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Create Your Own Constellation

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Created by Pablo P., Argonaut Student

Finding constellations was one of the earliest forms of astronomy, dating back many years. People told stories from pictures they found in the stars. Some believed constellations were the works of gods who had sent messages to them or who were rewarding heroes by putting them up in the stars. What if you could make your constellation? Find a group of stars, and try to connect the dots. Once you've got a picture, try to draw it or show it, and then share that with the group.

Getting Started:

  1. Find the right place: You don’t need a telescope — it’s actually better to do this with your eyes. That’s how people did it thousands of years ago. Find a place away from lights, because light pollution will block out your view of the stars. If you live in a city and there's always light pollution, look for a chance to go on a campout or a drive away from the city, and do it then.

  2. Look at the night sky: Once you’ve found a very dark place, look for a good spot in the night sky where there are plenty of stars. As you look at them, try to use the stars as dots to make a picture.

  3. Create your constellation: Once you’ve chosen a set of stars to make into a picture, you can name it whatever you want, or you can just choose to not name it. Make sure to make a drawing of it, with the stars as dots and lines connecting them. Depending on your camera or phone, you may be able to take a picture of it as well and then draw over the picture using free photo-editing software.

Tip: Starwalk is a website and app to learn about current constellations. It allows you to see all the stars and points out existing constellations. There are plenty of others you can use. If you have friends who are into astronomy, ask them for ones they've found, or apps they use.

Bonus: Several of the planets in our solar system are visible in the night sky at certain times, and you don’t necessarily need a telescope to see them. For an extra challenge, try to spot a planet with your bare eyes.