1. U SING C ONSTELLATIONS

2. What are constellations? How were constellations used throughout history? What do modern astronomers use constellations for? Is there even a need?

3. F IND THE B IG D IPPER

4. E ASY !

5. F IND THE BIG DIPPER NOW ?

6. S TILL EASY ?

7. C AN YOU SPOT P OLARIS ?

8. I S THIS IT ? ??

9. P OLARIS IS NOT A BRIGHT STAR... NOPE!

10. W HY B IG D IPPER ? It is fairly easy to recognize It is seen year round in the northern hemisphere – just look to the north! Astronomers and navigators have been using it to guide the night skies for a long time It also helps us locate Polaris

11. W HAT SO SPECIAL ABOUT P OLARIS ? Our Pole Star It is directly above our North Pole All stars seem to “go around” Polaris

13. V IEW OF THE S TARS

14. L ET ’ S F IND P OLARIS ON YOUR MAP !

15. S TART WITH U RSA M AJOR

16. F IND THE B IG D IPPER

17. T HE B IG D IPPER IS PART OF U RSA M AJOR

18. F IND THE “ LIP ” OF THE B IG D IPPER LIP!

19. I T POINTS YOU TO P OLARIS About 5 times the length of the lip

20. E ASY ! POLARIS!

21. P OLARIS IS THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN U RSA M INOR Big Dipper Ursa Minor Polaris

22. F INDING S IRIUS Sirius is the BRIGHTEST star in the night sky!

23. F INDING THE A NDROMEDA G ALAXY

25. A STERISMS The Big Dipper is not an official constellation, but rather an asterism. It is a pattern of (usually the brightest) stars that is easily recognized in the night sky. It is NOT a smaller pattern within a constellation as our textbook suggests. Some other examples: Orion’s Belt The “W” Summer Triangle Winter Triangle Fish Hook (Scorpious)

27. F IND THE B IG D IPPER

29. O RION ’ S B ELT

30. S UMMER T RIANGLE

31. W INTER T RIANGLE

32. “W” OF C ASSIOPEIA

33. F ISH H OOK (S CORPIO )