When we were first interested in astronomy, one of our favorite activities was this: we show our children the same thing we did when we were young. It is the joy of discovering constellations. Finding constellations and using them in navigation is an art that dates back almost to the dawn of mankind. Cave photographs are evidence that primitive societies, such as human ones, were able “see” the sky and attribute significance to them.
Even before modern navigation systems were developed, constellations have played an important role in navigation and culture. Even early explorers by sea relied solely on the night skies to guide them to their destination. The constellations were instrumental in enabling “Columbus” to “discover” America. We use the “find one and you’ll find them all” method to locate the great constellations of the sky. Because the easiest constellation to locate will help us find the rest. The Big Dipper is that constellation. If you look up at the northern sky on clear nights, and focus on just one star instead of focusing on it, it will almost leap out at your eyes. The North Star will appear like a large pot or ladle. It is right-side up in the autumn and upside down the spring. This star was the one ancient sailors relied upon to help them find their way to the land. The North Star will then lead you to The Little Dipper. The key is Polaris at the tip. The handle of The Little Dipper hangs down like a bowl hanging from the kitchen. You will need patience as The Little Dipper’s stars are much brighter than The Big Dipper. It is quite fascinating once you locate it.
These are the obvious places to start, but you can also find the constellations known as Cygnus or “The Swan” from The Little Dipper. Follow the same process as for The North Star. However, continue drawing the line that begins in The Big Dipper’s bowl. Find Polaris by going about half the distance you took to get there. The trapezoid, which is composed of about half a dozen stars, will be visible. This trapezoid forms The Swan’s tail.
We will be using this line to guide us to Cassiopeia. You can see a large “W” to the left of that line if you draw this line. This constellation is Cassiopeia. It’s the wife of Cepheus the Egyptian king. You will find so many more amazing constellations. A star map is an excellent tool for continuing your search.
