Northern constellations

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………- 2 -

CONSTELLATIONS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE……………….......- 3 -

FACTS FROM HISTORY…………………………………………...- 6 -

WHAT IS THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM FILLED?................................. - 7 -

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CONSTELLATION NAMES... - 8 -

LIST OF RESOURCES USED…………………- 9 -

Introduction

Humanity has been interested in the night sky since ancient times. The position of the stars above the horizon reflected the change of seasons, which was important for Agriculture. The most complete information about ancient astronomy has reached us since the times of Ancient Greece. But it is known for certain that much of this information was based on earlier sources from China, India, Babylon and Egypt. It was in China in the 4th century that the first star catalog of 800 brightest stars was compiled. There may have been earlier ones, but information about them has not reached us. The study of the oldest Indian buildings in Latin America gives an idea that the civilizations that built them also had extensive knowledge of astronomy.

Modern ideas about the appearance of the starry sky are based mainly on models presented by ancient Greek scientists. Thus, the celestial space was conditionally divided into areas consisting of the brightest stars, which represented constellations. The oldest list of constellations has come down to us in the form of descriptions by C. Ptolemy. It contained 48 constellations known to this day, with the exception that some of today's asterisms were described as complete constellations. Asterism- this is part full constellation in the form of a noticeable stellar figure and a popular name (example: Big Dipper in Ursa Major). Today, the world has adopted uniform names and designations for constellations in Latin. There are 88 of them in total in the Northern and Southern hemispheres of the sky, separated by the celestial equator. The names of most constellations reflect ancient Greek myths (Perseus, Andromeda, Cepheus, Hercules), animals (Lynx, Wolf, Hare, Eagle), or everyday scenes in the form of a hunter (Orion) hunting with dogs (B. Canis, M. Canis) to the Hare, or the constellation Ophiuchus catching the Serpent. In the Middle Ages, with the heyday of navigation, southern latitudes with new constellations became available to Europeans, in the names of which maritime (Stern, Sails, Compass, Keel) and technical (Clock, Cutter, Furnace, Pump) terms became noticeable.

It is important to note that the modern outlines of the constellations and the stars that belong to them have undergone some changes over time. The main reason for such changes was the increase in the early Middle Ages of Arab influence on many spheres of life of other peoples. Arab tribes captured vast territories of North Africa, the Near and Middle East, which subsequently also served to spread astronomical knowledge, in which the Arabs achieved very significant success.

In the medieval star maps that have survived to this day, some differences can be identified, which were determined by different ideas about the figures in the constellations and the stars in them in the post-Greek and Arabic ideas. The same goes for the stars. Some stars in different periods over time they changed their affiliation with the constellations. In modern catalogs, the assignment of stars is strictly fixed, however, the old designations are also not considered completely incorrect.

The principle of designating stars in constellations is based on the Bayer system, which is expressed in assigning letter designations of the Greek alphabet to stars, indicating their belonging to the constellation. The priority in the designation usually corresponds to the brightness of the star, but exceptions are also not uncommon when letter designations are assigned in accordance with the order of the stars in the constellation (for example, the bucket stars Ursa Major). The least bright stars have serial numbers indicating the constellation or a specific number in one of the catalogs indicating it.

Most of the brightest stars have their own names, many of which are directly related to the names of the constellations they belong to (for example, Denebola - “lion’s tail” from the constellation Leo). The origin of the names of the stars was influenced by both European and Arabic culture, rather with the predominance of the latter. Some stars, for various historical reasons, have more than one name. But since the main classification of stars is carried out according to their letter designations and serial numbers, all their names and titles are completely legal.

ANDROMEDA(lat. Andromeda), the constellation is located above the “M” of Cassiopeia and to the left on the Polar – Saf line. Contains a chain of three bright stars - Alferaz (Sirra) (alpha, delta Pegasus), Mirach (beta), Almach (gamma). Andromeda, in Greek mythology, the daughter of the king of Ethiopia, who was sacrificed by him to a sea monster that devastated the country, and saved by Perseus. According to myth, after death she turned into a constellation (hence the name of the constellation).

TWINS(lat. Gemini), a constellation in the shape of a large rectangle to the left of Auriga and above Orion. At the top are the bright stars Pollux (beta) and Castor (alpha) - are named after the twins of classical mythology, lower left - Alhena (Almeisan, gamma).

BIG DIPPER(lat. Ursa Major) One of the most large constellations. Part of the constellation forms an asterism in the form of a ladle with a handle curved downwards. The edge of the bucket is formed by two stars - Merak (beta) and Dubhe (alpha) which are Pointers to the North Star. The letter designations are not based on the brightness of the stars, but on their location. Other stars of the bucket are Phekda (gamma), Megrez (delta), Aliot (epsilon), Mizar (zeta), Alkaid (Benetnash, eta).

History of the name of the constellation.

The ancient Greeks had a legend that the almighty god Zeus decided to marry the most beautiful nymph Callisto, one of the maids of the goddess Aphrodite, against the latter’s wishes. To save Callisto from the persecution of the goddess, Zeus turned Callisto into a bear and took him to heaven. The ancient Greeks said about Ursa Minor that this was supposedly Callisto’s favorite dog, turned into a bear along with her mistress.

AURIGA(lat. Auriga), a pentagon-shaped constellation located on lines from the bucket to the nose of the Big Dipper and from Andromeda to Perseus. The brightest star is the sixth brightest star, Capella (Alhayot, alpha). Slightly less bright are Mencalinan (beta) and Elnat (gamma, beta Taurus).

BOOTES(Latin Bootes), has the appearance of a strongly elongated quadrangle. Located immediately to the left of the handle of the Big Dipper. The lower star is the fourth brightest star Arcturus (alpha). Other brightest stars are Mufrid (eta), Isar (epsilon), Seginus (gamma).

VERONICA'S HAIR(lat. Coma Berenices), in Coma Berenices there is an open star cluster visible to the naked eye.

HERCULES(lat. Hercules), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere; The X-ray pulsar Her X-1, identified with the optically variable star HZ Her, was discovered in Hercules. The solar system is moving towards Hercules. The parts of Hercules are shaped like a trapezoid and a brighter triangle. The trapezoid is located directly between the Lyra and the Northern Crown. The brightest star is Korneforos (beta).

HAUNGS DOGS(lat. CanesVenatici), a small constellation of the northern hemisphere. α - Cor Caroli (Heart of Charles), β - Chara (Asterion).

