1. Constellations

2. What is a constellation?
A region of the sky with a distinctive pattern of stars
There are 88 constellations, divided into 3 main groups:
Northern
Equatorial
Southern
A subgroup of northern constellations exist – the circumpolars (never set below the horizon)
Also the northern and southern groups are divided into seasons – Winter and Summer

3. Circumpolar Constellations

4. Circumpolar Constellations
Draco (the Dragon)
Thuban,
Rastaban,
Etamin
Nodus Secundus
Tyl
Aldhibah
Ed Asich
Gianfar
Arrakis
Kuma
Grumium
Alsafi
Dsiban

5. Circumpolar Constellations
Draco myth:
Pythos, the dragon Apollo slew in order to win Delphi. In honor of his victory, he placed his trophy among the stars.

6. Circumpolar Constellations
Cassiopeia (The Queen)
Schedar
Caph
Tsih
Ruchbah
Segin
Achird

7. Circumpolar Constellations
Cassiopeia myth:
The wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda , When she rejected to the marriage of Perseus to her daughter, Perseus displayed the head of Medusa and turned his enemies, including Cassiopeia, to stone. Neptune placed her in the sky, but in order to humiliate her, arranged it so that at certain times of the year, she would appear upside-down.

8. Circumpolar Constellations
Cepheus (The King of Ethiopia)
Alderamin
Alfirk
Er Rai
Kurhah
The Garnet Star

9. Circumpolar Constellations
Cepheus myth:
King of Ethiopia and father to Andromeda (same story as Cassiopeia)

10. Circumpolar Constellations
Ursa Major (The Great Bear)
Dubhe
Merak
Phad
Megrez
Alioth
Mizar
Alcor
Alkaid
Al Haud
Dnoces
Talitha Australis
Tania Borealis
Alula Australis
Muscida

11. Circumpolar Constellations
Ursa Major myth:
Zeus fell in love with Callisto, daughter of Lycaon and by her had a son, Arcas. In order to spare Callisto from the wrath of Hera, Zeus changed her into a bear to hide her identity.

12. Circumpolar Constellations
Ursa Minor (The little Bear)
Polaris
Kochab
Pherkab
Yildun
Anwar al Farkadain
Alifa al Farkadain
Epsilon

13. Circumpolar Constellations
Ursa Minor myth:
Hera, discovering the tryst Zeus had had with Callisto, convinced Arcas to hunt after his mother, who had been changed into a bear by Zeus. To protect Callisto, Zeus changed Arcas into a bear and carried them both by their tails to the heavens, where they became constellations. Annoyed at this honor, Hera convinced Poseidon not to allow the bears to bathe in the sea. For this reason, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor never sink below the horizon.

14. Northern Constellations
Spring

15. Spring Constellation Bootes (The Herdsman or Bear Driver) Arcturus
Nekkar
Seginus
Izar
Mufrid
Merga

16. Spring Constellation
Bootes myth: According to one myth, Boötes was placed in the heavens as a reward for inventing the plow.

17. Spring Constellation Hercules Rasalgethi Kornephoros Sarin Marfik
Maasym
Kajam

18. Spring Constellation
Hercules myth: Among his famous Twelve Labors, Hercules defeated the Nemean Lion (otherwise known as Leo) and the many-headed beast called Hydra. While fighting Hydra, Hercules also killed the little crab, Cancer.

19. Spring Constellation Virgo (The Virgin) Spica Zavijah Porrima Auva
Vindemiatrix
Heze
Zaniah
Syrma
Rijl al Awwa

20. Spring Constellation
Virgo myth: Identified with many heroines, Virgo is usually associated with Ceres, goddess of the harvest. The brightest star in Virgo, Spica, means an ear of wheat or corn.

21. Northern constellations
Summer

22. Summer Constellation Aquarius (The Water Bearer) Sadalmelik Sadalsuud
Sadalachbia
Skat
Albali
Ancha
Situla

23. Summer Constellation
Aquarius myth: This constellation is depicted as a man or boy pouring water from a bucket. It may represent the rainy seasons.

24. Summer Constellation Aquila (The Eagle) Altair Alshain Tarazed
Deneb el Okab

25. Summer Constellation
Aquila myth: This is the bird that Jupiter sent to carry off Ganymede to serve as cupbearer to the gods.

26. Summer Constellation Corona Borealis (The Northern Crown) Alphekka
Nusakan

27. Summer Constellation
Corona Borealis myth: Ariadne fell in love with the hero Theseus, and helped him to kill the Minotaur. Dionysus looked down on her and fell in love with her, and had Theseus abandon her on an island. Dionysus married Ariadne and gave her a gem-encrusted crown as a wedding gift. When Ariadne died, Dionysus placed this crown among the stars.

28. Summer Constellation Cygnus (The Swan) Deneb Albiereo Sadr
Gienah Cygni
Azelfafage
Ruchba

29. Summer Constellation
Cygnus myth: Phaethon got his father to agree to let him drive his sun chariot, and his reckless driving threated to destroy the earth. Zeus intervened and hurled a thunderbolt at Phaethon, who fell into the Eridanus River. Phaethon's devoted friend, Cygnus, dived into the water in search of the body. Apollo took pity on Cygnus and changed him into a swan, placing him in the heavens.

30. Summer Constellation Delphinius (The Dolphin) Sualocin Rotanev
Deneb Dulfim

31. Summer Constellation
Delphinius myth: A dolphin convinced Amphritrite to marry Poseidon, and as a reward, Poseidon placed Delphinus among the stars.

