BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Constellation or Asterism & Other Posers *new*

Constellations, asterisms, galaxies and star clusters are all groups of stars. So how are they different? Why isn’t the Big Dipper a constellation? Where are the globular clusters? And if Saturn is in Virgo, has it left the Solar System?

Constellation or Asterism & Other Posers

Here's a nice depiction of the Summer Triangle, an asterism that should be prominently on show in the northern skies soon. It's made of the brightest star in each of three constellations: Vega in Lyra the harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan and Altair in Aquila the eagle. The Summer Triangle