Constellation

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/constellation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the number of official constellations?88 constellations are officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU)
2. What is the date of IAU constellation adoption?The IAU formally accepted the modern list of 88 constellations in 1922
3. Why did people make constellations?People used constellations to tell stories and remember important things. They helped share myths, animals, and gods from one generation to the next.
4. Who first listed many constellations?An ancient astronomer named Ptolemy wrote a book called the Almagest. He counted 48 constellations, including the ones that follow the Sun, Moon, and planets.

Celestial Sphere: An imaginary sphere of infinite radius concentric with Earth, used as a reference surface for astronomical observations.
Ecliptic: The apparent path of the Sun on the celestial sphere, representing the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
Asterism: A prominent pattern or group of stars that is not one of the 88 official constellations, often serving as a recognizable landmark.
International Astronomical Union (IAU): A professional association of astronomers working in the International Astronomical Union, responsible for standardizing astronomical nomenclature.