Astronomical map of the starry sky. Learning constellations with kids

> Star Map

Use sky map online in real time: a moving map of the stars, the names of the constellations with descriptions and positions, instructions for working with the map in the photo.

Interactive Sky Map

*For technical reasons, the application may not work correctly on mobile devices.

Star map is the first essential tool for those who cannot see life without astronomy and astrology. Especially for you, detailed information on all space objects available on any medium was collected in a convenient form. Movable sky map with constellation names northern and southern hemispheres is printable and provides a comfortable surveillance system showing what is above your head right now. All work is done with the mouse and the activation of elements in the base window. In the process, you can transform the image zoom as well as choose from a list of different view modes.

Star map with constellations in good quality, which can be easily printed out, will open up a lot of new things for you, since it contains not only the signs of the Zodiac known to everyone, but also reveals the most hidden corners of the Galaxy. Understand the process of operation and definition star coordinates it will not be difficult. To understand how to use the map and its parts, you just need to read the detailed instructions on the site. You can consider objects just at random, or you can enter specific names. In addition, photographs are offered along with the list, brief information about the location, distance from the Earth and brightness, as well as links to their pages with a complete set of information for those who study the stars professionally. For example, you can easily find the constellation of Orion and its components if you know the coordinates of the stars or use the search. Now starry sky online available during the day, and watch it can in real time without leaving the walls of the apartment.

Application instructions

Working with a mobile map of the starry sky will not cause difficulties. Our application is detailed map starry sky. The image below is the first thing you see when you enter the site.

The “viewing area” is our starry sky. In this particular example, you can consider its entire flat projection. Move the mouse cursor over any object inside the "area" and the information window "basic information" will automatically display the main scientific data about the object. You can click on the zoom bar. By zooming in and out, you resize the map accordingly.

There are two different view modes. This image shows the sky when the view is in normal mode:

And this image shows a view of the "viewport" in SDSS mode:

Use the "grab and drag" function - this is an operation to shift the starry sky in the Viewport. You need to move the cursor to an area, but without pointing to any object. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the cursor in any direction. The area will move accordingly. There are about 500 million stars in our databases. Only a small amount is displayed in one area at a time. By zooming in and decreasing the angle of view, you can also view the rest of the stars on the sky map.

In the end, you should end up with something like this:

In a specific example, the object has an apparent magnitude close to 19. This means that it can only be seen with powerful professional telescopes. You can also search for an object by its name or ID (identifier). Enter one of the two in the text box and click the "Find Object" button. If it is in the database, it will be centered in the Viewport. The scale of the map will be automatically determined by the system so that you can see the target.

Object page

If the mouse is close enough to the point of the object (or right on it), then its basic information will appear on the field. It includes identifier, name, constellations, exact coordinates, distance from Earth and apparent magnitudes. If you click on an object while the basic information window is visible, the object's page will open. It depicts all the photos, articles and external links about the star.

Photo gallery

In the main menu you will find the "Astrophotography" tab, which displays real shots of the starry sky.

Each field with yellow lines defines the boundaries of the photographs of the projections of the starry sky. When the cursor is inside the field, a collapsed version of the photo appears next to it.

If you point the cursor at the intersection of several fields, then all their photos will be displayed. For example, in the image above, the cursor is positioned at the intersection of five regions, and you see five collapsed versions of the images. If you left click, then change the mode to "Select Image":

Select the image you want to view in detail and it will download in full:

Hover your mouse over a photo object and the basic information window will open in the same way as the Viewport. If you click on an object, you will be taken to its page. You will see the current mouse coordinates on the sky map and links to the original source of the image right below it. Now you know how to use the sky map online to admire the unique pattern of the galaxy, find the necessary space bodies and the brightest stars.

It is difficult to disagree with the fact that when a map of the starry sky catches our eye, and we carefully peer into the dots and lines that form the frame of the constellations, the question involuntarily arises: what is the story behind each of them? Of particular interest are the zodiac constellations. However, it should be noted that the signs of the Zodiac known to us have nothing to do with the zodiac constellations and are used only in the preparation of horoscopes. that they are located there. The time that the Sun stays in the constellation lags behind the one we are used to by almost a month. If the astrological year begins on March 21, then the Sun enters the constellation Aries only on April 19.

