1. 6B Northern Circumpolar Constellations - Objectives
List the 5 northern circumpolar constellations.
Describe each in terms of
Name, translation, asterisms, shape, location, and mythological importance

2. Circumpolar Constellations
“Circum” means around
i.e. circumnavigate, circumference
Polar refers to the North Pole. Therefore, circumpolar constellations circle Polaris.
They never dip low enough in the sky to disappear beyond the horizon.
There are 5 circumpolar constellations that are visible throughout the entire year in the Northern hemisphere.

3. Ursa Minor
Once you’ve located Polaris, you’re ready to identify your first constellation.
Polaris is the last star located in the handle of the asterism, the Little Dipper.
The name of the constellation that contains the Little Dipper is Ursa Minor or Little Bear.

4. Ursa Minor Ursa Minor Translation : The Little Bear
Family : Ursa Major
Ursa Minor is a circumpolar constellation.
This means it never sets in the northern sky.
Ursa Minor contains an asterism
The Little Dipper
Polaris is contained in Ursa Minor

5. Ursa Minor

6. Ursa Minor

7. Ursa Minor

8. Ursa Major Ursa Major is one of the most famous constellations.
Said to be more impressive than the Southern Cross (Crux)
Ursa Major is known as the Great Bear
It has a companion called Ursa Minor, or Little Bear.
Everyone living in the Northern Hemisphere has probably spotted the easily recognized portion of this huge constellation.
The body and tail of the bear make up what is known as the Big Dipper.

9. Ursa Major

10. Ursa Major

11. Ursa Major Several different cultures saw a big bear in the sky.
The ancient Greeks had a few different stories to explain how the animal ended up there.

12. The Bears
Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, had a hunting companion, Callisto.
Zeus made Callisto his lover by disguising himself as Apollo.
Zeus and Callisto had a son named Arcas.
Because Zeus knew that his wife, Hera, and Artemis, goddess, would be very angry at Callisto for her affair, Zeus turned her into a bear to hide her.

13. The Bears
Arcas was hunting when he came across the bear and was going to kill it.
Zeus then turned Arcas into a bear as well so that he would know that the bear was really his mother.
To further protect them, Zeus then took the two bears and put them in the sky.

14. The Bears
Zeus’ wife, Hera, was so jealous that her husband’s mistress and illegitimate child were shining brightly as beautiful constellations, that she begged the ocean goddess, Yemaya, to never let them bathe in the ocean waters again.
According to myth, that is why these two constellations are forced to eternally circle Polaris and never set into the sparkling night oceans.

15. Cassiopeia Cassiopeia Translation :
Queen Cassiopeia
Queen of Ethiopia
Andromeda’s Mother
Cassiopeia is a circumpolar constellation.
This means it never sets in the northern sky.
Family : Perseus
One of original 48 ancient constellations

16. Cassiopeia
Next to Orion and the Big Dipper, it is one of the most well-known constellations
It is not very big, but is very bright
Easy to remember because of its shape
M or W depending on location
Supposed to represent her throne
To find Cassiopeia, draw a line from where the handle meets the bowl in the Big Dipper, through Polaris and find Cassiopeia

18. Cassiopeia

19. Cepheus Name : Cepheus Translation King Cepheus King of Ethiopia
Andromeda’s Father
Cassiopeia is a circumpolar constellation.
This means it never sets in the northern sky.
Family : Perseus
One of the original 48 ancient constellations

20. Cepheus Cepheus is one of the oldest constellations in the night sky.
This house-shaped constellation is named after the ancient king of a land called Ethiopia
(different from the current country, Ethiopia).
He was married to the beautiful Cassiopeia and had a daughter, Andromeda.
In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia boasted that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereids. They complained to the sea god Poseidon, who sent a monster to destroy Cepheus' land. The king and queen offered their daughter to the monster, but she was saved by Perseus.

24. Cassiopeia & Cepheus
King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia ruled over Joppa in the land of Ethiopia. Queen Cassiopia and their daughter Andromeda were very beautiful.
However, Queen Cassiopia was also very vain and would often brag that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the sea nymphs, the Nereids.
The Nereids, or sea nymphs (sea fairies), were the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris. They lived in the seas and always helped sailors in need. They are most notable for their indescribable beauty.
So when Queen Cassiopeia would brag that she and her daughter were more beautiful than the Nereids, it was an insult to the Nereids.

25. Cassiopeia & Cepheus
The Nereids complained to Poseidon, the sea god, who got very angry. Poseidon then unleashed a monster, Cetus, onto Cepheus' land.
Not knowing what to do, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia consulted an oracle. The oracle told them that they could either face the monster and the destruction of their kingdom or sacrifice their daughter Andromeda.
In order to save their country, the king and queen sacrificed their daughter, Andromeda. They chained her to a rock and left her for Cetus.

26. Cassiopeia & Cepheus
Before Cetus had gotten to Andromeda, Perseus came flying by on Pegasus, his winged horse.
Perseus history:
Perseus was the son of Zeus, the Greek god.
Perseus had been sent on a mission to kill Medusa by Polydectes (long story that we won’t get into).
When Perseus killed Medusa, Pegasus, the winged horse flew out from her neck.
Perseus then left Medusa’s lair.

27. Cassiopeia & Cepheus
Just before the monster, Cetus, was able to eat the princess, Perseus (and Pegasus) saved her.
Perseus then claimed Andromeda in marriage.
All the figures (Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Cetus, Perseus, Pegasus) are represented in the sky as constellations.
Some legends say that Cassiopeia was chained into the sky in her throne and sometimes hangs upside-down to remind others not to be so boastful.

28. Cassiopeia & Cepheus

29. Draco Name : Draco Translation The Dragon
Draco is a circumpolar constellation.
Family : Ursa Major
One of the original 48 ancient constellations

30. Draco
Myth #1
The titans were giants with serpent feet and were almost invincible. When the titans revolted against the gods, Athena grabbed the feet of one of these giants and flung it into the sky where it got stuck

31. Draco
Myth #2
The Egyptians believed it to be a protective deity that watched over them because it never set. They believed that it had the body of crocodile, human, lioness and hippopotamus.

32. Draco
Myth #3
The Greeks named it The Dragon. They believed that the Dragon was to guard the golden apples. Heracles put the dragon to sleep with music and then stole the apples.

33. Draco
Myth #4
In Roman legend, Draco was a dragon killed by the goddess Minerva and tossed into the sky upon his defeat

34. Draco
Myth #5
Early Christians originally of the Roman or Greek faith then depicted Draco as the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden

35. Draco
The easiest way to spot Draco is by finding his head. It consists of four stars in a trapezoid, burning brightly just north of Hercules. From there, the tail slithers through the sky, eventually ending between the Big and Little Dippers. It can be difficult to trace Draco in the night sky. From the head, follow the body north towards Cepheus. It suddenly shifts south and west, ending up between the two dippers. The end of the constellation is held by Thuban, which was the pole star over 4,000 years ago.

36. Draco

37. Draco