32. Summer Constellation Lyra (The Lyre) Vega Sheliak Sulafat Aladfar
Alathfar

33. Summer Constellation
Lyra myth: The Lyre (a stringed instrument like a harp) was invented by Hermes as a gift to his half-brother Apollo, who gave it to Orpheus, the musician of the Argonauts.

34. Summer Constellation Pegasus (The Winged Horse) Markab Scheat Alginib
Enif
Homam
Matar
Baham
Salm

35. Summer Constellation
Pegasus myth: This winged horse sprung up from the blood of Medusa after Perseus killed her. Pegasus was tamed by Bellerophon, who used Pegasus in defeating the fire-breathing monster, Chimera. Bellerophon died while trying to fly up to Mount Olympus to see the gods. Zeus sent a gadfly which stung Pegasus, when bucked and threw Bellerophon to his death. Pegasus continued to fly up the mountain, and earned a place among the stars.

36. Northern Constellations
Autumn

37. Autumn Constellations
Taurus (The Bull)
Aldebaran
Alnath
Hyadum I
Hyadum II
Ain
Alcyone
Celaeno
Electra
Taygeta
Maia
Asterope
Sterope II
Merope
Atlas
Pleione

38. Autumn Constellations
Taurus myth:
Zeus disguised himself as a snow-white bull in order to attract Europa, Princess of Phoenicia. Drawn to his beauty, she climbed onto his back and Zeus swam with his passenger to the island of Crete.…

39. Autumn Constellations
Auriga (The Charioteer)
Capella
Menkalinan
Al Anz
Haedi
Hoedus II
Hassaleh

40. Autumn Constellations
Auriga myth:
No story really explains the figure that this constellation is suppose to define -- a charioteer without the chariot and horse, holding reins in his right hand, a goat on his left shoulder, and two small kids in his left arm.

41. Autumn Constellations
Andromeda: (The Chained Lady)
Alpheratz
Mirach
Almaak
Adhil

42. Autumn Constellations
Andromeda myth: Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, King and Queen of Ethiopia. When Cassiopeia boasted that Andromeda was more beautiful than that of the Nerieds, sea nymphs, they asked Neptune to send the monster Cetus to ravage Ethiopia. Consulting an oracle, Cepheus found that the only way to appease Cetus was to sacrifice his daughter to the monster. Andromeda was chained to a rock by the sea to be sacrificed, but Perseus arrived from killing the Medusa, and turned turned Cetus into stone with the head of Medusa.

43. Autumn Constellations
Perseus (The Hero)
Mirphak
Algol
Miriam
Menkib
Atik
Gorgonea Secunda
Gorgonea Tertia
Gorgonea Quarta

44. Autumn Constellations
Perseus myth: Perseus killed Medusa, the only one of the Gorgons who was mortal. The three Gorgons were monsters that turned any that looked upon them to stone. Using his shield as a mirror, Perseus was able to kill Medusa without looking on her directly. With the head of Medusa, Perseus was able to kill the monster Cetus, and save the princess Andromeda, whom he married.

45. Northern constellations
Winter

46. Winter Constellation Canis Major (The Great Dog) Sirius Murzim
Muliphen
Wezen
Adara
Furud
Aludra

47. Winter Constellation Canis Major myth:
This constellation is offened recognized as the dog of Orion, the hunter. Orion loved to hunt wild animals, and his dog can be seen ready to pounce on Lepus, the hare situated at Orion's feet.

48. Winter Constellation
Canis Minor (The Small Dog)
Procyon
Gomeisa

49. Winter Constellation Canis Major myth:
Often associated as another of Orion's dogs, Canis Minor is sometimes associated with one of Helen's favorite dogs, who allowed Paris to abduct his mistress.

50. Winter Constellation Orion (The Hunter) Betelgeuse Rigel Bellatrix
Mintaka
Alnilam
Alnitak
Nair al Saif
Saiph
Meissa
Tabit
Thabit

51. Winter Constellation Orion myth:
When this giant met Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, her brother Apollo feared for her virginity. Apollo sent Scorpius, the Scorpion, to attack Orion, who lept into the sea to escape. Apollo then tricked his sister into shooting at a dark spot on the waves, which was actually Orion. The goddess tried to have Asclepius revive Orion, but he had already been killed by Zeus' thunderbolt. Artemis then placed Orion in the heavens, where he continues to be hunted by the scorpion.

52. Winter Constellation Gemini (The Twins) Castor Pollux Alhena Wasat
Mebsuta
Mekbuda
Propus
Tejat Posterior
Alzirr

53. Winter Constellation Gemini myth:
Castor and Pollux, the famous twins of Leda. Castor was the son of Tyndarus, King of Sparta, but Pollux was the son of Zeus, who won over Leda in the form of a swan. After Castor's death, Pollux (immortal because of his father) was so overcome with grief that Zeus reunited them by placing them together in the heavens.

54. Winter Constellation Leo (The Lion) Regulus Denebola Algieba Zosma
Adhafera
Chort

55. Winter Constellation
Leo myth: This is the Nemean Lion that Hercules battled as the first of his Labors. No weapon could pierce its skin, but Hercules killed the lion by strangling it. After killing the lion, Hercules used its own claws to skin it. Hercules wore the skin as a cloak, and it became his trademark.

56. Winter Constellation Cancer (The Crab) Acubens Altarf Asessus Borealis
Asellus sAustralis
Tegmen

57. Winter Constellation Cancer myth:
Juno sent this crab to distract Hercules during his battle with the Hydra. The crab didn't succeed in its mission, but Juno placed it in the sky to reward it for its efforts.