What are the zodiac constellations?

Astronomers divide the zodiac constellations into northern, equatorial and southern. The northern ones are the constellations of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo. The constellations of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius are called southern. The constellations Virgo and Pisces are located at the equator. In order to see their location, you will need a star chart like the one you can see below.

Secrets of Aries, Taurus and Gemini

The history of many constellations is directly connected with the myths of Ancient Greece. Aries, according to ancient Greek legends, was the same golden-fleeced ram, in search of whose skin Jason and the Argonauts once set off. Taurus is the embodiment of the loving thunder god Zeus, who kidnapped the daughter of the king of Phoenicia Europe and brought her to the island of Crete. In is the brightest star Aldebaran. Also, the map of the starry sky of the Northern Hemisphere shows that the zodiac is also located right there. Its history is also connected with the time of Jason and the Argonauts. Myths tell us that the Dioscuri twins, Pollux and Castor, are the prototypes of this constellation.

What are Leo, Virgo and Cancer silent about?

The constellation of Cancer also has an interesting story, identifying it with the very cancer that opposed Hercules when he fought. As the legend says, while the rest of the animals helped the hero, he jumped out of the water and bit him on the leg, but was crushed . However, the goddess Hera, who hated Hercules, appreciated the deed of cancer and turned it into a constellation. Anyone who catches their eye on a map of the starry sky will be struck by the majestic Leo located next to Cancer, which is also one of the zodiac constellations. As ancient history says, there was also not without the ancient Greek hero Hercules, who defeated the Nemean Lion, which this cluster of stars represents in the sky. No less interesting is the constellation Virgo, if only because neither historians nor the ancient Greeks themselves could decide who it should represent. Nevertheless, it is believed that in the form of the Virgin, the ancient Greek goddess of fertility Demeter, the mother of Persephone, the wife of the god of the underworld Hades, appears before us.

History of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius

The constellation Libra took shape as an independent formation of celestial bodies rather late, and for a long time it was called nothing more than the claws of Scorpio. Now it is considered a perpetuated attribute of Themis, the blind goddess of justice. And Scorpio, from which Libra was separated, is, according to the plot of the myth, the killer of the hunter Orion, who was sent after a quarrel to him by the goddess Artemis. That is why both of these constellations - Orion and Scorpio - are not together in the sky. When Scorpio appears, Orion disappears. The mobile map of the starry sky demonstrates this most interesting phenomenon very well. Sagittarius, the neighbor of Scorpio, is depicted as a centaur, no exact data on the origin of which is known. According to one source, his name was Krotos. Other sources say that it was Chiron, the inventor of the globe for the Argonauts to travel for the Golden Fleece.

What are Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces hiding?

The constellation of Capricorn holds many secrets, as well as the map of the starry sky itself. In ancient times, this creature was called the "goat fish" because of its fish tail instead of hind hooves. There is a widespread version that it is the goat Amalthea who nursed Zeus. Aquarius, located next to her, got several roles at once: this is Ganymede, a young butler from Troy, Deucalion and the ancient Attian king Kekrops. The last of them personifies the goddess of love Aphrodite and her son Eros, who turned into fish, who fled to Egypt from the monster Typhon.

Surprisingly, as you can see, each of the 12 zodiac constellations has its own story, and the next time you see a star chart with constellations, it will no longer be considered a collection of beautiful pictures. And all because now you know what is behind each of these star clusters.

When you first began to make observations of the sky, you probably felt regret more than once that you could not distinguish one star from another. But you really want to learn how to find the right constellation, planet or object in the sky.

We can help you navigate this variety of night fireflies. Do not be afraid, you will succeed, especially when you realize that there is nothing difficult in this. Moreover, in the age of the Internet, there are on-line maps of the starry sky and various virtual planetariums that easily display a realistic image of the sky in the right area, at the right time.

