Transcript The zodiac is a band of twelve constellations that

Star Pictures in the Sky
Constellations are groups of bright
stars that appear close to each other in
the sky.
The shapes you see all depend on your
point of view.
The zodiac is a band of twelve
constellations that circle the Earth.
There is a line that circles the sky known as the
Ecliptic. The Sun appears to move along the ecliptic
as the earth orbits the Sun each year.
All of the planets in our solar system orbit the sun in
the same plane as the Earth, therefore the planets
appear within the Zodiac constellations.
The Earth spins on its axis. As it spins, different
locations on the earth see different stars at different
times in the sky.
If you were to set
up a camera and
take a picture of
the stars over a
long period of
time you would
be able to see the
spin of the Earth.
It would look like this.
As the Earth rotates the sky appears to
spin and the stars create trails of light!
Notice that you can even tell the
different colors of the stars!
Constellations like those
of the Zodiac are made by
connecting stars to form
pictures. This is the
constellation Leo the lion.
Some constellations are very easy to
recognize. Orion the hunter is clearly seen in
the winter skies.
Orion – The Hunter
Ursa Major or
The Big Bear is
another
constellation that
many people
recognize.
The Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major.
The Plough Circle
Which way is right side up?
What other constellations are up there?
So what do I need to know
about Constellations?
•There are 88 constellations visible from Earth.
•12 of these constellations are the Zodiac
constellations.
•The constellations help break up the sky into a
kind of map.
•Most constellations have Roman names because
the Romans created stories or myths to go
with them.