaiian Astronomical Society Constellations: Dorado What Hawaiians call the Mahi-mahi Deepsky Atlas Navigation Deepsky Home Search All Sky Maps Constellations Listing Deepsky Listings Jay Wrathall's Messiers Page Navigation Myth Maps Images Printable Descriptions Myth Johann Bayer first gave Dorado its name. It is named after a fish (Coryphaena hippuras), sometimes called the dolphin, sometimes the mahi-mahi (from the Hawaiian). It changes color rapidly as it dies. An alternate, and archaic name for the constellation was Xiphias, or swordfish. This name first appeared in the Johannes Kepler's Rudolphine Tables of 1627. These tables were significant for two reasons: They contained accurate positions for naked eye stars visible from northern Europe derived from Tycho Brahe's observations. They also contained tables of planetary motion based on two assumptions: that all planets orbited the sun, and that their orbits were elliptical. The first assumption, heliocentrism, Kepler inherited from Copernicus. The second Kepler discovered for himself, when trying to derive a formula for Mars' orbit that actually worked. The sheer simplicity of Kepler's formulas probably contributed more than anything else to the overthrow of the earth centered (geocentric) view of the universe, so dominant until then. Maps Each map can be clicked on to produce a 909x1199 version of it. They sport red labels, which look good on screen, but which disappear when used with red flashlights. Each map, therefore has a second link to a map better suited for printing in a graphics program, and using in the field. While they are quite large, they are all about 50k, and so are easy to view at today's modem speeds. The first map is a wide area view of the constellation, suitable for naked eye browsing. The next views are binocular width, showing stars to mag. 10, deepsky objects to mag. 12.9, and labeling deepsky objects to magnitude 12.

74. Stars And Galaxies In 3D By Jeff Rogers Software - Review And Download stars and galaxies in 3D 2.10, Jeff Rogers Software Find stars and galaxiesby name, constellation, or distance and fly to them with a keypress. http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/Stars_and_Galaxies_in_3D_4217_p/

Home Features Awards Download ... About Search for Software Search in: All Description Keywords Title Company Search for: Match: Any word All words Exact phrase Stars and Galaxies in 3D 2.10 Jeff Rogers Software Description: Real stars and galaxies in 3D and full color. Move and look in any direction. Easy to use with keyboard shortcuts and presets. 9,000 stars (all visible stars, plus lots of nearby dim stars) and 2,400 galaxies. Displays known planetary star systems. Find stars and galaxies by name, constellation, or distance and fly to them with a keypress. Select stars by magnitude, distance, or spectral type. Select galaxies by distance or group. Galaxies span 325 million light years. Has an outline of our galaxy and constellation lines. See the constellations change as you move from star to star. Presets allow you to instantly view constellations from near Earth, view all nearby stars (even stars too dim to see with the naked eye), view all available galaxies, view local galaxies, visit the center of our galaxy, view our place in the galaxy, and more. Product home page: http://www2.netdoor.com/~jeffrgrs/shareware.html

75. Virgo, An June Constellation A Constellation visible from the Southern Hemisphere in the coming month. Virgo contains a rich cluster of galaxies which is the nearest major galaxy http://www.faster.co.nz/~rasnz/Stars/Virgo.htm

Virgo, a constellation for June Contributed by Paul Rodmell, Southland Astronomical Society VIRGO, pronounced VUR-go Chart showing the constellation. Virgo the Virgin is the second largest constellation in the sky. Many myths are associated with this constellation, which is usually seen as a beautiful or virtuous maiden. (There are only three female figures amongst the constellations). We know the maiden as Astraea, the Roman goddess of justice, but other legends have associated Virgo with successful harvests, and so she is pictured as holding an ear of wheat (the star Spica), in her left hand and a palm leaf in her right hand. In these legends she is identified with the Greek harvest goddess emeter (the Roman Ceres) or more usually with her daughter Persephone (the Roman Prosperpine). Virgo contains a rich cluster of galaxies which is the nearest major galaxy cluster to us. The Virgo Galaxy Cluster lies about 65 million light years away and contains about 3000 members. Virgo also contains the brightest quasar 3C 273. In an 8" telescope or bigger appears as a 13th magnitude star. It is estimated to lie 2000 million light years away.

