Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

Winter ConstellationsIntroduction

The winter sky is an excellent place to begin exploring the constellations that make up the night sky. Orion is the key, or signpost, for locating many of the other constellations in the winter sky. There are two convenient ways to locate all of the main constellations around Orion once Orion is located. Fortunately, Orion is easy to locate and well known to most people.

The first way is to follow lines made by pairs of stars in Orion. The second way is to locate the great winter hexagon of bright star around Orion.

The Constellations of the Winter Sky

If you live in the northern latitudes and you scan the sky from the southern horizon to the region overhead, you should be able to see the following constellations on a clear winter night: Orion the Hunter, Canis Major the Great Dog, Canis Minor the Little Dog, Taurus the Bull, Auriga the Charioteer, Gemini the Twins and the Pleiades star cluster. (See the map on the next page).

In Greek mythology, Orion was a great hunter who eventually offended the gods, especially Apollo. Apollo tricked Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt, into shooting Orion on a bet. When she discovered that she had shot Orion, she quickly lifted him to the heavens and made him immortal, where he now hunts eternally with his two dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. In front of him is his prey Taurus the Bull.

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

The myths surrounding Auriga the Charioteer vary, but it is an ancient constellation dating back to at least to the Ancient Greeks. Some say Auriga invented the chariot and others that he trained horses for the best chariots.

Gemini is a constellation made up of two stick figures known as the twins, Castor, who was a great horseman, and Pollux, who was a great boxer. According to one myth, Castor and Pollux (a.k.a. Polydeuces) were the sons of Zeus and Leda (from Leda and the Swan) and were hatched from an egg. Their sister was the beautiful Helen whose face launched a thousand ships to do battle in front the Trojan city of Troy.

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

Method 1: Using Pairs of Stars in Orion as a Guide

Finding Sirius and Canis Major

If you follow a line from the belt stars of Orion to the left and slightly down, you will come across a very bright star called Sirius, which is also known as the Dog Star. (See the arrows in the diagram to the right).

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky so it is hard to miss. Once you’ve located Sirius you can locate the other stars in the constellation Canis Major the Great Dog.

Finding Procyon and Canis Minor

Follow the line from the shoulder stars of Orion to the left. The first bright star that you will come close to is Procyon, which resides in Canis Minor.

From there you should be able to see the other star that us easily visible. Together, the two stars make up the constellation Canis Minor, which is also known as the Little Dog. Along

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

with Canis Major, Canis Minor follows Orion across the heavens on an eternal hunt.

Finding Aldebaran and Taurus

Following the belt stars to the right, you will pass just below the bright star Aldebaran and through the constellation Taurus, which is also known as the Bull.

Continuing on you will run across a fuzzy blur of stars closely grouped. These are the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters.

Finding Capella and Auriga

Follow the bottom most star on the left and the left most belt star upwards (going roughly over your head) and you will come across a

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

very bright star called Capella. From Capella, you can follow the pentagon of brighter stars nearby that make up Auriga. Just below Capella, there is a triangle of stars known as ‘the kids’ as in goat babies.

Capella was one of the most important stars for navigation as it could be seen throughout most of the year from mid northern latitudes.

Finding the Twins Castor and Pollux

Follow a line from Rigel to Betelgeuse heading upwards and overhead. You will come to two rough sticks of stars that are headed by two brighter stars. This is the constellation Gemini, composed of the twins Pollux and Castor. Pollux is on the left and Castor is on the right.

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

Method 2: Using the Winter Hexagon Centered About Orion

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

If you look in around the sky centered on Orion, you should be able to see a rough hexagon of very bright stars. This is called the Winter Hexagon. Starting at Rigel, if you go counterclockwise by one, you end up at Aldebaran in Taurus. Go counterclockwise once more and you end up at Capella in Auriga. Go counterclockwise once more and you end up at the pair of stars Pollux and Castor in Gemini. Go counterclockwise once more and

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

you end up at Procyon in Canis Minor. Finally, if you go counterclockwise once more you end up at Sirius in Canis Major.Name ______________________________________________________________

Winter Constellations Worksheet

1. This winter constellation is the key to finding other winter constellations.

a. Auriga c. Geminib. Canis Minor d. Orion

2. Orion was a great…

a. hunter. c. scientist.b. speaker. d. teacher.

Match the constellation with the myth.

_____3. Auriga

_____4. Gemini

_____5. Orion

A. A great horseman and a great boxer.

B. A great hunter who offended the gods.

C. Invented the chariot and trained horses for the best chariots.

6. This is the brightest star in the sky.

a. Betelgeuse c. Rigelb. Procyon d. Sirius

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

7. The Dog Star is found in which constellation?

a. Canis Major c. Orionb. Canis Minor d. Taurus

8. Using the shoulder stars, you make a line to the left. This points you to the constellation…

a. Canis Major c. Orionb. Canis Minor d. Taurus

9. Following the belt stars to the right, it will take you to a fuzzy blur of stars closely group. This group of stars is called the… (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Hyades. c. Pleiades.b. Seven Sisters. d. trapezium.

10. This star is one of the most important stars for navigation as it could be seen throughout most of the year from mid-northern latitudes.

a. Aldebaran c. Capellab. Betelgeuse d. Rigel

11. Just below Capella, there is a triangle of stars. They are known as…

a. a trinary star system. c. the kids.b. the children. d. the triangle.

