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1. Constellations Have you ever looked at the clear night skies and saw the stars making patterns that trigger you imagination? These star patterns, which form mythological characters and creatures, are called constellations . However, not all star patterns are called constellations; some patterns are just part of them. Asterism refers to prominent pattern or group of stars that is not a constellation but can be part of a constellation.

2. The first record of humans observing constellations was believed to be around more than 17 000 years ago and was traced in the cave walls of Lascaux france . There are 88 constellations covering the entire northern and southern night skies are recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). These constellations are defined by their sky coordinates or boundaries and not by their patterns. The five constellations that are visible in most locations in the north of the equator throughout the year are Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Cepheus abd Draco.

3. The three constellations that are visible year-round in the southern hemisphere are Carina, Centaurus and Crux.

4. Star Maps Star maps or star charts are used to show the apparent positions of the stars as seen on the Earth. Astronomers divide the map into grids to make easier to locate star positions and patterns .

5. Position in the Night Skies The rotation from west to east makes the stars appear rise from the East. Moreover, the positions of most stars move 1° every 24hours. This means that, in a span of a month, the position of the stars can shift by roughly 30° and 360° in 12 months. This is the reason that we see the same group of stars at the same time every year.

6. Constellations

7. Ursa Major - also known as the Great Bear; found in the northern skies.

8. Orion- Also known as the hunter. Its brightest star is the bluish white supergiant Rigel .

9. Cepheus -named after the king of Ethiopia. Its brightest star is Alderamin or Alpha Cephei .

10. Leo- Also known as the Lion; fifth astrological sign in the zodiac sign that represents those who are born from July 22 to August 22.

11. Andromeda -Named after the princess of Ethiopia; visible in the northern hemisphere from August to January; roughly 2.5 million light years from Earth.

12. Canis Major- Also known as the Big Dog; one of the Orion’s hunting dogs; found in the southern sky; contains the brightest str in the night sky, Sirius, which is just 8.6 light years away.

13. Cassiopeia- Named after the Queen of Ethiopia; can be seen on the northern hemisphere all year round; the 25 th largest constellation in the night sky.

14. Some constellations may not be visible all year round. Circumpolar constellations are those that can be observed in the skies year-round, but some constellations may be observed seasonally.

15. Table shows constellations that are visible and can be viewed around 9pm each month. Take note that not all constellations are listed here; these are just some of the examples. Also the visibility of these constellations is affected from where you are observing on the Earth. Monthly Constellations Guide: Month Constellation January Dorado, Orion, Lepus,Taurus February Canis Major, Columbia, Gemini March Cancer, Canis Minor, Carina April Hydra, Leo, Leo Minor May Crux, Virgo, Centaurus June Libra, Lupus, Ursa Minor July Ara , Draco, Hercules, Scorpio August Lyra , Pavo , Sagittarius, Aguila September Cygnus Capricornus , Indus October Aquarius, Lacerta Pegasus November Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cepheus December Aries, Perseus, Fornax