76. EXPLORIT Science Center - Astronomy Club Newsletter All stars, nebulas, galaxies, etc. are assigned to the constellation in whoseboundaries they appear to be in, with the brightest stars acting like http://www.explorit.org/astronews/astroApr-05.html

Back to the Astronomy Club Homepage Newsletter Index [The background above is part of an image by the Hubble Space Telescope of the Crescent Nebula.] April 2005 Newsletter NEXT MEETING: SATURDAY, April 30, 2005, from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. WHERE: AT EXPLORIT Science Center, 3141 5th Street, Davis. CLUB NEWS Constellations! Saturday, April 30, 2005 From 7:00 - 9:00p.m. at Explorit, 3141 5th Street, Davis Join us Saturday evening, April 30th, at 7:00 p.m., when we will discuss the different constellations in the sky. We will also look at the stars in the night sky, weather permitting. This program is free and available for all ages. Astronomers have calculated that there are about 70 sextillion -that's 7 followed by 22 zeros- stars in our universe. In other words, there are more stars than there are grains of sand in all the Earth's beaches and deserts combined! The stars are grouped together into galaxies. Our Sun is part of the Milky Way Galaxy, which contains about 40 billion stars. The Milky Way (along with 23 other galaxies) is part of the Local Group cluster, which is part of the Virgo Supercluster (containing approx. 2000 galaxies). There are millions of galaxies and thousands of clusters of galaxies cataloged. The stars in the sky are at different distances from Earth and are traveling in different directions. The simplest way to represent them in charts and planispheres is to assume Earth is surrounded by a celestial sphere that spins on its axis and has north and south poles. The stars are represented on the inside surface of this imaginary sphere, and hence appear to be at the same distance from Earth.

77. Structure Of The Galaxy Are all of these stars inhabitants of the Milky Way Galaxy or are some of theminside other galaxies? INSERT STAR Constellation Map IMAGE. FIGURE 210 http://solar.physics.montana.edu/tslater/plunger/galaxy.htm

The Structure of the Galaxy Activity: The student will map various celestial objects and determine the structure and center of the Milky Way. Science Standards: Nature of Science and Scientific Models (Conceptual) Objectives: The student will observe that distribution of different objects in the sky. The student will infer the shape of the galaxy. The student will infer the direction of the galactic center. Materials: Overhead transparencies of all-sky constellation map (one per group) Different color overhead markers Photocopies of galactic object tables overhead projector and screen Introduction: In the 18th century, astronomers Thomas Wright and William Hershel conducted meticulous sky surveys which indicated that the number of stars in all directions were essentially equal (with respect to distance). From that observation, they inferred that the Sun was at the center of the Universe. Today we know that stars come in different colors, compositions, and ages. By looking at the distribution of different types of stars, we can easily see that there is a plane of new, young, and active stars that surround us. There are also old globular clusters surrounding the galactic center near Sagittarius. Galaxies far beyond the Milky Way are visible in every direction except near the galactic center where they are obscured by galactic dust. Directions: 1. Using transparencies, different groups of students place marks in constellations that have the objects listed in the tables.

78. Star Chart All of the stars used in our galaxy model are parts of constellations (or starpatterns) that are very easy to observe in the night sky from almost anywhere http://www.ligo-wa.caltech.edu/teachers_corner/lessons/star_chart_9t12.html

The LIGO Star Chart Subject Area: Physical Sciences, Astronomy Grade Level: 5-8 Learning objectives for the activity State science standards addressed by the activity The procedure for the activity A set of LIGO field trip activities ... A downloadable MS Word version of the package OVERVIEW Perhaps the most basic astronomical skill is finding one's way around the night sky. In this activity students will learn the relative locations of several prominent constellations and will learn to identify several stars within those constellations. OBJECTIVES Students will describe the meaning of the term "constellation". Given a diagram of the night sky, students will identify several well known stars and constellations. STATE STANDARDS THE LIGO STAR CHART All of the stars used in our galaxy model are parts of constellations (or star patterns) that are very easy to observe in the night sky from almost anywhere in the northern hemisphere. No telescope is necessary but the sky should be dark. This activity will show you how to locate several features of the night sky. The Big Dipper is the easiest group of stars to identify and can point you in the direction of other interesting areas of the sky. Once you have located the Big Dipper you can use it to find the North Star. Simply imagine connecting Merak and Dubhe with a line and continuing until you reach a medium-bright star.

