What constellations can we see with the naked eye?

This astronomy It is one of humanity’s oldest hobbies. People stared at the sky for a long time, admiring the view of the sky. stars overnight and so named constellations.

Observing the brightest points above, the ancients could imagine animals, mythical creatures and even heroes of their time in their star drawings. From this they created several legends and myths that have survived to this day.

What are the constellations?

constellations since 1922 standardized by International Astronomical Union (WOW). They consist of well-demarcated areas of the celestial sphere. Currently, 88 are officially recognized. On the other hand, the drawings that ancient people found and that we know today are technically called. asterisks.

Some constellations or asterisms are so old that they date back to the Bronze Age. This is the case, for example, for the zodiac, which was recycled by the Greeks from the astronomical knowledge of the Sumerian peoples.

If you want to learn more about celestial star signs but don’t have a telescope at home, know that most of them are visible to the naked eye. Below is a list of must-watches from your backyard.

1 – Hunter

in Brazil, Three Marys forms a very famous trio. But did you know that they are part of a constellation? bigger? Constellation Hunter. The three of them are called Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka. In addition to these, it is possible to see the red giant Betelgeuse and another blue giant named Rigel. If you want to see them in the sky, January and February are the best months.

2 – Scorpio

According to Greek mythology, Orion was a hunter who escaped from a scorpion sent by the goddess Artemis. And this animal can also be seen in the celestial sphere. this constellation In ancient times, before there were calendars, it was part of the zodiac group that determined the transit of the sun and the seasons of the year.

Make a call to see star, in August, mainly with a very reddish tint. It will be antarsone of the brightest in the night sky.

3 – Crown Australis

It is possible to find another constellation just below the tail of the scorpion.This. He is much smaller and has stars less intense shine. Call australian crown, It refers to the laurel wreaths of ancient Greek and Roman heroes and emperors and can only be seen here, below the equator.

4 – South Trip

This looking southl or Crux is another of the constellations. symbol of the southern hemisphere, perhaps the most famous. It is so iconic that it is featured on the flags of many countries, including ours.

Despite being the smallest of all constellations, it is fairly easy to find in the sky. modern. This is due to its characteristic shape. It can be seen almost all year round, but is at its most attractive vertically in May.

5 – Big Dog

When you leave Três Marias in a southeasterly direction, star brightest in the sky. It’s in the top of our heads in January, near the peak. This is the constellation Sirius. Dog Major, and became famous for naming an important character in the Harry Potter series.

6 – Phoenix

This is one of the constellations that has only been cataloged very recently in the modern era. your star brighter alpha phoenixIt is also called Ankaa.

7 – hydra

This It is the tallest star cluster in the entire sky. It is named after the monster Hercules defeated in one of his 12 battles. It can be seen here in Brazil from March to April.

stars of the constellation hydra they are less luminous, so it can be difficult to recognize them right away. It is possible to find it more easily using an astronomy app.

8 – South Triangle

The shape of this constellation It’s pretty clear: it’s a triangle. This South Triangle it was cataloged only in the modern era and was unknown to the ancient peoples of the north of the planet. It can be seen near the horizon, in the south-southeast direction, especially in May.

9 – False Cross

this is not a constellation really. This wrong cross It’s famous here in Brazil because it looks like Cruzeiro, but the original set is much smaller than the replica. In fact, the fake version consists of two sets of stars. different, called Carina and Vela.

Carina contains Canopus, a white supergiant that is the second brightest in the sky. Vela has a neutron star, Vela Pulsar, visible from here.

In the past, both were considered part of a group biggest of stars baptized Argo Navis. The hero represented Theseus and the ship of the Argonauts. But the boat was disassembled – the compass, stern and keel are other neighboring constellations.

10 – Toucan

this asterisk discovered in the 17th century, when explorations of the southern hemisphere of the planet began. Dutch astronomers depicted this star cluster as a toucan, named after a bird species native to South America.

It’s even gotten other names over the years, but the first one stuck. your sun brightest 47 toucan. Phoenix forms a constellation with the constellations Crane and Peacock. “southern birds”.

11 – Centaur

In May, it is possible to see a pair of stars in the southwest direction of the sky. shiny. They are the alpha and beta centauri of the constellation. in centaur. The latter is also known as Proxima Centauri because it is closest to Earth here after the sun.

Zodiac

Did you know that there are officially a total of 13 zodiac constellations? This is because when the sky was divided by the IAU, the researchers realized that it was necessary to classify a small piece of space previously assigned to Scorpio differently. Then came serpentine.

The zodiac is important because viewed from here, these are the asterisks. Those that cross the Sun and other planets of the solar system. In fact, it was thanks to this movement of the celestial spheres that astrology emerged.

This way of thinking sought to interpret astronomical physical phenomena, such as the change of seasons, through the relationship between stars and planets. Ancient peoples were guided by these asterisks to know the best time to plant and harvest the crop, and were responsible for popularizing the idea of ​​signs and somehow bringing people closer to the concept of constellations.

Currently, astrology is considered a branch of knowledge and can be used in different ways to assist each individual in self-knowledge and personal growth. An important point to remember is that zodiac signs and constellations are different. While the signs are fixed and 12 in total, the constellations continue to move and expand in the vastness of the universe.

Throughout the year, zodiac star signs can be seen along the ecliptic, an imaginary line representing the path of the Sun. Look under the transition period of our star for each.

• Capricorn – January 19 – February 15
• Aquarius – February 16 – March 11
• Pisces – March 12 – April 18
• Aries – April 19 – May 13
• Taurus – May 14 – June 19
• Gemini – 20 June – 20 July
• Cancer – July 21 – August 9
• Leo – 10 August – 15 September
• Virgo – September 16 – October 30
• Libra – October 31 – November 22
• Scorpio – November 23 – November 29
• Serpentarium – 30 November – 17 December
• Sagittarius – December 18 – January 18

During these dates, check out these constellations it may be more difficult, because the very strong sunlight dazzles them. However, they can be seen in the sky at different times of the night for the rest of the year.

Sky map with all 88 official constellations (Source: Wikimedia/Pablo Carlos Budassi)

Whether with a telescope or with the naked eye, it is possible to enjoy the free view of the night sky. Observing and learning about the constellations visible here in the planet’s southern hemisphere is one way to do it.

If you want to devote more of yourself to this hobby, also remember that it’s important to plan ahead to know what kinds of astronomical events are happening in space. Find a quiet place, preferably away from the city, and have fun.