Introduction - Lesson 2
When you look at the night sky, you can see the moon and sometimes one or more of the planets in the solar system, but mostly you see stars—lots and lots of stars!
Some stars are brighter than others are, and you may be able to identify some common groupings of stars.
The shapes and patterns make locating stars in the sky easier.
The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper are two of the groupings of stars called constellations.
Constellations are groups of stars that appear together. Many cultures have produced stories and legends to describe these pictures in the sky. At first, you might have difficulty telling the various constellations apart, but with practice, you will see how much fun it is to point out and name various stars and constellations.
Environmental Connection
Constellation viewing is done best far from the bright streetlights of the city. Bright street lights and signs prevent clear views of stars or constellations. You may have noticed that, when you are camping out in the woods, many more stars are visible. The stars are always there, but they cannot be seen due to light pollution of the city.
This video describes some of the challenges of stargazing when dealing with light pollution: Stargazing LIVE: Light Pollution.