- published: 06 Apr 2011
- views: 270244
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky.
There are 88 standard constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) since 1922. The majority of these go back to the 48 constellations defined by Ptolemy in his Almagest (2nd century). The remaining ones were defined in the 17th and 18th century; the most recent ones are found on the southern sky, defined in Coelum australe stelliferum by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille (1763).
There are also numerous historical constellations not recognized by the IAU, or constellations recognized in regional traditions of astronomy or astrology, such as Chinese, Hindu or Australian Aboriginal.
The Late Latin term constellātiō can be translated as "set with stars". The term was first used in astrology, of asterisms that supposedly exerted influence, attested in Ammianus (4th century). In English the term was used from the 14th century, also in astrology, of conjunctions of planets. The modern astronomical sense of "area of the celestial sphere around a specific asterism" dates to the mid 16th century.
I set you right back in your place
And put you right back where you came
And let you think about your life
And let you realize what you're like
Oh, it's something that he didn't know
Did you ever want to be the only star in the constellation?
Did you ever want to be the furthest from this situation?
Yeah, the constellation
In these times of different moods
They come from all those interludes
Like the girl you thought you'd need
And like the man you'd wish you'd be
Oh, it's something that he didn't know
You better watch, better watch
What you do
You better watch, better watch
What you say