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Hi there! I am Studyfin, your science buddy. Today we will explore the glowing stars in our night sky!
A star is a giant ball of hot, glowing gas. Our Sun is actually a star, and it is the closest one to Earth!
People long ago looked up and saw patterns in the stars. We call these star pictures constellations.
We can analyze a constellation by looking at its shape. For example, the Big Dipper looks like a giant cup with a long handle.
✏️ Worked example
Let us analyze a star pattern to find the constellation called the Little Dipper. How do we spot it in the night sky?
- First, look for a group of seven bright stars in the northern sky.
- Next, trace the lines between the stars to find a small cup shape.
- Then, look at the very end of the long handle.
- Identify the bright star at the end of the handle. This star is Polaris, the North Star!
- Confirm that this star pattern matches the shape of a small ladle or dipper.
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