DOLPHIN(lat. Delphinus), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere, 69th largest constellation in the starry sky. α – Sualotsin, β – Rotanev

THE DRAGON(lat. Draco), a circumpolar constellation, one of whose stars Thuban, located halfway between Mizar and the pair of bright stars of the Ursa Minor Dipper, was Polaris c. 2.5 thousand years ago and will be Polar again in 20 thousand years. A highly elongated constellation. The tail bends around Ursa Minor and rests on the Bolshaya. The head is in the form of a quadrangle to the right of the base of Cepheus. In front of the head are the brightest stars Eltanin (gamma) and Rastaban (beta).

GIRAFFE(lat. Camelopardalis), circumpolar constellation of the Northern Hemisphere. 18 in size constellation of the starry sky.

CASSIOPEIA(lat. Cassiopeja), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere; The 5 brightest stars of Cassiopeia form a figure similar to the letter W. A powerful galactic source of radio emission Cas A was discovered in Cassiopeia. α - Shedar, β - Kaf, δ - Rukba, ε - Seguin.

SWAN(lat. Cygnus), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere. The unofficial name is Northern Cross. It looks like a flying swan with an outstretched neck. Located under the base of Cepheus. The brightest stars are Deneb (alpha), the tail, and Sadr (gamma), in the center. In the head is the star Albireo (beta). Two X-ray sources, CygX-1 CygX-2, have been discovered in Cygnus, the first of which may be associated with a black hole.

LIRA(Latin Lyra), a small constellation in the form of a quadrangle with the fifth brightest star in the sky, Vega (alpha). Located to the left of the Swan's head.

CHANTERELLE(lat. Vulpecula), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere. 55th size constellation in the starry sky.

URSA MINOR(lat. Ursa Minor), circumpolar constellation, the most bright stars which form a shape similar to a ladle. The extreme star of the handle of the ladle is the North Star (Alruqaba, alpha) - located near the North Pole of the world. β - Kohab, γ - Ferkad, δ - Yildun.

SMALL LION(lat. Leo Minor), 64th size constellation in the starry sky.

ARIES(lat. Aries), small zodiac constellation, according to mythological beliefs, depicts the golden fleece that Jason was looking for. α – Gamal, β – Sheratan, γ – Mesarthim, δ – Botein.

PERSEUS(lat. Perseus), a group of stars above the “M” of Cassiopeia.; the constellation contains a double open star cluster c And h Perseus. The most prominent are Mirfak (alpha) and Algol (beta), closer to Taurus - Atik (zeta).

CANCER(lat. Cancer), mythological constellation, resembles a crab crushed by Hercules' foot during the battle with Hydra. None of the stars exceed 4th magnitude, although the Manger star cluster at the center of the constellation can be seen with the naked eye. Zeta Cancer is a multiple star (A: m=5.7, yellow; B: m=6.0, goal, spectroscopic double; C: m=7.8).

LYNX(Latin Lynx), 28th largest constellation in the starry sky.

NORTHERN CROWN(lat. Corona Borealis), a semicircle of stars facing upward. Immediately to the left of the upper part of Bootes. The brightest star is Alphecca (Gemma, alpha).

ARROW(lat. Sagitta), 86 in size constellation of the starry sky.

CALF(lat. Taurus), zodiac constellation with the bright star Aldebaran. There are 2 scattered ones in Taurus star clusters: The Pleiades and Hyades, as well as a powerful source of radio and x-ray radiation - the Crab Nebula with the pulsar PSR 0531+21.

TRIANGLE(lat. Triangulum), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere; From the territory of Ukraine it is best seen at the end of summer, autumn and winter.

CEpheus(lat. Cepheus), a circumpolar constellation of the Northern Hemisphere, partially located in the Milky Way. Cepheus contains the X-ray source Ser X-1 - a remnant of nova. It resembles a house with a sharp roof, the top of which is located between Cassiopeia and the North Star. The brightest star is Alderamin (alpha), the right base of the house.

LIZARD(lat. Lacerta), constellation of the Northern Hemisphere, located in the Milky Way. 68th size constellation in the starry sky.

Facts from history.

The question of what the world of stars is is apparently one of the first questions that humanity has faced since the dawn of civilization.

Any person contemplating the starry sky involuntarily connects the brightest stars with each other into the simplest shapes - squares, triangles, crosses, becoming the involuntary creator of his own map of the starry sky. Our ancestors followed the same path, dividing the starry sky into clearly distinguishable combinations of stars, called constellations . In ancient cultures we find references to the first constellations, identified with the symbols of the gods or myths, which have come down to us in the form of poetic names - the constellation of Orion, the constellation of Canes Venatici, the constellation of Andromeda, etc. These names seemed to symbolize the ideas of our ancestors about the eternity and immutability of the universe, the constancy and immutability of the harmony of the cosmos.

However, already in the Chaldean legends, mention of which we find in Arrhenius, the question, perhaps naive by those standards, is posed - what happened before the stars?
"...At a time when there was no what is called heaven above, and below what is called earth, there was only Apsu (ocean), their father, and Tiamat (chaos), their foremother. Not a day was different, not a night... Darkness reigned, covered in darkness..."

Already in the 1st century BC Cicero believed that all stars are born from the celestial fiery ether that fills the entire Universe, and our Sun is only one of the stars, the closest and brightest.

The list of ancient guesses could be continued, but in the history of the study of the world of stars there is a certain starting point, from which ideas about the cosmos from speculative reasoning and guesswork began to be based on observational facts and their interpretation. We are talking about the discovery by a Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe a new star that appeared in the sky in 1572. A similar phenomenon was observed in 1604 Johann Kepler And Galileo Galilei . And although, as is now clear to astrophysicists, medieval astronomers observed not the birth, but the death of a star, nevertheless, in Tycho Brahe’s ideas about the structure of the cosmos, a revolutionary idea was first formulated - stars condense from the rarefied matter of the Milky Way.

However, what determines the mechanism of condensation of matter into stars? Apparently, the first person to try to answer the question was Sir Isaac Newton - discoverer of the law universal gravity, who wrote in 1692:
"... It seems to me that if all the matter of our Sun and planets and all the matter of the Universe were evenly scattered in the celestial depths, and if each particle had an innate gravitation towards all the others, and if, finally, the space in which if this matter were scattered, it would be finite, the matter outside this space, due to the indicated gravitation, would be attracted to all the matter inside and, as a result, would fall into the middle of all space and would form there one huge spherical mass. However, if this matter were evenly distributed over the infinite. space, it could never unite into one mass, but part of it would condense here, and another there, forming an infinite number of huge masses, scattered at enormous distances from each other throughout this infinite space. This is how both the Sun and the Sun could be formed. fixed stars, assuming that the matter was luminous in nature..."