For example, for convenience, such a map is located by the link on the menu item of this site "Sky Map". We click on it and get to the page of the Astronet resource, where we enter in the proposed fields the data of the place and time of observation, the parameters of the map itself. Press "Go!" and a map will be loaded that can be printed or viewed from a computer monitor.

We also recommend the free virtual planetarium Stellarium for better visualization. It is great for an initial acquaintance with the starry sky. In it, also, in the program settings, it is necessary to specify the coordinates of your observation site so that it displays a real picture of the sky, and not the appearance of stars somewhere on the equator ...

Firstly, before you start working with the map, you need to orient yourself on the ground to the cardinal points in order to understand where you have North (N), South (S), West (W), East (E). You can use a regular compass, or if you know at least one of the directions, then it will not be difficult to determine the other sides of the horizon.

Nothing complicated, it takes place even in the elementary grades of the school. And if you know how to find the North Star, then determining the sides of the horizon at night will not be a problem for you. The North Star is always above the northern point of the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere.

Secondly, now back to the map. The cardinal directions on it can be indicated in Latin letters: N - north, S - south, E - east, W - west. Rotate the card so that the word representing the part of the horizon where you are facing is at the bottom. The star chart will then present a picture of the sky that can be observed from the horizon to the zenith (a point on the celestial sphere located directly overhead) or if you use a full "round" map of the entire sky, then the zenith will be on it exactly in the middle of the circle.

Thirdly in order to better navigate the variety of star points, people have long divided them into separate groups - CONSTELLATIONS, and mentally connecting bright stars with lines, gave them the names of animals or mythological heroes, depending on which figure resembled what. Today, astronomers use these ancient constellation names simply as 88 regions of the sky. With the help of constellations, they indicate in which of them this or that object is located. For example, if it is said that Mars is in the constellation of Cancer, then this will help to find the planet as easily as indicating that Bratsk is located in the Irkutsk region.

AND fourth, more than 50 bright stars have their own names - Arabic, Greek or Latin. The names of bright or famous stars are indicated on the maps, for example, Vega (in the constellation Lyra). Although many other stars also have names, astronomers usually refer to them with Greek letters or catalog numbers, such as θ Cygnus.

But there are far fewer stars visible in the city than indicated on the map. This is primarily due to the citywide illumination from street lighting. And besides, the eye distinguishes only bright stars in the sky. Star magnitudes characterize the brightness of stars, i.e. how bright the star looks.

The magnitudes of the brightest stars are negative: the most "brilliant" star in the sky, Sirius, has a magnitude of -1.5m. The dimmer stars look, the greater their "positive" magnitude. For example, the North Star has +2m. Amateur telescopes are able to distinguish up to +14m star magnitudes, and powerful ground-based observatories up to +30m. The human eye can only see stars up to magnitude +6m.

The scales of the magnitudes of the stars will be indicated on your sky maps. Usually, the brighter the star, the fatter the dot will be.

If the stars were visible during the day, then we would see how the Sun moves eastward during the year against the background of the stars. The ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun against the background of distant stars, is also usually plotted on star globes and maps.

The ecliptic runs across the sky through 12 constellations, with a band about 16 degrees wide. Ancient astrologers called this belt of constellations the Zodiac. The belt of the Zodiac attracts special attention because the Moon and planets, when they are visible in the sky, also move near the ecliptic in these twelve constellations.

Well, there are only incomprehensible grid lines with hours and degrees on the map. These are celestial coordinates, as with the geographic coordinates of cities and objects on Earth. Knowing right ascension (vertical grid lines and expressed in hours and minutes) and declination (horizontal grid lines - in degrees), you can find the location of a planet, star or asteroid on the celestial sphere from them.

And yet, remember that the appearance of the starry sky changes due to the daily rotation of the Earth. Each subsequent night, compared to the previous one, the stars move slightly to the west. From evening to evening the same star rises 4 minutes earlier. In 30 days, these 4 minutes make a difference of 2 hours. In 12 months it will be 24 hours. Therefore, in a year the view of the starry sky will be repeated. The change in the appearance of the starry sky during the year is due to the revolution of the Earth around the Sun. Every year, the Earth makes one revolution around the Sun.

