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Stargazing: Connecting Ancient Tales with Modern Exploration

Explore the wonders of the night sky in this chapter. Learn about the 88 constellations and their significance to ancient civilizations in terms of time, navigation, religion, and more. Discover how constellations bring order to the sky and aid in naming celestial objects. Dive into the mythology behind Vega, the brightest star in the Lyra constellation, and its representation in different cultures. Gain insights into the celestial sphere, seasons, precession, and the zodiac. Unveil the secrets of the stars that have influenced human life throughout history.

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Stargazing: Connecting Ancient Tales with Modern Exploration

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  1. Notes #2 Knowing the Heavens

  2. What is this chapter about? • Looking into the night sky. • Describing the sky. • Why does it matter?

  3. Describing the sky

  4. Constellations • Groups of stars • 88 Constellations

  5. Importance to Ancient Civilizations • Arab / Islamic, Inca, Indian, Native American, British, Egyptian, Chinese, Mesopotamian • time of day • Seasons • Navigation • Religion • Climate patterns • Calendar • Affected daily human life

  6. Why are the relevant today? • bring order to the sky by dividing it into smaller segments • provides a base for naming celestial objects

  7. Naming Constellations • Patterns / shapes from Greek / Roman mythology • Arabic names - widely studied in Islamic Nations • Greek alphabet letters starting with brightest stars.

  8. HW#7: Research a Star • Name: Vega / "Alpha of Lyra," or "Alpha Lyrae.” • Meaning of Name: loose transliteration of the Arabic word wāqi‘ meaning "falling" or "landing", via the phrase an-nasr al-wāqi‘ "the alighting vulture". • represented as a vulture in ancient Egypt and as an eagle or vulture in ancient India. • Constellation: Brightest star in Lyra Constallation • Mythology of Constellation: • Lyra is lyre in Latin. It belonged to Orpheus in Greek mythology. He played his lyre so beautifully he was able to entrance people, gods, even inanimate objects. He insulted Dionysus (god of celebration / wine) and his followers tore him apart. Zeus had his lyre retrieved by an eagle and placed in the heavens.

  9. Celestial Sphere • Useful for identification • Sphere surrounding Earth

  10. Seasons • Ecliptic • Path of sun across sky • 23.5 degree tilt • Caused by amount of direct solar rays hitting Earth depending on tilt

  11. Precession • “wobble” of axis • Zodiac • Constellations that follow the ecliptic • s

  12. Calendar

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