Note that despite the abundance of hypotheses that were not confirmed by the subsequent development of astrophysics, Newton’s concept laid the foundations for the theory of star formation, which was developed only after it became clear what the interstellar medium consists of.

What is the interstellar medium filled with?

What is between the stars? This simple question automatically implies a simple answer - there is emptiness between the stars. It is this naive response that is typical when we look at the Milky Way and see bright areas in the night sky adjacent to dark areas.

For a long time, astronomers believed that this simple and naive interpretation was true, until V.Ya. Struve (1793-1864) did not suggest that the voids in the Milky Way are nothing more than giant clouds of dust , absorbing light from stars. Only a century later, Struve’s hypothesis was confirmed experimentally. Already in our time, studying the radio emission of the Universe, the American satellite SOBE received an image of the Milky Way, which clearly shows the distribution of interstellar dust in our Galaxy. Under the influence of radiation from stars, grains of dust in outer space heat up, especially near very hot stars, and re-emit light quanta in the infrared range.

However, interstellar space is filled with more than just dust. Astronomers are well aware that the most abundant substance in space is hydrogen. The hydrogen atom is perhaps one of the simplest atoms in its structure, containing only one electron. Sometimes, under the influence of external radiation, this electron can move to very high orbits. The return of the electron is accompanied by the emission into outer space of radio waves with a length 21 cm. By detecting this radio emission, one can judge the nature of the distribution of hydrogen both in the Milky Way and in other galaxies.

Hydrogen clouds can be found near bright stars. Absorbing light from a star, they highlight excess energy and then we see an enchanting spectacle like Triple Nebula . If the cloud turns out to be too cold, it will preferentially absorb light from the stars, as can be seen in the example Horsehead Nebula . But the largest objects in the Milky Way are giant clouds of molecular hydrogen, hundreds of thousands and even millions of times greater in mass than our Sun. One of the representatives of this class of objects is Orion Nebula , in the depths of which molecules of water, ammonia, alcohol, formic and hydrocyanic acids were found. Many of these molecules contain carbon, the basis of all life on Earth. Is it not in the depths of space that we should look for answers to the question - where are we from and how did life originate in the Universe?

A little more about the history of constellation names.

Another legend was told about the constellations Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, Pegasus and Perseus:

“Once upon a time, in time immemorial, the Ethiopian king Cepheus had a beautiful wife - Queen Cassiopeia. One day, Cassiopeia had the imprudence to boast of her beauty in the presence of the Nereids - the mythical inhabitants of the sea. Offended, the envious Nereids complained to the god of the sea, Poseidon, who released a terrible monster - a whale - onto the shores of Ethiopia. In order to pay off the whale that was devastating the country, Cepheus, on the advice of the oracle, was forced to give his beloved daughter Andromeda to be devoured by the monster. He chained her to a coastal rock, and every minute Andromeda expected a whale to emerge from the depths of the sea and swallow her.

List of resources used

Page of the Department of Space Physics of RSU - http://amber.rnd.runnet.ru/astro/

Russian Astroportal - http://www.astrolab.ru/

Astronomy website – http://astrosite.narod.ru/

Fourth edition of the Great Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius, 2000.

Constellations of the winter sky attractive due to the clear and transparent sky in the coldest months of the year. Indeed, such a firmament can no longer be seen in other seasons, so observing the constellations on a clear and long night is comfortable and mesmerizingly exciting, especially against the backdrop of the earth’s landscape covered in snowy whiteness, which contrasts brightly with the blackness hanging over the observer’s head. At this time, the sky opens its most expensive and unique treasury with expressive constellations and bright stars.

Constellations of the winter sky in the table (list of constellations)

Latin name (name)	Latin name (genus)	Reduction	Area (g.sq.)	Number of stars up to 6m
Orion	Orionis	Ori	594	120
Taurus	Tauri	Tau	797	125
Canis Major	Canis Majoris	CMa	380	80
Canis Minor	Canis Minoris	CMi	183	20
Gemini	Geminorum	Gem	514	70
Auriga	Aurigae	Aur	657	90
Monoceros	Monocerotis	Mon	482	85
Eridanus	Eridani	Eri	1138	100

Scenes of celestial hunting and mythical stories

In the southern tip of the sky, just to the left of the celestial meridian, you can see the gigantic size of Orion. He's hunting. But for whom? Around him there are several animals, among which on the right and above is Taurus. It is on him that the giant’s club is pointed. But they don’t go hunting without faithful companions, which the Little Dog and the Big Dog have become for the hunter. The latter is already ready to rush after another celestial mammal. The hare tries to escape from under Orion's feet. Look at the scene and think that several thousand years ago this is exactly how ancient people saw it, who first gave names to the constellations.

How old are these bright paintings? The Big Dipper has a similar venerable age, as do the images of Gemini and Auriga. The last mentioned ancient cosmic bodies, which are located to the left and above Orion, have a mythical history. Myths say that their father was the loud Zeus himself, and the beautiful earthly maiden Leda carried them in her womb and gave birth to them. The story of the ancient Greek god does not end there. The charioteer, according to legend, carries a goat, which is the main star of the constellation - the bright yellowish Capella. So it was she who once fed Zeus himself with her milk.

What features do the constellations of the winter sky have?

Not all constellations in the winter sky are bright. Two don't have flashy stars, so they're hard to find. The first is Eridanus (to the right of the hunter Orion). It symbolizes the mythological river in which the son of the Sun, Phaeton, drowned. It was a punishment for disobeying his father. The mythical river flows all the way to the southern hemisphere. But the second star is notable for its “youth”. It was so difficult to see that astronomers were able to discover it only after the invention of the telescope in the 17th century. It is symbolic that he was named Unicorn. Indeed, in the Middle Ages, stories and stories about this mythical creature were especially common.

Note also that almost all the stars of Orion have a blue-white color and are located equidistant from the Sun. Here you can find a zone of active star formation. Like babies next to their mother goose, the stars, relatively young by cosmic standards, have not yet had time to move far from their cradle, so you can easily determine the place of their birth. The Great Orion Nebula is visible to the naked eye as a speck encircling the Sword star, but in fact a patch of interstellar medium covers the entire constellation! It is enough to look through a sensitive telescope to see this.

What we see in November, December and January

From the top of the “Great Square of Pegasus” in the direction to the northeast, a noticeable chain of bright stars of the “body” of Andromeda stretched out and, at a fairly considerable distance, Capella. From one of the stars of Andromeda (β) originates a line formed by two faint stars, which points in the direction of the constellation Cassiopeia. The other (γ) lies next to the Andromeda nebula (visible to the naked eye). South-east of β and γ are the constellations Triangulum and Aries. The huge spiral galaxy MZZ is located further south in the constellation Triangulum.

