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Astronomy & Space vocabulary · The Night Sky & Measurement

Constellation

Meaning in astronomy & space, with examples

/ˌkɑːnstəˈleɪʃən/nounCore term

In astronomy & space, constellation means: A group of stars that forms a recognisable pattern in the sky, and the area of sky around it. Astronomers officially recognise 88 constellations.

In Turkish: takımyıldız

How it is used

Stargazers use constellations to find their way around the sky: an object is 'in the constellation of' Orion or Leo. Most constellation names are Latin. In the space industry, a 'constellation' is also a group of satellites working together.

Example sentences

  1. Orion is the easiest constellation to recognise on winter evenings.

  2. The comet is now passing through the constellation of Ursa Major.

Common collocations

  • the constellation of Orion
  • zodiac constellation
  • satellite constellation
  • find a constellation
  • starA huge ball of hot gas, mainly hydrogen and helium, that produces light and heat through nuclear reactions in its core. The Sun is the nearest star to Earth.
  • magnitudeA number that measures how bright a star or other object looks. The scale runs backwards: the lower the number, the brighter the object, and very bright objects have negative values.
  • meteor showerA period when many meteors seem to come from the same point in the sky, as Earth passes through dust left by a comet or an asteroid. Showers return on the same dates every year.
  • galaxyAn enormous system of stars, gas, dust and dark matter held together by gravity. A large galaxy can contain hundreds of billions of stars.

More terms: The Night Sky & Measurement

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