The Constellations Over The Night Skies - For Beginners

 

Thank you, Bibi, for your interesting question and your interest in astronomy. Thank you for those kind words for me on my essays on Space Travels. I have not quite finished yet. There  are a few more parts to write. Bear with me. 

Thank you for being so appreciative - your kind words are an encouragement for me. They warm my heart deeply.  

Just like your good self,  people often ask me, what are the most famous constellations in the skies?  The concept of "fame" when it comes to constellations is subjective and can vary depending on cultural significance, historical importance, and visibility from Earth. However, some constellations are widely considered more well-known due to their prominence and the stories associated with them. Here are ten of the most famous constellations, in no particular order:

1. Orion - Known as "The Hunter," it is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky, visible across the world.

2. Ursa Major - Famous for containing the Big Dipper asterism, it's one of the largest and most recognizable constellations.

3. Ursa Minor - Known for the Little Dipper and Polaris, the North Star, it's crucial for navigation.

4. Cassiopeia - Easily recognizable due to its distinct W shape, it is associated with the mythological queen Cassiopeia.

5. Scorpius - Known for its shape resembling a scorpion and its bright red star, Antares.

6. Leo - Recognized for resembling a lion, it is most prominent in the northern hemisphere during spring.

7. Taurus - Known for the prominent star cluster Pleiades and the bright star Aldebaran.

8. Gemini - Represents the twins Castor and Pollux, with the stars Castor and Pollux marking their heads.

9. Cygnus - Known as the Swan, it contains the bright star Deneb and the asterism known as the Northern Cross.

10. Aquarius - Famous in astrology and mythology, it's recognized as the water-bearer.

These constellations are commonly studied in astronomy and have significant cultural and navigational importance across different societies.

But the 12 most famous constellations recognized over the Malaysian skies all-round the year starting from Orion beginning from November are:

1.      Orion

2.      Ursa Major

3.      Ursa Minor

4.      Cassiopeia

5.      Scorpius

6.      Sagittarius

7.      Leo

8.      Taurus

9.      Gemini

10. Virgo

11. Canis Major

12. Andromeda

Then  every 3 months thereafter when Orion has set, the other constellations will appear in the night skies.

In November Orion is prominent in the night sky. Other constellations in November are Taurus and Gemini if you face NW directions, Canis Major in the SW direction.

By February Orion begins to set earlier. The other constellations like Taurus (NW), Gemini (NW), Canis Major (SW), Leo (E) will appear.

Then in May, Orion is mostly gone from the evening sky. Other constellations -  Scorpius (S), Sagittarius (S), Libra (S) will appear.

By August, Orion has set and is not visible. Other constellations like Pegasus (E), Andromeda (E), Aquarius (E) will grace the skies.  

The directions to face for observing are the following:

Taurus: Face Northwest (NW)

Gemini: Face Northwest (NW)

Canis Major: Face Southwest (SW)

Leo: Face East (E)

Scorpius: Face South (S)

Sagittarius: Face South (S)

Libra: Face South (S)

Pegasus: Face East (E)

Andromeda: Face East (E)

Aquarius: Face East (E)

In order to help beginners to identify the constellations, I suggest they buy a planisphere which is a rotating star chart that displays the visible stars and constellations in the night sky for a specific time and location. It consists of two discs: the outer disc shows a map of the stars, while the inner disc has a cut-out window that reveals the stars visible at a given time when aligned with a specific date and time.

Here is how a planisphere works:

Date and Time Alignment -  To use a planisphere, they first set the date and time on the device. The outer disc is rotated until the current date aligns with the time indicator on the inner disc.

Place it against the sky for viewing the constellations. The cut-out window will show the portion of the sky that is visible at that time, including constellations and bright stars. By using the planisphere regularly, they can familiarize themselves with the constellations and their positions throughout the year.

While many planispheres are designed for the northern hemisphere, there are versions specifically made for the southern hemisphere. Near the equator like in Malaysia, a planisphere can still be useful, but it may not provide all the details for constellations that are specific to either hemisphere. Some constellations will be visible from both the northern and southern perspectives.

For Malaysian skies, they might want to look for a planisphere that covers both northern and southern hemisphere constellations. Here are some options for purchasing one:

Online Retailers: Websites like Amazon or local e-commerce platforms (like Lazada or Shopee) often have a variety of planispheres.

Bookstores: Check local bookstores or specialty science shops that might stock astronomy-related products.

Astronomy Clubs: Reach out to local astronomy clubs in Malaysia, as they may have recommendations or even sell planispheres.

Make sure to check the specifications to ensure that it covers the relevant celestial bodies visible from your location!

Getting a planisphere will help amateur astronomers begin to study the  night skies for the first time. I think for me;  Orion is probably the most prominent and most famous among 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). But I have given only 12 most easily recognized ones for amateur astronomers who are keen in studying astronomy for the first time.

There are a lot of folklores and mythologies behind all these constellations. For example, in Greek mythology, Orion was a hunter. According to greekmythology.com, there are several stories about Orion's birth as well as his death. According to the oldest version, described on greekmythology.com Orion was the son of the god Poseidon and Euryale, daughter of King Minos of Crete.

Orion inherited the ability to walk on water from his father and made his way to the island of Chios. It was there that Orion drank too much and made sexual advances to Merope, the daughter of the local king. King Oenopion had Orion blinded and thrown off the island. Orion then made his way to the east where Helios — the sun god — restored his eyesight. Confident in his hunting abilities, Orion declared he would kill every animal in the world but Gaea — the goddess of the Earth — angered by Orion's claims, sent a scorpion to kill him. 

Upon Orion's demise, Zeus turned him into a constellation, along with the scorpion that killed him. According to a constellation website constellation-guide.com, the scorpion (constellation Scorpius) and Orion were placed on opposite sides of the sky so that when Scorpius rises in the sky, Orion flees and sets below the horizon. 

While the name Orion is steeped in Greek mythology, many cultures have been influenced by the story of this constellation. According to constellationguide.com, the three stars of Orion's Belt are known as Drie Konings (the three kings) or Drie Susters (the three sisters) in South Africa. In Spain and Latin America, the stars are called Las Tres Marías, or The Three Marys. Ancient Egyptians believed Orion's Belt was the resting place of the soul of the god Osiris, according to the Chandra X-ray Observatory. 

Whatever their mythologies each constellation is a region of the sky bordered by arcs of right ascension and declination, together covering the entire celestial sphere.

I hope this is interesting for beginners wanting only to learn simple astronomy and their stories behind.  

Once you are more knowledgeable, I shall tell you far more advanced aspect of astronomy – the scientific aspect of it, for example the various scientific theories in astrophysics, astrobiology, cosmology and some of the latest significant discoveries in astronomy such as that involves the detection of gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes. This event, observed by the LIGO and Virgo observatories, provided new insights into how black holes form and evolve. It also opened up a new field of multi-messenger astronomy, where observations are made using different types of signals, such as electromagnetic waves and gravitational waves.

Another exciting development is the ongoing study of exoplanets, particularly those in the habitable zone of their stars. The James Webb Space Telescope has been providing unprecedented data on the atmospheres of distant planets, potentially identifying signs of life or habitable conditions.

These discoveries are just a glimpse into the rapidly evolving field of astronomy, where new technologies and methods are constantly leading to groundbreaking findings.

But let you try to identify the constellations first

Here is a link what you can find in Orion

https://www.space.com/16659-constellation-orion.html

I hope this will excite you.