So nothing complicated.

In the next part, we will learn how to find the right objects in the starry sky.

Clear skies and successful observations!

It is generally accepted that during the day the stars are not visible. However, from the top of Mount Ararat (altitude 5,000 m), bright stars are clearly visible even at noon. The sky is dark blue. In a telescope with a lens diameter of 70 mm, bright stars can be seen even from flat terrain. But still, the stars are best observed at night, when the dazzling light of the Sun does not interfere.

The starry sky is one of the most beautiful sights that exist in nature. In the entire sky, about 6,000 stars can be seen with the naked eye.(simultaneously above the horizon about 3,000).

Since ancient times, people have mentally combined the most noticeable stars into figures and called them constellations. The constellations were associated with myths and legends. Today, a constellation is called a section of the starry sky with conditional boundaries., which includes not only stars, but also other objects - nebulae, galaxies, clusters. O objects that are part of a particular constellation are not connected with each other in any way, since they are, firstly, at different distances from the Earth, and secondly, the boundaries of the constellations are conditional, i.e. may be changed at any time.

Today, 88 constellations have been identified in the starry sky.

The Latin names of the constellations are also accepted. All atlases of the starry sky published abroad contain the Latin names of the constellations.

Constellations can be divided into three large groups: human (Aquarius, Cassiopeia, Orion...), animals (Hare, Swan, Whale...) and subject (Libra, Microscope, Shield...). For better memorization of the constellations, noticeable stars in them are usually connected by lines into polygons or bizarre figures. Below are: Ursa Major, Bootes, Virgo and Leo.

Since the constellations are areas, then they have an area. The areas of the constellations are different. The largest in area is the Hydra. In second place is Virgo. On the third - Ursa Major. The smallest constellation in terms of area is the Southern Cross (not visible in our latitudes).

Constellations differ in the number of bright stars. Most of the brightest stars are in Orion.

The bright stars of the constellations have their own names (usually invented by Arabic and Greek astronomers). For example, the brightest star in the constellation Lyra is Vega, in the constellation Cygnus is Deneb, in the constellation Aquila is Altair. Remember the names of the stars of the Ursa Major bucket:

The stars in the constellations also have designations. The letters of the Greek alphabet are used for designation:

α - alpha

β - beta

γ - gamma

δ - delta

ε - epsilon

ζ - zeta

η - this

etc. It is worth remembering the designation and pronunciation of at least the first seven Greek letters. This is how the stars of the Ursa Major bucket are designated:

Usually the brightest star in a constellation is denoted by the letter α (alpha). But not always. There are other systems for designating stars.

Since ancient times, star maps have been compiled. Usually they depicted not only stars, but also drawings of animals, people and objects with which the constellations were associated. Since there was no order in the name and number of constellations, star maps varied. It got to the point that various astronomers tried to introduce their own constellations (drawing the contours of the constellations in a new way). For example, in 1798 the astronomer Lalande proposed the constellation Balloon. In 1679, Halley introduced the constellation Oak Karla. There were many other exotic names (Poniatowski's Ox, Cat, Friedrich's Regalia, etc.). Only in 1922 were the conditional boundaries of the constellations finally drawn, their number and names were fixed.

For practical purposes, today they use a movable map of the starry sky, consisting of a map of the starry sky and an overlay circle with a carved oval. Here is the map:

Stars are indicated by circles of various sizes. The larger the circle, the brighter the star it depicts. Double, variable stars, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters are also noted on star maps.

The starry sky slowly rotates. The reason is the rotation of the Earth around its axis. The earth rotates from west to east, and the starry sky, on the contrary, from east to west. Therefore, stars, planets and luminaries rise in the eastern side of the horizon, and set in the western. This movement is called diurnal rotation. It should be noted that the constellations during the daily rotation retain their relative position. The starry sky rotates as a whole, like a huge celestial sphere. The Earth makes one revolution around its axis in relation to the stars in 23 hours 56 minutes 04 seconds. This period is called sidereal days. Every 23 hours 56 minutes 04 seconds the view of the starry sky is repeated.