Even further southeast you can see the “Eastern Pisces” asterism – part of the constellation Pisces. Further, south of the equator lies the significant variable star Mira (O Ceti), which can reach the maximum brightness of stars of the third magnitude.

In the southern part of the sky, the most prominent stars belong to the constellations Eridanus and Phoenix. If you look closely, you can distinguish between these constellations and the Whale of the group of stars Furnace and Sculptor. Even more unremarkable is the constellation Hours, which runs parallel to Eridanus and then points southwest. If you look at the northwestern tip of the constellation, you can easily see its brightest star of the fourth magnitude.

What we see in January, February, March

In addition to the gigantic hunter (Orion serves as a starting point for sky exploration by observers of the Southern and Northern Hemispheres) and its chain of 3 second-magnitude stars, as well as the sparkling Rigel and the red supergiant Betelgeuse, it is worth looking at the brightest star Sirius, which lies in the continuation of the southern direction of the stellar Orion's belt. If you draw a northern line, you can immediately stumble upon the orange star of Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus. A little further north in the same direction you can enjoy the view of the Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus.

Against the background of condensations of stars in the Southern Hemisphere, the constellation Cygnus and other celestial bodies, you can see the Milky Way. To the north of Orion you need to look at the zodiac constellation - Gemini with the stars Pollux and Castor. The first of these is brighter and located further south. The constellation Canis Minor is located south of the mentioned celestial bodies. It is noteworthy that its bright star Procyon with Sirius and Betelgeuse form an almost exact equilateral triangle. At the same time, the constellation Canis Major so named also because it has a larger number of bright stars, including the beauty of the first magnitude (ε).

Continuing the segment of the “dorsal spine” at Canis Major (runs along the Milky Way) to the star ζ Puppis, and then following perpendicularly through a pair of triangles of the constellation Puppis, you can come to the shining Canopus of the constellation Carina. The star ranks second in brightness in the sky (stellar magnitude - -0.7). By the way, between Orion and Canopus are the constellations Hare and Dove. Seekers of the mythical Eridanus find it by a third magnitude star (β). The constellation just northwest of Rigel meanders far to the south in a chain of faint stars and ends with a first magnitude star (south of Conopus).

An inexperienced beginner may find it difficult to navigate the sky. challenging task. Of course, the advantage of the Northern Hemisphere is the North Star, which points with bright light to the North Pole. There is nothing like this in the Southern latitudes, but it is possible to find the South Celestial Pole thanks to equally bright stars and the majestic southern constellations.

Most of the new constellations created by astronomers in the 16th-19th centuries are located in southern latitudes.

How to observe the southern constellations

Before you start observing, you need to determine your latitude, stock up on warm clothes and hot drinks, observation devices (binoculars, telescope and others) and a rug or mat if you have to stand for a long time and want to sit down, and most importantly, maps. Without the latter, not a single observation will take place in full, unless, of course, the amateur astronomer knows for sure the location of all the constellations.

It is necessary to prepare in advance for observing the constellations.

What constellations are in the Southern Hemisphere

All southern ones are listed below with the names accepted in the Russian and international classifications, and brief description. The equatorial constellations, including the zodiacal ones, are neither southern nor northern, as they are located on or near the ecliptic.

Pump (Antlia), Bird of Paradise (Apus), Altar (Ara), Peacock (Pavo), Phoenix (Phoenix), Painter (Pictor), Southern Fish (Piscus Austrinus), Poop (Puppis) and Compass (Pyxis), Reticle ( Reticulum), Sagitta, Sculptor, Sextans, Telescopium, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Vela, Volans, Vulpecula .

Canis Major (Canis Major) - a star group notable for one of the brightest stars in the sky - Sirius. Canis Minor (Canis Minor) - has a bright star Procyon. Carina (Carina) - has a bright star Canopus. Centaurus is a former northern, and now delightful southern constellation. It has two bright, beautiful stars: Rigel Centaurus and Hadar. Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System, is also located here. Chameleon (Chamaeleon), Compass (Circinus).

Dove (Columba), Southern Crown (Corona Australis) is an ancient constellation recorded by Ptolemy in the 2nd century. Corvus, Crater and Hydra are a complex of inconspicuous southern constellations. The Southern Cross (Crux) is one of the brightest in the Southern Hemisphere. It has two bright stars Acrux and Mimosa. Dolphin (Delphinius), Golden Fish (Dorado), Small Horse (Equuleus).

Furnace (Fornax), Eridanus (Eridanus) is the longest constellation in the sky. Represents the Nile or Euphrates. Crane (Grus), Clock (Horologium), South Hydra (Hydrus) is a dim constellation in the shape of a triangle at the very South Pole. Indian (Indus), Hare (Lepus), Wolf (Lupus). Table Mountain (Mensa), Unicorn (Monoceros), Microscope (Microscopium), Fly (Musca) and Square (Norma), Octants.

Most of the southern constellations are small, inconspicuous and dim, but they are certainly worthy of attention. If you are in the southern latitudes, it is worth arming yourself with binoculars or a telescope and contemplating the constellations all night. So beautiful and so distant.

Since time immemorial, people have looked in awe at the night sky, strewn with myriads of shining stars. Probably even primitive “astronomers”, having tried to understand what they were seeing, found out: almost all stars consist of certain unchanging groups that can shift in the sky and even disappear beyond the horizon, but after a while they return to their places. These groups began to be given their own names: the names of animals, mythical creatures, legendary heroes and even household items. Different cultures formed different naming systems - scientists Ancient China, for example, they called clusters of stars after the names of imperial palaces or premises attached to them. However, we mainly owe the familiar names of the 48 constellations visible in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere to the ancient cultures of Europe and the Middle East. Another 40 groups of stars have been identified since the beginning of the 16th century - however, almost all of them are visible only in the Southern Hemisphere, so the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as the Arabs, knew nothing about them.

So for today In the celestial sphere of the world, a total of 88 constellations have been identified and officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union.

Conditions for observing the night sky

To witness the splendor of the night sky, it is advisable to wait ideal conditions observations:

the night should be dark and cloudless;
the sky was not illuminated by the lights of a nearby city or village;
it is better for the observer to be somewhere in the mountains: there are few populated areas there, the air is cleaner, and the layer of the atmosphere is thinner than at sea level.

