Who do I phone to report my discoverey? And can I name it after me?
2006-09-11 21:13:09 · 24 answers · asked by Ms. Roxie 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Why don't you ask for it to be called 'The Gullable Yankee'. That's got a nice ring to it.
2006-09-12 02:39:34 · answer #1 · answered by Grinner5000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
New to you maybe, but old to most people. It's actually called Ursa Major, (otherwise known as The Plough, or The Big Dipper).
It's one of the most useful constellations in the sky. The two stars at the opposite side to the handle are known as The Pointers and point towards Polaris, (otherwise known as The North Star, or The Pole Star), which all the stars appear to rotate around during the night.
Polaris is very nearly aligned with the North Pole of the Earth, and thus has been used for centuries to find the direction of north by sailors and explorers.
You can't have a constellation named after you. However amateur astronomers can and do discover comets and asteroids and have them named. Astronomy is still one science that amateurs can make a difference.
2006-09-12 00:22:08 · answer #2 · answered by jfhaslam 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you can't discover a new constellation. There are already 88 official Constellations. These include all of the visible stars in the sky. You can however come up with a new asterism.
An asterism is a star-pattern that is not a constellation. Asterisms may be contained within a single constellation or consist of stars belonging to different constellations
http://homepage.mac.com/kvmagruder/bcp/aster/general/asterism.htm
2006-09-12 04:53:33 · answer #3 · answered by Cincinnatus 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can't discover a constellation. Constellations are just made up patterns of stars. At its first general assembly in 1922 the IAU officially divided the sky up into 88 constellations to avoid the problem of different people making up different constellations out of the same star patterns.
2006-09-12 02:19:26 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can call me,I have experience in this matters.
I discovered not only a new constellation, but a new star sign too...It is called Derek the Dinosaur and I am the only person with this star sign.
Yes You can name it after yourself, that would be fine (as long as you re-name yourself, Roxie Saucepan!)
2006-09-11 21:19:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you really discovered something new, i.e. you're an astronomer you'd know where to go with your discovery.. What you found in the sky id probably part of some other constellations. Sorry, but whatever you can really discover with naked eye or small telescope has already been discovered many times.
2006-09-11 21:16:44 · answer #6 · answered by Snowflake 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You're having me on aren't you? If you were looking north then it's gotta be The Big Dipper aka The Great Bear (Ursa Major). If you're sure its a new constellation I suggest you contact Patrick Moore - he's very knowledgeable. By the way, you can name a star after yourself by going to "The doghouse"'s website or directly to www.moonestates.com. Think it costs about forty quid. Whether or not, you'll have great fun at their websites....wonder if they'd consider paying me commission?
2006-09-11 21:43:11 · answer #7 · answered by Headcase 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have discovered a new constellation you should defiantly tell the proper authority's, And you would get to name is what ever you want.
2006-09-11 21:17:07 · answer #8 · answered by Tam 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, You can't "discover" new constellations, all the visible stars in the sky have been mapped into the patterns we already know.
2006-09-12 00:45:33 · answer #9 · answered by Azalian 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry to burst your bubble, but that one is not a new constellation. It is the big dipper. So, no, you can not have it named after you.
2006-09-11 21:23:00 · answer #10 · answered by gr_bateman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I bet you had your scope aimed at widow jones kitchen and of course you spotted the light reflecting off of what else?
Her saucepan!!!!!
2006-09-11 22:01:48 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