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

12. Using Betelgeuse and Rigel, you can find two bright stars in the constellation of Gemini. What are the names of these stars? (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Bellatrix c. Polluxb. Castor d. Procyon

_____13. Aldebaran and Taurus

_____14. Canis Major and Sirius

_____15. Capella and Auriga

_____16. Finding the Twins Castor and Pollux

_____17. Procyon and Canis Minor

_____18. Taurus and the Pleiades

A. Follow a line from Right to Betelgeuse heading upwards and overhead. You will come to two rough sticks of stars that are headed by two bright stars.

B. Follow a line from the belt stars of Orion to the left and slightly down, you will come across a bright star.

C. Follow the bottom most star on the left and the left most belt star upwards (going roughly over your head) and you will come across a very bright star.

D. Follow the line from the shoulder stars of Orion to the left. Stop at the first bright star you come close to.

E. Following the belt stars to the

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

right, you will pass just below the bright star.

F. Following the belt stars to the right, you will pass just below the bright star. Continue on and you will find a fuzzy blur of stars.

19. If you look in around the sky centered on Orion, you should be able to see a rough geometric shape of very bright stars. This is called the…

a. Great Square of Orion. c. Winter Hexagon.b. Summer Triangle. d. Winter Triangle.

20. Starting at Rigel, if you go counterclockwise by one, you end up at…

a. Aldebaran. c. Capella.b. Pollux. d. Castor.

21. If you keep on moving counterclockwise, your last star and constellation would be at… (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Procyon. c. Canis Minor.b. Sirius d. Canis Major.

Winter Constellations Worksheet – Key

1. This winter constellation is the key to finding other winter constellations.

a. Auriga c. Geminib. Canis Minor d. Orion

d. Orion

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

2. Orion was a great…

a. hunter. c. scientist.b. speaker. d. teacher.

a. hunter.

Match the constellation with the myth.

_____3. Auriga

_____4. Gemini

_____5. Orion

A. A great horseman and a great boxer.

B. A great hunter who offended the gods.

C. Invented the chariot and trained horses for the best chariots.

C 3. Auriga (3 choices)

A 4. Gemini (3 choices)

B 5. Orion (3 choices)

6. This is the brightest star in the sky.

a. Betelgeuse c. Rigelb. Procyon d. Sirius

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

d. Sirius

7. The Dog Star is found in which constellation?

a. Canis Major c. Orionb. Canis Minor d. Taurus

a. Canis Major

8. Using the shoulder stars, you make a line to the left. This points you to the constellation…

a. Canis Major c. Orionb. Canis Minor d. Taurus

b. Canis Minor

9. Following the belt stars to the right, it will take you to a fuzzy blur of stars closely group. This group of stars is called the… (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Hyades. c. Pleiades.b. Seven Sisters. d. trapezium.

b. Seven Sisters; c. Pleiades

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

10. This star is one of the most important stars for navigation as it could be seen throughout most of the year from mid-northern latitudes.

a. Aldebaran c. Capellab. Betelgeuse d. Rigel

c. Capella

11. Just below Capella, there is a triangle of stars. They are known as…

a. a trinary star system. c. the kids.b. the children. d. the triangle.

c. the kids.

12. Using Betelgeuse and Rigel, you can find two bright stars in the constellation of Gemini. What are the names of these stars? (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Bellatrix c. Polluxb. Castor d. Procyon

b. Castor; c. Pollux

_____13. Aldebaran and Taurus

_____14. Canis Major and Sirius

_____15. Capella and

A. Follow a line from Right to Betelgeuse heading upwards and overhead. You will come to two rough sticks of stars that are headed by two bright stars.

B. Follow a line from the belt stars

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

Auriga

_____16. Finding the Twins Castor and Pollux

_____17. Procyon and Canis Minor

_____18. Taurus and the Pleiades

of Orion to the left and slightly down, you will come across a bright star.

C. Follow the bottom most star on the left and the left most belt star upwards (going roughly over your head) and you will come across a very bright star.

D. Follow the line from the shoulder stars of Orion to the left. Stop at the first bright star you come close to.

E. Following the belt stars to the right, you will pass just below the bright star.

F. Following the belt stars to the right, you will pass just below the bright star. Continue on and you will find a fuzzy blur of stars.

B 13. Aldebaran and Taurus (6 choices)

D 14. Canis Major and Sirius (6 choices)

C 15. Capella and Auriga (6 choices)

A 16. Finding the Twins Castor and Pollux (6 choices)

E 17. Procyon and Canis Minor (6 choices)

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

F 18. Taurus and the Pleiades (6 choices)

19. If you look in around the sky centered on Orion, you should be able to see a rough geometric shape of very bright stars. This is called the…

a. Great Square of Orion. c. Winter Hexagon.b. Summer Triangle. d. Winter Triangle.

c. Winter Hexagon

20. Starting at Rigel, if you go counterclockwise by one, you end up at…

a. Aldebaran. c. Capella.b. Pollux. d. Castor.

a. Aldebaran.

21. If you keep on moving counterclockwise, your last star and constellation would be at… (There are two answers to this question.)

a. Procyon. c. Canis Minor.b. Sirius d. Canis Major.

b. Sirius; d. Canis Major

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

Winter Constellations WorksheetScoring Guide

20-21 – 4 19 – 3.518 – 3 16-17 – 2.5

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Objective – Relate the seasonal change in the appearance of the night sky to Earth’s position.

14-15 – 2 12-13 – 1.510-11 – 1 1-9 – .50 – 0

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