Perhaps the two most prominent and easily recognizable constellations in the Northern Hemisphere are Big Dipper And Cassiopeia. The imaginary lines connecting the stars of Cassiopeia create a figure similar to the letter “M” or “W” - depending on the position of the constellation in the sky: this is the unhappy wife of the Ethiopian king Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda, sitting on the throne, raising her hands in a pleading gesture. (The light strip passing right through this constellation is none other than the Milky Way, our own galaxy, which we see in the plane.) And the seven bright stars of Ursa Major form a characteristic bucket (the Slavs called this constellation Vozok, Plow, Plow), easily visible in the sky in any position, even upside down. Such large constellations are often conventionally divided into parts: for example, in Ursa Major they distinguish between the ladle itself and the handle of the ladle.

It's also quite easy to identify the constellation Orion, Sky Hunter: his Belt is formed by three stars elongated in a slight oblique line; using them as a guide, you can move on to neighboring constellations. For example, horned Taurus head in the shape of the letter “V” is aimed directly at Orion. Not far from Taurus (not shown in the picture; in in this case- beyond the horizon) is located Big Dog With Sirius- the brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere. Constellation Gemini, located northwest of Orion, represents two almost parallel lines ending in a pair of bright stars - Castor And Pollux.

And today, in many countries around the world, people who cultivate the land follow familiar constellations, determining when to sow, water or harvest. These groups of stars are indispensable in navigation; They are also very important for astronomical observations: these are a kind of reference points in relation to which the position of the object under study is measured.

Variety of shapes

It has long been known that the stars that make up the same constellation are actually located at completely different distances from the Earth. In this regard, the term “ celestial sphere“- all objects visible to the naked eye or through telescopes are conventionally “attached” to it. Now mentally draw a conditional axis to it, passing through the North and South Poles of the Earth: the points where this axis touches the celestial sphere are called, respectively, the North and South Poles of the world.

How to find the North Star in the starry sky

The North Pole is easy to find: at this point there is a bright polar Star; our ancestors called it Kol, since it is the only one that does not move across the sky. Finding the North Star is also quite simple - all you need to do is draw an imaginary line through the two stars of the Ursa Major bucket (they are located on the side opposite the handle). Drawing from bottom to top, that is, from the narrowing of the bucket to its expansion, this vector will point to a noticeable star in the very “tail” of Ursa Minor.

Constellations of the Northern Subpolar Region

Just like the Moon, the constellations move across the night sky in the direction from east to west - this is caused by the fact that the Earth rotates around its axis from west to east. Constellations located in the 40-degree zone from the North Pole of the world belong to the so-called Northern circumpolar region; all of them remain visible at any time of the year, never disappearing beyond the horizon. The five main circumpolar constellations include Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor and Dragon. The latter is a broken chain of stars stretching across a vast area of the sky: the tail of the Dragon is located between the North Star and Ursa Major, the body goes around Ursa Minor and Cepheus, and the head is directed towards the constellation Hercules.

Seasons

During those 365 days, the appearance of the starry night sky changes quite dramatically. The fact is that the movement of our planet in orbit, as well as the tilt of its axis, in different time makes different parts of the starry sky visible to us. For example, when spring constellations begin to appear above the horizon, autumn constellations are hidden from the observer for several months.

Summer star triangle of the Northern Hemisphere

Starry light appears in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere on warm summer nights triangle(that's what they call him - Summer) constitute the three brightest luminaries in the constellations Lyres, Swan And Orla: Vega, Deneb And Altair.

Northern Hemisphere Winter Star Triangle

In winter, it appears on the midnight sky Winter triangle, composed of the brightest stars of Orion ( Betelgeuse), Canis Major ( Sirius) and Canis Minor ( Procyon).

Other “carriers” of bright stars include constellations Leo And Virgo- They are best observed in the spring. Other constellations, not included in the subpolar region, are sometimes almost completely hidden for us behind the horizon, but at the same time become partially visible south of the equator. Among them are the constellations Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, and Gemini.

Completed by: 8th grade student Anna Smirnova

Head: Fomicheva Svetlana Vladimirovna,

Physics teacher

Bolshoi Dor village

2012

The content of the work
Abstract of work	page 4
1. Introduction	page 5
2. Main content	page 5
3. Practical part	page 9
4. Conclusion	page 16
5. Conclusion	page 16
6. References	page 16

Abstract of work

The work is research project on the topic: Observing constellations in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

The goal of the project: to create a convenient guide to the starry sky of the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

In the first part of the work, I reviewed the literature on the object under study - the starry sky of the Northern Hemisphere. I found out what constellations can be seen in our sky, what stars they consist of, what the brightest stars are called.

In the practical part of the work, I am developing a table - a guide to the starry sky.

In conclusion, I concluded about the possible application of my development.

Volume of work – 14 pages; in my work I used 7 literary sources.

Introduction
I decided to create a table that would be convenient to use when observing the starry sky, namely, when searching for constellations and their brightest stars at any time of the year in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
Goal of the work: Creation of a guide to the starry sky of the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

To achieve the goal, I identified the following tasks:

Explore the constellations of the northern hemisphere;
Classify their appearance by seasons of the year;
Determine the presence of bright stars and interesting objects in them;
Collect all the information in a table.

Object of study- constellations of the northern hemisphere.

Subject of study– location and characteristics of constellations.

Hypothesis- if you have data on the location and composition of the constellations, then you can classify them according to the seasons of the year into a table that will be convenient to use when studying the starry sky.

Research methods:
work with scientific literature;

Data analysis;

drawing up a table;
Nature of the study: applied
During the research, I learned a lot of new and useful things and learned how to classify and analyze the information received.

My work can be used in the work of an astronomical circle when studying the starry sky, in physics lessons, and astronomy lovers can use it.

Main content

At good conditions observation with the naked eye, about 3 thousand stars are visible in the sky at the same time, regardless of where we are - in India or Lapland. But the picture of the starry sky depends both on the latitude of the area and on the time of observation.

There are many constellations in our sky, and every season they replace each other. I want to make a guide to starry sky. Here is a map of winter constellations: here you can find constellations that we can only observe in winter.

Winter constellations

The beginning of January, like the end of December, is characterized by the longest nights. Clean cold air, a beautiful starry sky, and early darkness make January one of the most convenient months for making simple evening observations with the naked eye.

The evening February sky amazes the imagination with bright stars that outline the contours of the most noticeable constellations. Before finding the corresponding constellation, let's orient ourselves along the sides of the horizon. If you have a compass, face the direction the red arrow is pointing. Behind you will be north, to your left - east, to your right - west, and above your head - zenith. The line passing through the point south on the horizon and the zenith is called the celestial meridian, and the constellations crossing the meridian above the southern side of the horizon are at the upper culmination. However, it should be borne in mind that the black end of the compass needle does not point exactly towards the geographic pole, but towards the magnetic pole, which is located in Greenland. But for simple visual observations this error is insignificant.

