
What are Constellations ?
A constellation is an imaginary outline or pattern formed by a group of stars on the celestial sphere, typically representing an animal, mythological person or creature, god, or inanimate object. Let us look at some other Constellations not mentioned in NCERT !
Orion (The Hunter): This constellation is also known as hunter. The Indian name is Mriga. It consists of seven or eight bright stars. The orientation of stars in Orion is similar to the figure of hunter. This constellation is visible in the sky during the winter season in the late evening. One of the brightest stars in the sky at night is the Sinus, which is very close to the Orion constellation.
What is Ursa Major and Saptarishi
Ursa Major also known as Great Bear or Saptarishi consists of seven bright stars, which appear in the shape of a bear. It is visible during the summer season in the early part of the night and can be seen clearly during the month of April in the northern part of the sky. It also helps us to locate the position of the pole star in the sky. At night it appears to move from east to west as the pole star remains fixed in its position.
What are Planets ?
A planet is a celestial body that orbits a star. The word planet comes from the Greek word "Planetai", which means "wanderers".
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a celestial body is considered a planet if it meets the following three criteria:
1.It is in orbit around the Sun.
2.It has sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium (a nearly round shape).
3.It has “cleared the neighborhood” around its orbit.
Moon a Satellite
A satellite is an object that orbits a larger object, and the moon is a natural satellite of the Earth.
Pointer Stars
Locate the quadrilateral at the end of the constellation and select the two stars on the far side of the quadrilateral. Imagine a line connecting the two stars . Extend the line towards the top of the ladle or in the north direction. The faint star that meets the line is the Pole Star