But this does not mean that if the Earth does not rotate around its axis, the sky will remain motionless. The appearance of the starry sky is influenced by the movement of the Earth around the Sun. If the Earth did not rotate, the appearance of the starry sky would still slowly change throughout the year. This phenomenon is called annual change in the appearance of the starry sky. We can observe that some constellations are best seen in autumn, others in winter, and so on.

Constellations can be divided according to the seasons of the year into autumn, winter, spring and summer. But this does not mean that only autumn constellations can be seen in autumn. On an early autumn evening, summer constellations dominate the sky. Over time, they tend to the west, the autumn constellations rise. In the morning, the winter constellations are perfectly visible.

The view of the starry sky also depends on the latitude of the place of observation. At the poles of the Earth, the starry sky rotates so that not a single star rises or sets. As you move towards the equator, the number of rising and setting stars increases. In the middle latitudes, there are both rising-setting stars, as well as not setting and never rising. For instance,in the middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere of the Earththe constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia never sink below the horizon. But on the other hand, the constellations of the Southern Cross, the Crane, the Altar never ascend. At the earth's equator, all the stars rise and set. If daylight did not interfere, in one day one could see all 88 constellations.

The constellations help with orientation on the ground. It is especially useful to learn how to find the sides of the horizon using the North Star, since it hardly changes its position in the sky. The easiest way to find the North Star is by using the bucket from the constellation Ursa Major (to be precise, the line runs slightly to the left of the North Star):

The North Star always hangs over the north point. If you stand with your back to her, then the south will be ahead, the east to the left, and the west to the right.

Some people think that the North Star is the brightest star in the sky. But it's not. The brightest is Sirius from the constellation Canis Major. Polaris is the main navigational star.

An angular measure is used to measure the apparent distances between stars and also the diameters of the disks of the planets, the Sun and the Moon, the apparent sizes of nebulae and galaxies. 1 degree of arc contains 60 arc minutes, and 1 arc minute contains 60 arc seconds. The diameters of the disks of the Sun and the Moon are approximately equal to 0.5º.

Constellations are sections of the starry sky. In order to better navigate the starry sky, ancient people began to distinguish groups of stars that could be connected into separate figures, similar objects, mythological characters and animals. Such a system allowed people to organize the night sky, making each part of it easily recognizable. This simplified the study of celestial bodies, helped to measure time, apply astronomical knowledge in agriculture, and navigate by the stars. The stars that we see in our sky as if in one area, in fact, can be extremely far from each other. In one constellation there can be unrelated stars, both very close and very far from the Earth.

There are 88 official constellations in total. In 1922, 88 constellations were officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union, 48 of which were described by the ancient Greek astronomer Ptolemy in his Almagest star catalog around 150 BC. There were gaps in Ptolemy's maps, especially in the southern sky. Which is quite logical - the constellations described by Ptolemy covered that part of the night sky that is visible from the south of Europe. The rest of the gaps began to fill in during the great geographical discoveries. In the 14th century, the Dutch scientists Gerard Mercator, Peter Keyser and Frederick de Houtman added new constellations to the existing list, and the Polish astronomer Jan Hevelius and the French Nicolas Louis de Lacaille completed what Ptolemy had begun. On the territory of Russia, out of 88 constellations, about 54 can be observed.

Knowledge about the constellations came to us from ancient cultures. Ptolemy compiled a map of the starry sky, but people used knowledge of the constellations long before that. At least in the 8th century BC, when Homer mentioned Bootes, Orion and Ursa Major in his poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, people already grouped the sky into separate figures. It is believed that the bulk of the knowledge of the ancient Greeks about the constellations came to them from the Egyptians, who, in turn, inherited them from the inhabitants of Ancient Babylon, the Sumerians or Akkadians. About thirty constellations were already distinguished by the inhabitants of the late Bronze Age, in 1650-1050. BC, judging by the records on the clay tablets of Ancient Mesopotamia. Constellation references can also be found in Hebrew biblical texts. Perhaps the most remarkable constellation is the constellation of Orion: in almost every ancient culture it had its own name and was revered as special. So, in ancient Egypt, he was considered the incarnation of Osiris, and in ancient Babylon he was called the "faithful shepherd of heaven." But the most amazing discovery was made in 1972: in Germany, a piece of mammoth ivory was found, more than 32 thousand years old, on which the constellation Orion was carved.