Spring constellations

Spring, nature awakens. Spring constellations appear in their evening visibility for a short time (only in April-May). Summer constellations are visible from June to September (i.e. 4 instead of 2 months). Why is that?

Let us remember that we divide the constellations according to the seasons of the year conditionally, based on their good evening visibility. But the time of day when evening comes for us depends on the time of year: in winter it gets dark early and evening comes already at 17-18 o’clock, and in summer it is still light at 23 o’clock. The visibility of the constellation changes throughout the year so that it is first visible in the morning, then changes to night visibility, then to evening visibility, i.e. visibility moves into increasingly earlier areas of the night. In July-November, the time of evening also moves to an earlier and earlier time (the day is shortened). Due to this synchronicity, the summer-autumn constellations are visible in the evening for a long time - more than 4 months.

But in the spring the situation is reversed - the evening moves to more and more late time(the day is growing). Spring constellations seem to “skip” in their visibility in 2 months.

Summer-autumn constellations

Summer and early autumn are perhaps the most convenient time for observations. Many people go out into nature at this time. Evening, the first, brightest stars appear, then increasingly faint ones. Outside the city there are so many of them visible that at first it is difficult to get your bearings.

Let's face the south. To our left is the east, to our right is the west. The first to appear in the evening sky (except for the planets and the Moon) are three bright stars, two of them high, near the zenith. The right one is Vega (α Lyrae), the brightest star in the northern hemisphere, the left one is Deneb (α Cygnus). The third Altair (α Orla) is located to the south. They represent a characteristic memorable figure (asterism) of the summer-autumn triangle, the most noticeable group of stars in the northern hemisphere.

Using the constellations Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, you can trace the location of the ecliptic, which in summer is located low above the horizon. The Sun will pass along the ecliptic through these constellations in winter, therefore it will also be low above the horizon. In summer, the low position of the ecliptic means that the Moon is always low above the horizon near the full moon. The same applies to other planets, which, in their movement among the stars, are currently passing through the listed zodiacal constellations.

When it gets completely dark, especially in the southern regions of Russia, you can see a faint silvery stripe of the Milky Way stretching along the constellation Cygnus towards bright Altair, towards the tail of Scorpio and Sagittarius. Note that from the head of Cygnus onward, the band of the Milky Way bifurcates. The dark hole that begins here is associated with a large amount of absorbing matter - gas and dust - that blocks the light from distant stars from us, creating a picture of the silvery glow of the Milky Way.

A large amount of dark absorbing matter in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius obscures from us the core of our galaxy - the Milky Way - the bulk of the stars concentrated in it. According to astronomers, if dust had not blocked the core from us, then this cluster of billions of stars would have appeared to us as a silvery disk comparable in brightness to the Moon.

Autumn-winter constellations

In summer and early autumn, the constellations Pegasus, Andromeda, and Perseus are visible, but they rise as high as possible in November-December.

Let's stand, as usual, facing south. The most noticeable constellations are Cassiopeia (almost at the zenith), Andromeda, and in the very south, low above the horizon, Whale. The Andromeda chain of stars points to the constellation Perseus. And somewhat to the north and west is the familiar pentagon of the constellation Cepheus. The Ursa Major dipper lies in a “normal” position near the northern horizon, to the left of it are Bootes and the Northern Crown, to the right is Auriga, and above is Cepheus.

A beautiful picture of the night sky with twinkling stars. If you study them carefully and learn to identify familiar groups of stars (constellations), then perhaps they will not seem so distant and alien to us.

Practical part

Winter

Constellation Orion	Above the south rises one of the most the most beautiful constellations sky - Orion. In ancient Greek mythology, this is a hunter. Three stars located obliquely are the “belt” of Orion; the celestial equator passes through them - an important line on the celestial sphere, dividing it into the northern and southern hemispheres. This line also passes through the east and west points on the horizon; try to trace the equator using the given landmarks. In ancient times, the three stars in Orion's "belt" were called three kings, they are all around second magnitude and have the names: Delta (), Epsilon () and Zeta (). The star to the higher left is Betelgeuse ( Orionis) - his head, the star to the right is Bellatrix ( Orionis) - the club. The two legs are also marked with the bright stars Rigel () and . When the air is transparent, a luminous spot can be distinguished below the belt - the Orion Nebula (M42)
Constellation Taurus	The angry bull is Taurus with an orange eye - the star Aldebaran ( Taurus). It’s easy to find it - from Aldebaran we draw two lines upward to the left to the bright stars - these are the horns. Moreover, at the end of the upper horn there is a brighter star () than the lower one (this is a guideline so as not to get confused). Aldebaran itself is surrounded by the Hyades star cluster, and to the right above you will definitely notice a compact bucket of faint stars - this is the Pleiades star cluster (M45)
Constellation Auriga	It is slightly higher than Taurus. The constellation Auriga is shaped like an irregular quadrangle. Its brightest star - Capella (in mythology - the Goat carried by the Charioteer) - does not set. In winter it is visible almost at the zenith, and Vega ( Lyrae) is low above the northern horizon. In summer they change places, since they are located on opposite sides of the pole and at approximately the same distance.
Gemini, Canis Major, Canis Minor	To the east of Taurus the constellation Gemini is visible. Its two bright stars, Castor () and Pollux (), shine in all their glory high above the horizon throughout the night. Canis Major does not rise high, but its brightest star Sirius - the brightest in the entire sky - always stands out.  Canis Minor http://astrometric.sai.msu.ru/stump/html/1_060.html- Procyon - visible above and to the left. From the rest of the constellation, only one more asterisk () stands out. "Empty" space between Orion, Minor and Big Dogs occupies the constellation Monoceros.
Constellation Hare	Below the “knees” of Orion, low above the horizon, there is a small irregular quadrangle of stars - the constellation Hare. It is clearly visible in the southern regions of Russia. And from the “left leg” of Orion (from , which is on the right) to the right to Cetus, a chain of faint stars stretches. This is part of the constellation Eridanus, it is unremarkable in the sky of our latitudes.

