Constellations and Stargazing

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Name the night-sky patterns, bright stars, and seasonal constellations visible to the naked eye.

1.
Which constellation contains the famous belt of three bright stars in a straight row?
A
Orion
B
Cassiopeia
C
Ursa Major
D
Scorpius
2.
What is the name of the brightest star in the night sky?
A
Sirius
B
Polaris
C
Vega
D
Betelgeuse
3.
Which star sits almost directly above Earth's North Pole, making it useful for navigation?
A
Polaris
B
Arcturus
C
Rigel
D
Aldebaran
4.
The Big Dipper is part of which larger constellation?
A
Ursa Major
B
Ursa Minor
C
Draco
D
Bootes
5.
Which W-shaped constellation is visible year-round from the Northern Hemisphere?
A
Cassiopeia
B
Lyra
C
Aquila
D
Cygnus
6.
How many constellations are officially recognized by astronomers today?
A
88
B
48
C
60
D
108
7.
What are constellations that lie along the path the Sun travels through the sky over the year called?
A
Zodiac constellations
B
Circumpolar constellations
C
Southern Cross constellations
D
Equatorial constellations
8.
Which summer constellation contains the bright blue-white star Vega?
A
Lyra
B
Aquila
C
Cygnus
D
Hercules
9.
Orion's bright red-orange star, which marks his right shoulder, is named what?
A
Betelgeuse
B
Rigel
C
Aldebaran
D
Antares
10.
The Summer Triangle is made up of three bright stars. Vega and Altair are two of them — what is the third?
A
Deneb
B
Pollux
C
Regulus
D
Spica
11.
Which constellation is known as the Southern Cross and is used for navigation in the Southern Hemisphere?
A
Crux
B
Centaurus
C
Vela
D
Carina
12.
The bright star Spica belongs to which zodiac constellation?
A
Virgo
B
Libra
C
Leo
D
Scorpius
13.
What is the name of the group of seven stars in Taurus that is often called the Seven Sisters?
A
Pleiades
B
Hyades
C
Praesepe
D
Coma Berenices
14.
In Greek mythology, Perseus rescued which princess, who is also commemorated as a constellation?
A
Andromeda
B
Cassiopeia
C
Cepheus
D
Pisces
15.
Which ancient Greek astronomer compiled the first known comprehensive catalogue of 48 constellations, around 150 AD?
A
Ptolemy
B
Hipparchus
C
Eratosthenes
D
Aristotle

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