3. Constellations
Prominent luminous objects that form consistent patterns in the night sky.
The IAU (International Astronomical Union) recognizes 88 constellations, but only 20 are truly prominent and may be easily identified

4. Ursa Major (Big Dipper)
Made up of 7 stars
Imagined by different cultures to represent a bear. The ‘Dipper” is described in different cultures because it points to the North star.

5. Ursa Major (Big Dipper)
Made up of 7 stars
Imagined by different cultures to represent a bear. The ‘Dipper” is described in different cultures because it points to the North star.

7. Ursa Minor (Little Dipper)
Also made up of 7 stars
Discovered by Ptolemy
Contains Polaris at its “handle”

8. Ursa major and Ursa Minor
If one extends the last two stars in the “bowl” of Ursa Major, it will connect to Polaris (in Ursa Minor)

9. Polaris AKA North Star AKA Pole Star
The brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation.
430 light years from Earth
Actually a multiple star system

10. Orion: The Hunter Can be seen from November to February
Easily recognizable
Used to locate other stars

13. Orion: The Hunter
Orion’s belt may be used to locate Sirius (the brightest star in the night sky)

15. Canis Major – “Greater Dog”
Dog star constellation
Contains Sirius (brightest star in the sky) and VY Canis Majoris (Largest known star)