Spring

Constellation Leo and constellation Lesser Leo	Let's stand with our backs to the North Star, i.e. facing south. At this time, at the upper culmination, crossing the celestial meridian, is the constellation Leo. This constellation resembles the figure of a sitting lion with its head held high. It is easy to find by the characteristic trapezium formed by the bright stars  (Regulus),  (Denebola) (the base of the figure),  and . From the last (upper right corner of the trapezoid) the neck and head of the animal are usually drawn along several stars. Above Leo's head there is a small remarkable constellation Small Leo.
Constellation Cancer and the Manger star cluster (M44)	http://astrometric.sai.msu.ru/stump/html/3_186.html Between Leo and Gemini is the unremarkable constellation Cancer. Although it consists of faint stars, try to find it, since it is zodiac and has been known since ancient times. Distinctive feature this constellation is the presence of a small nebulous speck of 3.7 m- the open cluster of stars Manger (M44), in a good, fairly dark sky, visible to the naked eye.
Constellation Virgo	To the left and below Leo - low above the southern horizon, the first magnitude star Spica (Spike), the brightest in the constellation Virgo, shines. Due to its brightness and position, it is relatively easy to find in the sky. Spica, together with other bright stars, represents a characteristic quadrangle, by which it is easy to find and recognize the constellation itself. Just like Leo and Cancer, it is a zodiac sign.
Constellation Ursa Major	Let us raise our gaze to the zenith - at this time the constellation Ursa Major is at its upper culmination and located directly overhead. The names of the seven bright stars were taken from the Arabs: Dubhe (), Merak (), Fegda (), Megrets (), Aliot (), Mizar (), and Akair (). In terms of their physical characteristics, many of the stars of Ursa Major are similar and, moreover, move in the same direction. It is possible that these stars have a common origin, that is, they are a cluster.
Constellation Ursa Minor	Polar
Constellation Canae Canis, Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)	http://astrometric.sai.msu.ru/stump/html/3_187.htmlhttp://astrometric.sai.msu.ru/stump/html/3_188.html Under the handle" Big bucket"it is not difficult to find a star of the third magnitude, called the Heart of Charles II - the brightest in the constellation Canes Venatici. This is one of the most beautiful double stars, and the constellation itself is unremarkable to the naked eye - only  stands out - to the right and higher than . But in an amateur telescope here Four nebulous objects can be found, including the Whirlpool spiral galaxy (M51) and the globular star cluster M3.
Constellation Coma Berenices	Between the Canes Venatici and Virgo there is an inconspicuous iridescent group of stars (5 m) - constellation Coma Berenices.
Bootes constellation	If the two extreme stars -  and  in the tail of the Big Dipper are connected by a straight line, then it will point to the lonely bright star Arcturus ( Bootes), located high in the east. The shape of the bright stars of the Bootes constellation resembles an open parachute.
Constellation Corona Borealis	Next to the constellation Bootes, somewhat to the east, there is a clearly visible beautiful necklace of stars - the constellation Northern Crown with a bright star in the center Gemma (Pearl) -  Northern Crown.
The constellation Raven and the constellation Chalice	Below Virgo, in the southeast, near the horizon, you can discern the quadrangle of the constellation Raven, and somewhat to the west - the unremarkable constellation of the Chalice.
Constellation Hydra	If you extend the line connecting the stars  and  Leo to the south, it will point to a lonely, relatively bright second magnitude star Alfar d(from the Arabic al-fard - the hermit), which received its name due to its solitary position in this area of the sky. Alpharad is the brightest () in the constellation Hydra, which stretches from southeast to northwest. Head of Hydra - (stars ,  and ) is located under Cancer near Procyon ( Canis Minor).
Constellation Sextant	In this part of the sky I would like to note the completely inconspicuous constellation Sextant (only six of them have a magnitude of about 5 m). So, use binoculars to peer at the scattered group of stars located between Alpharad and Regulus ( Leo).
Constellation Libra	If we look to the west, we will see that Orion is about to set, swinging his club at an angry bull, the constellation Taurus (in the northwest). In the west, low above the horizon, you can still see Procyon ( Canis Minor). And in the southeast the constellation Libra rises. Its brightest star, Kiffa (), together with Spica and Arcturus form an equilateral triangle, by which you can easily find this constellation.. In the old days, the  and  of Libra were called respectively Kiffa australis and Kiffa borealis (a mixture of Latin and Arabic), which simply meant the southern cup (of the scale) and the northern cup. Kiffa represents a beautiful, intimate couple who happened to be next to each other in heaven. One of them is hot blue (2.8 m), the other is yellowish (5.3 m) located from the first at a distance of about 5".

Summer autumn

Constellation Cygnus	Above all is Deneb, the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus, which is shaped like a cross, one line of which is the body and neck of a bird, the other is the wings.  The swan is found in its tail, which is reflected in its name, Deneb - short for the Arabic dgeneb ed-dazha jeh (hen's tail). The star Albireo ( Cygnus), which lies at the base of the constellation cross, is one of the most beautiful double stars. Main orange star 3.2 m at a distance of 34.6" has a white hot satellite 5.4 m
Constellation Lyra	Under the left “wing” of Cygnus is the constellation Lyra with the brightest star of the summer sky, Vega. This is a small constellation consisting of four faint stars located at the vertices of a quadrangle connected to Vega. Vega is a modified Arabic word waki - al-nasr al-waki - rushing kite. Vega is one of the brightest stars in the northern sky, its magnitude is 0.1 m. A blue star relatively close to the Sun. A famous variable star is  Lyrae, its brightness varies from 3.4 m up to 4.3 m in 12.92 days.  Lyrae is an eclipsing variable star. The famous planetary Ring Nebula (M57) is located in this constellation, visible, however, only through a telescope.
Constellation Eagle	Below the constellation Cygnus is the constellation Eagle. The eagle is the bird of the god Zeus - a symbol of dominance, glory, victory and triumph. The Arabs gave the name to the brightest star of this constellation el-nasr el-tair - the flying eagle, which is where the word Altair (α Eagle) comes from.
Constellations Dolphin, Chanterelle, Arrow, Shield	To the east you can see a small diamond of faint stars - the constellation Delphinus. Between Cygnus, Eagle and Dolphin there are two small, unremarkable constellations: the Chanterelle and the Arrow. In Chanterelle, through a telescope, you can find another planetary nebula called “Dumbbell” (M27). Another constellation, the Scutum, is located below and to the right of the Eagle. The Milky Way, a projection of our galaxy, passes through all these constellations, as well as through Sagittarius and Scorpio.
Constellation Hercules	To the right of Lyra lies the constellation Hercules. It is quite difficult to find it - the reference stars are “lost” among the others. The stars of its central part form a mirrored letter “K”, and from it the legs and arms of Hercules “grow”. Under his left shoulder in a small telescope you can find the globular star cluster M13, under very good conditions it can be seen with the naked eye as a nebulous speck 6 m. Among the faint stars of this constellation, the third magnitude star Ras Algeti ( of Hercules - his right foot) stands out.
Constellation Ophiuchus	The constellation Ophiuchus, vaguely reminiscent of a pentagon, extends across the celestial equator and the ecliptic. It divides the chain of stars of the constellation Serpens into the Head (in the west) and the Tail (in the east). This is the only constellation consisting of two sections. the brighter star Ras-Alhage ( Ophiuchi).
Constellation Scorpio	Under Ophiuchus in the very south, Scorpio with red Antares ( Scorpio) appeared from behind the horizon. The body of Scorpio, with Antares and a chain of bright stars in its tail thrust into the Milky Way, is a prominent constellation in the southern sky. The claws of Scorpio are currently “given” to the constellation Libra, located to the west. Antares is a red giant, its surface temperature is about 3300 K, and it emits almost 1000 times more light than the Sun. It takes light almost 230 years to reach Earth. At a distance of about 3" from Antares there is a satellite - a blue star 6.5 m, emitting light 17 times more than the Sun. Due to the significant difference in brightness, it is not easy to find Antares' satellite in the rays of the main star.
Constellation Sagittarius	Under the summer-autumn triangle, near the horizon, in the south you can discern the constellation Sagittarius. On ancient maps this constellation is depicted as a centaur - half-man, half-stallion, shooting from a bow. True, all the beauty of this constellation and the most interesting part of our Milky Way, unfortunately, are poorly visible in the middle and northern latitudes Russia, only in the south can you truly enjoy this spectacle. To the left, in the southeast, the constellation Capricorn rises.

