“Now, we have the 13 zodiac constellations in Astronomy. However, in total, the number of constellations in the nighttime sky is as endless as our imaginations. In reality, most modern studies agree on a number around 88. The path followed on the celestial sphere by the Sun is referred to as the ecliptic. Any constellation that meets the ecliptic is called a zodiac constellation." Adorah paused to see how the students were keeping up. "I want you to take great care in learning the ecliptic. While it's just the projection of our orbit onto the celestial sphere, it's an essential part of an astronomer’s vocabulary. You'll find that the celestial coordinate system we use to locate every star starts from the ecliptic."
"The 13 zodiac constellations are different from other constellations, and not just because of their placement in the nighttime sky. They have a mix of representations of animals, which our word 'zodiac' derives from the Greek for 'Animal Circle'," Professor Zumwalt continued. "Now, I will give you time to takes from the material on the board. These are written in order of how the sun passes over them during the year." Adorah waved her wand, and a list of the 13 signs appeared on the board with a few details about them.
Pisces (Pie-seez): This constellation is represented by two fish. According to myth, Venus and her son Cupid escaped from Typhon by swimming through the sea as two fish. It is usually seen during fall.
Aries (Air-eez): Represented by a ram with a golden fleece, it is thought that it could fly in the sky. It is a small constellation with only two easily visible stars. It is usually seen during the winter months.
Taurus (Tore-us): Represented by a bull, it is a Babylonian constellation. Jupiter turned himself into a bull to carry off Europa, who was the daughter of the King of Crete. It is normally seen in the winter months.
Gemini (Jem-eh-ni): Represented by twin brothers, they are protectors of ships and sailors, who swore oaths by them. Look for the two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, which together form one vertex of the Winter Hexagon. Gemini is normally seen during the winter.
Cancer (Kan-ser): Represented by a crab. It was sent by Juno to kill Hercules, who squashed it with his foot. Cancer contains faint stars. Look with binoculars for the Beehive star cluster, faintly visible to the naked eye. It is usually seen in the spring months.
Leo (Lee-oh): Represented by a lion, this prehistoric constellation is often associated with royalty. It is normally seen during the spring.
Virgo (Vir-go): Represented by a maiden, Virgo is the goddess of farms and harvest, holding a shock of wheat. It is seen during the spring months, as well.
Libra (Lee-brah): Libra is represented by scales (balance) because the Sun was in Libra during the autumn equinox when the Romans chopped off the claws of Scorpius to create this constellation. It's the last of the spring seen zodiac.
Scorpius (Scor-pee-us): Scorpion was sent by Gaia to kill Orion when Orion boasted he would slay all the animals of the Earth. Now, Orion and Scorpius circle each other on opposite sides of the sky. It is seen during the summer.
Ophiuchus (Oh-fee-uke-us): The serpent holder, Oph, ("Gus" for short), represents Aesclepius the healer. Although not traditionally considered part of the zodiac, the sun now is actually within Oph. longer than it is in Scorpius. This is the only zodiac constellation that isn't used as part of our zodiacs. It is another summer zodiac constellation.
Sagittarius (Saj-eh-tair-ee-us): The Archer, a centaur archer named Chiron, is shooting an arrow. This constellation was found by a centaur named Sagittar who claimed it as his own. It is seen during summer.
Capricorn (Kap-rih-corn): Represented by Sea Goat., Pan only partly succeeded in turning himself from a goat into a fish. It is seen in the fall.
Aquarius (Ah-kwair-ee-us): A water carrier and Babylonian constellation, Little is known about the constellation itself except that it is seen during fall.
Aries (Air-eez): Represented by a ram with a golden fleece, it is thought that it could fly in the sky. It is a small constellation with only two easily visible stars. It is usually seen during the winter months.
Taurus (Tore-us): Represented by a bull, it is a Babylonian constellation. Jupiter turned himself into a bull to carry off Europa, who was the daughter of the King of Crete. It is normally seen in the winter months.
Gemini (Jem-eh-ni): Represented by twin brothers, they are protectors of ships and sailors, who swore oaths by them. Look for the two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, which together form one vertex of the Winter Hexagon. Gemini is normally seen during the winter.
Cancer (Kan-ser): Represented by a crab. It was sent by Juno to kill Hercules, who squashed it with his foot. Cancer contains faint stars. Look with binoculars for the Beehive star cluster, faintly visible to the naked eye. It is usually seen in the spring months.
Leo (Lee-oh): Represented by a lion, this prehistoric constellation is often associated with royalty. It is normally seen during the spring.
Virgo (Vir-go): Represented by a maiden, Virgo is the goddess of farms and harvest, holding a shock of wheat. It is seen during the spring months, as well.
Libra (Lee-brah): Libra is represented by scales (balance) because the Sun was in Libra during the autumn equinox when the Romans chopped off the claws of Scorpius to create this constellation. It's the last of the spring seen zodiac.
Scorpius (Scor-pee-us): Scorpion was sent by Gaia to kill Orion when Orion boasted he would slay all the animals of the Earth. Now, Orion and Scorpius circle each other on opposite sides of the sky. It is seen during the summer.
Ophiuchus (Oh-fee-uke-us): The serpent holder, Oph, ("Gus" for short), represents Aesclepius the healer. Although not traditionally considered part of the zodiac, the sun now is actually within Oph. longer than it is in Scorpius. This is the only zodiac constellation that isn't used as part of our zodiacs. It is another summer zodiac constellation.
Sagittarius (Saj-eh-tair-ee-us): The Archer, a centaur archer named Chiron, is shooting an arrow. This constellation was found by a centaur named Sagittar who claimed it as his own. It is seen during summer.
Capricorn (Kap-rih-corn): Represented by Sea Goat., Pan only partly succeeded in turning himself from a goat into a fish. It is seen in the fall.
Aquarius (Ah-kwair-ee-us): A water carrier and Babylonian constellation, Little is known about the constellation itself except that it is seen during fall.
As the quills seemed to stop moving across the room, Adorah stood up from her desk and directed the students to the North Tower. Telescopes and desks around the tower were ready for the student's use. "Please use these items to locate Pisces and Gemini. Try to locate them without a star chart as you all should be able to find your way across the night sky with ease now. Once mapped correctly, you'll be able to leave and head to bed," Adorah said to her students and set them off to work. She was glad to see so many do so well that evening.
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