how do constellations relate to the pattern of stars? it is for a science homework question.?

Answer 1

Essentially, a pattern of stars and a constellation are one of the same. A group of stars makes up an imaginary picture of many thing, such as a Big Dipper or a great bear (Ursa Major), a northern cross or a swan (Cygnus) or any of the other constellations in the sky (88 in all that are officially recognized). Some people will see the outline of Sagittarius and see and great archer and others will see the image of a teapot. The ancient civilizations 'drew' patterns in the sky to explain their world or to worship their gods or hero.

Answer 2

Constellations are patterns in the sky named after animals, objects, mythology, ect. Constellations look relatively the same year after year. For example, Orion is known to be visible in the winter, and Scorpio is known to be visible during the summer months. Constellations make it easier for an observer that is familiar with these patterns to locate objects in the sky such as certain stars, nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, and planets. However, just because these objects happen to be visible from Earth inside these constellations and appear to be next to or near a star, that doesn't mean that an object is actually near or next to that star. It just looks that way here on Earth. If you were to be able to stand on the surface of Mars and look up at the sky, things would look different.

Answer 3

Constellations don't relate to the pattern of star distribution at all.

If you were able to travel any significant distance from Earth, say 1 light year above the galactic plane of the Milky Way, then star position would be enormously different than what you see on earth.

Constellations, and conversely astrology are basically folk tales passed down from ancient civilizations. What we see as a constellation, such as the Big Dipper, is just a pattern we recognise from our position here on Earth.

Its interesting to think of Astrology from a higher order physics concept, such as Quantum Mechanics or String Theory. Over vast distances, even minute fluctuations can be felt, and perhaps the changes that seem to be universal according "to the stars" are simply gravitic influence on the chemistry of our brains. Lol, who knows?

Answer 4

Constellations are simply a 2 dimensional view of a 3 dimensional universe. As preveiously stated, if you traveled away from earth, you would see far different constellations. One constellation of 5 stars may have stars that are hundreds of light years apart from each other, others may be within a few light years of each other.

Answer 5

Humans see patterns in everything. They see animals in clouds. They see Jesus in piece of toast.

And likewise, they see patterns of things in the night sky by connecting lines in their mind between bright stars that are close to each other. Some of the constellations are easy to see -- the Big Dipper is a good example -- as is the constellation Scorpio. Some are a bit of stretch -- you really have to use your imagination to see them. Ancient man, though, needed to attribute some meaning to the patterns they thought they saw in the starts at night, and thus hundreds of constellations have been "discovered" and named.

Answer 6

actually, the constellations move over long periods of time. for instance, a million years from now, the constellation of "Orion's Belt" will not look like a belt. now, technically, if you believe what you state in your question, this could be part of God's plan. But if you really think about it, it doesn't matter. Someone may see one shape while someone else looks at the same set of stars and sees something different. So I think the answer is no, they are random. This leads to another topic - free will. It could be part of God's plan to throw the stars out randomly and let man see what he wants to see, and decide for himself what it means. In the study of the philosophy of religion, some people say that this world of free will (as opposed to a set story laid out by God) is "the best of all possible worlds, and is therefore the one that God created."

Answer 7

Constellations are official areas of the sky. Some constellations look like what they are suppose to be, but many do not.

Answer 8

constellations are how the stars are lined up in the sky.

Answer 9

constallations are a type of patterens and how stars are formatted constllations created them in a way.

Answer 10

do not know