Constellations.

Orion is one of the well-known constellations. Orion constellation boundaries drawn in dotted yellow line.
A constellation of stars or constellation is a group of stars that appear to form a special configuration. In three-dimensional space, most of the stars that we observe not have relationships with each other, but can be seen as a group on the ball of the night sky. Humans have a very high ability to recognize patterns and throughout history have grouped the stars that appear close together into constellations. The composition is not an official constellation, which is widely known by the public but are not recognized by astronomers or the International Astronomical Association, also called asterism. The stars in the constellation or asterism rarely have a relationship astrophysics; they just happen to be appear close together in the sky visible from Earth and is usually very far apart.
Grouping the stars into constellations is actually quite random, and different cultures would have different constellations, although some are very easily recognizable usually often found, such as Orion or Scorpius.
International Astronomical Association has divided the sky into 88 official constellations with clear boundaries, so that every direction is only owned by one constellation only. In the hemisphere (hemisphere) to the north, most of the star constellation is based on the Greek tradition, passed down through the Middle Ages, and it contains the symbols of the Zodiac.
Various other patterns that do not officially exist together with constellations and called asterism, such as Pirates (also known in the USA as the Big Dipper) and Little Dipper

Chinese constellations.

Chinese constellations are the way of Chinese in the grouping of stars. This grouping is very different from the official grouping known today. This grouping is based on the development of the science of astronomy in the days of Ancient China. Observers at the time of Ancient China grouping the stars into 31 areas, called Three Limits (Three Enclosures, 三垣, San Yuan) and Twenty Eight Big House (Twenty-eight Mansions, 二十八宿, Ershíbā Xiu). Three Limitations include areas close to the North Pole sky. The stars are located in this area will be visible throughout the year. Twenty Eight Big House covers an area of the zodiac in the sky. Zodiac is the same as that of the 12 zodiac western astronomy. Unlike the western astronomy, Twenty Eight Big House reflects the movement of the Moon. Three Limitations and Twenty Eight Great Houses were then divided into 23 asterisms. Every star that looks set to be included into one of the asterisms asterisms and some have only one star. Traditionally, a star named with its asterism combination with numbers.

Three Limitations.

Three Limitation Limitation consists of the Forbidden Purple (Purple Forbidden Enclosure, 紫微垣, Zǐ Wei Yuan), palace limit the Supreme (Supreme Palace Enclosure, 太微垣, Tai Wei Yuan) and Market Limitations in the Sky (Heavenly Market Enclosure, 天市垣, Tian Shi Yuan). Limitation of the Forbidden Purple covers most of the northern part of the area in the sky. Based on the views of Ancient China, the Forbidden Purple limits are in the middle area of the sky and surrounded by other stars.
Limitation of the Highest Palace is located in the east and north of the Forbidden Purple limits, while the Market Limits in the Sky is located in the west and south. Three limitations of each bounded by a "wall" where asterism with various shapes representing his name.

Star Mapping in China.

Ancient Chinese astronomers at the time of giving names to the stars that can be seen systematically, about 1000 years before Johann Bayer do it the same way. Essentially, every star was placed on an asterism, then added a number / numbers behind it, so the formula is the "name of the asterism" + "number / number". Giving figures / numbers does not depend on the magnitude of magnitude as was done by Johann Bayer, but rather to its position in the asterism.
For example, Altair 河鼓二 given name in Chinese, is 河鼓 asterism its name (which means drum in the River). 二 is a given number (meaning "two"). Then it became "second star constellation / asterism Drum on the river".
But some stars are given names based on mythology and astrology. Like the example above, Altair also known as 牛郎星 or 牵牛星 (star rider Cow) in Chinese language, based on mythology riders Cow and Girl Weaver (one of the Chinese mythology). The star naming system also applies to the period of modern China. Thank you for reading this article. Written and posted by Bambang Sunarno. sunarnobambang86@gmail.com
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DatePublished: August 24, 2014 at 20:40