79. Stars And Constellations It s the ninth largest constellation and it contains two of the ten brightest They are called the pointer stars since they point to the Southern Cross http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/Centaurus.html

Centaurus the Centaur Written by Pam Eastlick of the University of Guam. Although Crux the Southern Cross is probably more famous in northern latitudes, there is no question that Centaurus the Centaur is the most magnificent of the southern constellations. It's the ninth largest constellation and it contains two of the ten brightest stars. No other constellation can make this claim although Orion the Hunter and Crux the Southern Cross each contain two of the twenty brightest stars. Centaurus also contains the closest star to the sun, the best globular cluster, and has its own meteor shower. It does not contain any Messier objects because the constellation is too far south for Messier to have seen it. That wasn't the case 2,000 years ago, however, when precession had carried the southern stars of spring into the view of the ancient Greeks. They could see the Southern Cross and all the stars of the Centaur. Although there are conflicting reports from ancient Greek sources, most seem to agree that this centaur whose name was Chiron was a wise and benevolent being as opposed to the war-like Sagittarius. Some sources say he was the tutor for Heracles who accidentally wounded his teacher with a poisoned arrow. He begged Zeus to grant the noble creature immortality in the sky. Centaurus is traditionally depicted as carrying Lupus the Wolf to sacrifice on Ara the Altar. Centaurus contains Alpha and Beta Centauri, the third and tenth brightest stars in the sky. (Note: Some lists name Betelgeuse in Orion as the tenth brightest star, but Betelgeuse is a variable star making its ranking difficult). Alpha Centauri (proper name Rigel Kentaurius) is bright only because it is close and it is the closest star to the sun at 4.3 light years away. Alpha Centauri is a triple star system.

80. Astronomy 101: Lesson One The brightest stars in a constellation thus get named alpha, beta, gamma, From these regions, stars and galaxies formed; structure became apparent; http://www.astro.washington.edu/larson/Astro101/LecturesFraknoi/astro101s01.html

Lesson One Introducing the Scale of the Universe and Our View of the Night Sky Required Reading Prologue Chapter 1 As incredible as it might sound, astronomy covers objects spanning sizes from the nucleus of an atom to the farthest reaches of the visible universe: from less than 1 picometer (10 meter), to 10 meters, or equal to a full range of 38 powers of ten. Lesson One covers the major structures of the Universe and the basics of observing the night sky, including the vocabulary, and concludes with brief overview of the history of astronomy. Learning Objectives After completing this lesson, you should be able to define each of the key terms; identify the major "levels" or groupings found in the Universe; describe the process used to determine the size of the Earth; compose a short summary of the principle structures of the Universe, detailing the contents at each level [optional] find the north celestial pole, and identify constellations lying on the celestial equator and ecliptic. The Science of Astronomy Key Terms astronomical unit Celestial Equator Celestial North Pole Celestial South Pole constellation cosmology day degree ecliptic horizon light year Local Group meridian Milky Way Galaxy solar system year zenith zodiac The prologue section of the text gives an introduction to the nature of astronomy and the nature of science. Let's combine this to the "science of astronomy." Astronomers are rarely, if ever, concerned with naming stars, as the title literally means. Astronomy today is applying the physics we know and understand here on Earth to the Universe in general. Except for the most extreme cases (space and time around black holes and at speeds approaching that of light), the physics of Sir Isaac Newton suits us just fine. We use concepts such as the conservation of angular momentum (the reason an ice skater speeds up as she pulls in her arms) and the conservation of energy (why you break a bone when you fall off a tall ladder) to explain how the Milky Way galaxy formed a disk of stars and why the interior of the Sun gets so hot that fusion starts. It is amazing that it all works and it is all tied together.

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