ARTICLES
Observation Studies of Constellations in the Earth and Space (continued)
There is no need to purchase expensive resources a lot of
the time and astronomy is a case in point. The main stimulus
resource is above their heads, as was the case for the year 8
students I talked about earlier. ‘Deal in the real’ is a phrase I
use often when teaching about science education. It refers to the
notion of using things that are in the students’ environment, or the
everyday experiences of life, as science resources. The night sky
can become a limitless resource for teaching within the strand of
Earth and Space in Stages 3, 4 and 5.
for students.” (2018: 452). The constellation suggestions below
are only a sample, but tend to be the most prominent, and easy
to locate, in the night sky during the given timeframes which are
aligned roughly to terms of the school year. Teachers should
consult a star map alongside the information provided here.
The following sources were used to check the accuracy of the
information below (De Nobile, 1996; Ridpath & Tirion, 2017;
Wallace, Dawes & Northfield, 2016; 2018). The NASA website
was also consulted.
Observation studies are an excellent way to stimulate interest
and excitement as well as develop important skills in working
scientifically for Stage 3, and conducting investigations in Stages
4 and 5. Observation studies in astronomy involve students
examining stars or other objects as part of teacher-guided
inquiry to find out more about them, with the aim of analysing the
data collected and eventually reporting on what was found. It can
take place as a school organised activity (Tilley, 2012). It is often
more feasible, however, for teachers to provide guidance in the
classroom, but for the observation to be conducted at home as
part of the normal homework regime (De Nobile, 2017).
January – March
The prominent constellation at this time of the year is Orion.
Depending on the month, it will be well above the horizon to
directly overhead after sunset, looking north. The ancient Greek
mythology referred to Orion as a hunter of animals. In Australia
we view that hunter upside down because of our position in the
southern hemisphere. It is easy to find as its stars are very bright.
Look for an uneven rectangle with a line of three stars in the
middle.
In previous articles I have talked about observation studies of
comets (De Nobile & Tilley, 2015) and how to observe planets
(De Nobile, 2017). In this article I describe what can be done with
constellations at different times of the year.
Constellations are commonly referred to as distinct patterns of
stars in the sky that resemble real or mythical things. That is indeed
the basis of them, but in the field of astronomy constellations
are designated areas of the sky, much like maps of regions of
the world “(Temming, 2014). The stars in constellations do not
commonly have a relationship with one another, other than being
in the same area from our perspective on Earth (Reidy & Wallace,
1987). However, constellations do help us to navigate the night
sky and locate objects of interest more easily.
Photo 1: Orion in February
Students may have an initial concept of constellations from the
zodiac astrology horoscope information they might see online or
in magazines. They might also be aware of the Southern Cross for
obvious reasons. Studying constellations will ensure that students
realise there is more to stars than the constellations of the zodiac
or the Southern Cross, and will provide an opportunity to also
study the interesting objects contained within these regions of
the night sky.
In Photo 1, the ‘hunter’ appears on its side. The orange star at
bottom left is Alpha Orionis, otherwise known as Betelgeuse.
Betelgeuse is a red giant. If it took the place of our Sun in the
Solar System it would reach the orbit of Mars and we would be
inside it! Look above this and the next brightest star on the left
is Gamma Orionis which is also known as Bellatrix (Harry Potter
fans might want to know this). Bellatrix is a giant blue star, making
it a very hot object. Together, Betelgeuse and Bellatrix form the
shoulders of the ‘hunter’. The small triangle of stars between
and left of them is the head. Across to the right top corner, that
bright star is Beta Orionis, better known as Rigel. Rigel is the best
known example of a blue supergiant, and it is huge (about 70 of
The following sections comprise a guide for teachers of Stages 3,
4 or 5 wishing to explore constellations as the focus of observation
studies at different times of the year. I include Stage 3 here, as I
am of a similar view on matters of astronomy for primary science
to Keith Skamp who asserts, “Although stars are not a focus in
Years F–6 of the curriculum, they will be a source of fascination
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 4