About Constellations & Myths
Constellations exist only in the minds of human beings. They are
projected onto random groups of stars to create a picture story. These pictures
have appeared in the sky every year at the same time for thousands of years.
From very early in recorded history, the stars were important to
people in their daily lives. The stars assisted the ancients in planning for the
planting of their crops, guiding navigators on their many adventures, and as a
way of telling time. Much wonder and mystery was associated with the stars, and
the people of ancient times began to place a grander, often divine, meaning on
the majestic heavenly bodies.
We all are indebted to Greece for the many fascinating myths of
the constellations, such as the legends of Andromeda, Orion and Hercules.
Astronomy, like a golden chain, runs through history and links together all
tribes and peoples of Earth.
The wealth of stars illuminated each evening, and the many
constellations in which they are contained, is in fact the oldest historical
picture book of all time. Without television, videos, or movies, the sky was the
magic light show, continually changing with each season. People would sit
outdoors in groups and watch the sky for hours every night as the constellations
revealed themselves. For all time, the myths and legends of ancient life shall
be remembered through the many amazing tales illuminated by the constellations.
Today, more than eighty constellations and 1,000,000 stars are
acknowledged to reside in the sky. As astronomers continue to catalog the
heavens, they will have identified in excess of 40,000,000 stars. What new
constellations will we create, what stories will we tell?
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The 88 Astronomical
Constellations |
