Arguably the constellation Centaurus is the closes to Earth. Constellations are patterns of stars as viewed from Earth. The individual stars of a constellation are typically at very different distances from Earth. In fact over time the constellations change shape as the solar system and stars move through the galaxy.
Some believe that The Sun does not belong to any constellation. This is because our Earth goes around the Sun. As a result, the Sun moves in the sky relative to the other stars. So, the Sun appears to move through the constellations of the zodiac, which is why you hear that the Sun is in a particular zodiac constellation in a particular month.
What are constellations?
Constellations are patterns of stars as viewed from Earth. The individual stars of a constellation are typically at very different distances from Earth. In fact over time the constellations change shape as the solar system and stars move through the galaxy.
You may be wondering “What are constellations and why do we see them?”
Constellations are groups of stars. The constellations you can see at night depend on your location on Earth and the time of year . Constellations were named after objects, animals, and people long ago. Astronomers today still use constellations to name stars and meteor showers.
Scorpius, Leo, and Orion are seasonal constellations. But people in the Northern Hemisphere can see the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) all year. From Earth, it appears as if the planet is surrounded by a celestial sphere of stars. In reality, the stars are at very different distances from Earth.
The next thing we wanted the answer to was, are all the Stars in a constellation in the same plane?
I can dig a little deeper., and not necessarily. Each constellation is a collection of stars that are distributed in space in three dimensions – the stars are all different distances from Earth. The stars in a constellation appear to be in the same plane because we are viewing them from very, very, far away.
Do the constellations move from east to West?
In the case of the earth and the constellations the earth rotates, with us on it, from west to east. The constellations appear to move from east to west, moving “backwards” from the real rotation of the earth. Do constellations move clockwise or counterclockwise?
Do constellations move over time?
The quick answer (which you already might have found on your Internet mobile device) is yes, they do change over time.