Autumn winter

Constellation Andromeda	The left star of the Andromeda chain, the star Alamak (), is located slightly south of Cassiopeia (at the zenith). From this star, moving to the right, we will find  and Alferats) Andromeda. Above  there is also a small star, to the right and above which in binoculars, and in good weather and a foggy speck can be seen with the naked eye. This is the Andromeda Nebula (M31), the closest galaxy to the Milky Way (except for the Magellanic Clouds). The star Alamak is a triple star. The main, yellow with an orange tint, star (2 m) has a satellite at a distance of 10" (5 m). The companion - a hot bluish star - in turn consists of two stars separated by a distance of 0",3. This pair is physically interconnected, orbital motion with a period of 56 years was detected in it. The Alamak star and its double satellite are very far from the Earth - 125 pc (408 light years).
Constellation Pegasus, Little Horse	If we continue the line directed along the southeastern "wing" of the constellation Cygnus, it will point to Makrab ( Pegasus), one of the four bright stars that make up the prominent asterism Great Square Pegasus. In fact, the star in the northeastern corner of the Great Square of Pegasus belongs to the constellation Andromeda: this is  Andromeda. The rest of the stars belong to the constellation Pegasus - these are the stars  - Markab,  - Shat,  - Algenib . Somewhat to the north - between  Pegasus and the diamond of Delphinus - there is a very small, unremarkable constellation of the Lesser Horse, consisting of stars fainter than 4 m. To find the Little Horse you will need much more time and possibly binoculars. I wonder if there is a constellation called the Great Horse? Yes, this is Pegasus!
Constellation Lizard	There are no bright stars north of Pegasus, between it and Cepheus. The unremarkable constellation Lizard is located here. It does not enter mid-latitudes, so it could be classified as a polar group of constellations.
Constellation Perseus	Continuing the chain of Andromeda stars to the left, we will come across another star -  Perseus (Mirfak). The figure of Perseus can be represented as a compass of the “goat’s leg” type, and this very “leg” extends just from  down to the right to the well-known variable star  Perseus (Algol). With a very clear sky, a foggy spot can be seen between the top of the “compass” and Cassiopeia; When examining the binoculars it is discovered that these are two open star clusters  and H Perseus).
Constellation Triangulum	Somewhat below the left star in the Andromeda chain () you can find two dim stars, and a little to the right and below them - a third. This is the constellation Triangulum, in which another galaxy close to us is located - M33 (visible only through a telescope).
Constellation Aries	Below we will find star Hamal ( Aries), and a little to the right - the star .
Constellation Pisces	To the right of Aries, a long chain of faint stars, spread out under Andromeda and Pegasus, represents the constellation Pisces
Constellation Aquarius	And even further to the right, just near the horizon above the southwest, you can find Aquarius. The brightest star in this constellation, , wears Arabic name Sadalmelik (Sa'ad al Malik - the happiness of the ruler). The constellation Aquarius consists of weak stars. The most noticeable and unusual group of stars in this constellation is the Y-shaped group, which is called the Y of Aquarius, and according to the traditions of ancient myths - the Jug. These three The constellations are zodiacal. The sun passes through them in the spring, and they are visible in the evening, respectively, in the fall.
Constellation Cetus	Above the south, low above the horizon, is the constellation Cetus. Since only bright stars can usually be seen low above the horizon, often only one star is visible - Menkara ( Ceti). Under good weather conditions, residents of Moscow and more southern regions of Russia will see the first magnitude star Fomalhaut, the brightest in the constellation Southern Pisces, almost at the very horizon in the south. Fomalhaut is a corruption of the Arabic Fum Al Khut (mouth of the fish). Directly above Fomalhaut you can see the star  Aquarius, and to the north-west you can see the entire constellation of Aquarius.

Conclusion. In my table, I collected the constellations of the Northern Hemisphere, visible at mid-latitudes, talked about the brightest or most famous stars of these constellations, and described how they can be identified in the sky.
Conclusion.

My work can be used in the work of an astronomical circle when studying the starry sky, in physics lessons, and astronomy lovers can use it.

For orientation in the Northern Hemisphere, 18 navigation stars are used. In the northern celestial hemisphere these are Polaris, Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Aliot, Pollux, Altair, Regulus, Aldebaran, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Procyon and Alpharanz (α Andromeda). Every navigator knows the navigation stars by heart, recognizing them by color and shine. It would be nice for me to learn this too!

6. List of references and Internet sources

B. A. Vorontsov-Velyamov, Astronomy 10th grade, M., Education, 1979.

M. M. Dagaev, V. M. Charugin Reading book on astronomy: Astrophysics M., Education, 1988.

School Encyclopedia 2001

Encyclopedia for children vol. 8 Astronomy, M., Avanta+, 1999

http://encyclopaedia.biga.ru/enc/science_and_technology/SOLNECHNAYA_SISTEMA.html

http://www.plam.ru/ekolog/estestvoznanie_i_osnovy_yekologii/p3.php

http://astrometric.sai.msu.ru/stump/html/1_008.html