Although the stars may appear to be scattered, most that are visible from Earth are part of a constellation. They have been grouped that way according to cultural sightings, as well as subject to different scientific premises. In general, there are a large number of them; but, in itself, how were the constellations named?
Indeed, it is a recurring question, especially for those who are beginners in the field. Why are they called that way? Or better yet, why are they related to a specific form? And more. These and other details are constantly being questioned by the community in general, for which an answer is known.
You may also be interested in our article: Austral Constellations: The Star Formations of the Southern Hemisphere
A brief look at the constellations. How are they actually defined?
talk about the constellations, dates back to prehistoric and ancient times And perhaps even an exact date of their conception is unknown. These star clusters are extremely long-lived, with centuries and centuries of different sightings.
In short, their definition varies according to the culture to which they are subscribed. However, if one thing is certain, it is that their mere presence served as the basis for calculating seasons or other forecasts. To learn more about the characteristics of constellations, you can visit this article.
Source: Vix
Furthermore, they are the omen of diverse predictions or meanings, both ethnic, cultural and religious. The appearance or location of a specific constellation symbolized some particular event to occur soon.
For its part, from the scientific point of view, a constellation is nothing more and nothing less than a group of stars. From Earth, they keep a close relationship with each other when observed on the surface.
This distance or relationship between them, takes the form of some particular silhouette. From an animal to one of the figures that form part of the zodiac itself. In this regard, each and every one of these associations was created over time by various cultures. To learn more about the topic of constellations, visit this link.
Likewise, a peculiarity of the constellations is that, despite the fact that they are visualized closely, the reality is different. In short, although from Earth the stars seem to touch or are close together, the distance between them is much greater. Basically, some of them are light years away, farther than you actually think.
The constellations and their relationship with different cultures. What should you know about it?
As mentioned, the constellations have varied according to how they have been structured by various cultures. In fact, those that are currently known differ in terms of names and meanings based on culture. Therefore, it is wise to identify some of them to expand knowledge.
What does the Chinese culture express about the constellations?
Chinese culture and its relationship with the constellations is one of the most controversial that exists. According to historical data, they are the oldest known, being completely different from the Greek perception.
Since Chinese culture developed independently without depending on Greek influence, they have their own system. The negative part is that these constellations are not recognized by the IAU (International Astronomical Union), so they are actually asterisms.
In that sense, this culture encompasses more than 230 asterisms, of which, for them, all are considered constellations. And, in addition, each one of them has a different form and meaning according to the same culture.
The Inca influence on the constellations
Another of the cultures rich in knowledge about astronomy and, in particular, about the constellations, is the Inca. They divided the constellations into "bright constellations" and "dark constellations" as such.
The first group referred to the constellations themselves; that is, those groups of stars which they named. For their part, the dark constellations, for them, were the areas devoid of light that were observed in the Milky Way. Over time, it was discovered that these constellations were actually the well-known nebulae.
Some of them were Willka Wara, Hatun Chakana or Thunawa, being the constellations of Sirius, Orion and Pegasus respectively. Clearly, the Inca culture did not differ too much from what is handled today.
The constellations from Ptolemy to the present time
Greek culture owes the discovery of the constellations to Ptolemy, a hero dedicated to science and astronomy. In fact, up to 36 groups of stars are attributed to him, to which he assigned a particular silhouette.
Source: Astronoo
From the most famous like the Great Bear, the Minor Bear, Can Major, Can Minor, Hydra, Hercules or Andromeda, to lesser known ones. Each and every one of them were reflected in the log known as Almagesto, a feat worthy of geniuses.
Currently, the International Astronomical Union used the data collected by Ptolemy, exploiting his premise. In that sense, and encompassing the constellations of the Zodiac, all these star groups were validated.
Due, for practical, scientific and cultural purposes, They are the ones that are most studied and analyzed. Of course, this does not mean that the rest of the cultures are worthless, but they lack a logical foundation that does support the Greeks.
Speaking of the constellations of the Zodiac…
The constellations of the Zodiac were also included in the work of Ptolemy during his time. They are born from an area in the sky known as the "celestial band", where the trajectory of the Sun and the Moon travels.
With each season or month of the year, it is possible to separate this band or strip into 12 equal sections. Each represents a particular month of a calendar year and associated with a nearby constellation.
As a result of this, the constellations of the Zodiac are born, 12 of them that have been the object of multiple meanings and beliefs. The same, starting from Aries, are Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornius, Aquarius and Pisces.
