A simple and fun way for children to learn about the shapes of Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Vela, Draco, Cepheus, and Cassiopeia in the night sky.
Hey there! Let’s talk about some cool shapes in the sky called constellations. They are groups of stars that make pictures. Here are a few of them:
Ursa Major looks like a big bear. It has a handle and a bowl, like a big dipper. If you imagine a bear, you can see its body and tail! It has seven stars that make up its shape.
Ursa Minor is smaller and also looks like a bear, but a little one! It has seven stars too. This one is special because it has the North Star at the tip of the handle. The North Star is like a guiding star in the sky!
Vela looks like a sail of a boat. It has stars that make a triangle shape. Imagine a sail filled with wind on a sunny day!
Draco is a dragon shape! It’s a long constellation that twists like a snake. You can picture the dragon with its wings and tail.
Cepheus looks like a king sitting on a throne. Its stars make a square shape with a pointy part on top, like a crown!
Cassiopeia looks like a big 'W' or an 'M'. It has five bright stars that sit in a wavy line. Can you see the 'W' in your head?
So, next time you look at the night sky, try to find these shapes! You can imagine the bear, the dragon, the sail, and even the king sitting on his throne!