We see different constellations depending on the season. During the year, different parts of the sky (and different celestial bodies, respectively) appear to our gaze, because the Earth makes its annual journey around the Sun. The constellations we see at night are the ones behind the Earth on our side of the Sun. during the day, behind the bright rays of the sun, we are unable to see them.

To better understand how this works, imagine that you are riding a merry-go-round (this is the Earth) with a very bright, blinding light (the Sun) emanating from the center. You will not be able to see what is in front of you because of the light, but you will be able to distinguish only what is outside the carousel. In this case, the picture will constantly change as you ride in a circle. Which constellations you observe in the sky and at what time of the year they appear also depends on the geographic latitude of the viewer.

Constellations travel from east to west like the sun. As soon as it starts to get dark, at dusk, in the eastern part of the sky, the first constellations appear to pass through the entire sky and disappear at dawn in its western part. Due to the rotation of the Earth around its axis, it seems that the constellations, like the Sun, rise and set. The constellations that we just observed on the western horizon just after sunset will soon disappear from our field of view to be replaced by constellations that were higher at sunset just a few weeks ago.

Constellations emerging in the east have a diurnal shift of about 1 degree per day: completing a 360-degree trip around the Sun in 365 days gives about the same speed. Exactly one year later, at the same time, the stars will occupy exactly the same position in the sky.

The movement of the stars is an illusion and a matter of perspective. The direction in which the stars move across the night sky is due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis and really depends on the perspective and which way the observer is facing.

Looking north, the constellations appear to move counterclockwise around a fixed point in the night sky, the so-called north celestial pole, located near the North Star. This perception is due to the fact that the earth rotates from west to east, i.e. the earth under your feet moves to the right, and the stars, like the Sun, Moon and planets, above your head follow the east-west direction, i.e. to the right left. However, if you turn your face to the south, the stars will move as if clockwise, from left to right.

zodiac constellations are those through which the sun moves. The most famous constellations of the 88 existing ones are the zodiacal ones. These include those through which the center of the Sun passes in a year. It is generally accepted that there are 12 zodiac constellations in total, although in fact there are 13 of them: from November 30 to December 17, the Sun is in the constellation of Ophiuchus, but astrologers do not rank it among the zodiac. All zodiac constellations are located along the apparent annual path of the Sun among the stars, the ecliptic, at an inclination of 23.5 degrees to the equator.

Some constellations have families- These are groups of constellations located in the same region of the night sky. As a rule, they assign the names of the most significant constellation. The most "large" is the constellation Hercules, which has as many as 19 constellations. Other major families include Ursa Major (10 constellations), Perseus (9) and Orion (9).

Celebrity constellations. The largest constellation, Hydra, spans over 3% of the night sky, while the smallest constellation, the Southern Cross, occupies only 0.165% of the sky. Centaurus boasts the largest number of visible stars: 101 stars are included in the famous constellation of the southern hemisphere of the sky. The constellation Canis Major includes the brightest star in our sky, Sirius, whose brightness is −1.46m. But the constellation with the name Table Mountain is considered the dimmest and does not contain stars brighter than the 5th magnitude. Recall that in the numerical characteristic of the brightness of celestial bodies, the smaller the value, the brighter the object (the brightness of the Sun, for example, is −26.7m).

Asterism is not a constellation. Asterism is a group of stars with a well-established name, for example, the Big Dipper, which is part of the constellation Ursa Major, or Orion's Belt - three stars encircling the figure of Orion in the constellation of the same name. In other words, these are fragments of constellations that have secured a separate name for themselves. The term itself is not strictly scientific, rather simply representing a tribute to tradition.