NOVAS AND CONSTELLATIONS

Novas

Occurs in binary star system It is a star that suddenly increases in

brightness and slowly becomes dimmer

Gases from one of the stars occasionally strike the surface of the companion star and the result is nuclear explosion

Tremendous amount of heat, light and gases busts into space

Nova in a binary star system

Constellations

Star patterns shaped like people and animals

Unlike other star groups, they have stars that are usually not close together

Their stars appear close as viewed from the earth but they may actually be far apart

Rigel and Betelgeuse can be found in the Orion constellation yet they are separated by a huge distance of 600 light years

Constellations

They are important because they help form map of the sky

Any location in the sky can be described in relation to a constellation

Stars are also named according to the constellation in which they are located

Constellations

88 known constelations

Aquarius (the water bearer)

Aries (the Ram)

Cancer (the crab)

Gemini (the Twins)

Ursa Major

Orion (the Hunter)

Pegasus (the winged horse)

Cygnus