Recognizing the Constellations (Northern Hemisphere only)

[Captain Scarlet]

I like to think that 4-odd years into this absorbing pastime, I know my way around the Northern sky reasonably well. If shown, I can recognize most of the major constellations or their defining asterisms. I can even draw most of them, and I'd be able to point them out to a newbie saying "see that, that's a Swan" or "that looks like a warrior with a bow". Etc Etc.

Examples of this "easy to recognize and recall" category, in the order in which they appear in my head, are for instance:

Orion (looks like a hunter with a bow); Leo (looks like a legged beast); Cygnus (looks like a swan in flight); Ursa Major (looks like, er, a saucepan nonetheless extremely recognizable); Ursa Minor (another saucepan); Taurus (a bull's head); Triangulum (a square circle triangle); Delphinus (does look like a dolphin); Aquila (open-winged eagle); Lyra (harp-shaped); Pegasus (OK not much like a horse, but that great square is easily recognized. Even if one of its main stars isn't actually officially in Pegasus); Cassiopeia (big W); Gemini (two standing figures); the list goes on.

The point is, however much they may or may not look like their name, all these shapes are quite recognizable.

But, in my opinion, there is one glaring exception to the recognizability rule: ANDROMEDA. No matter how much I look at Andromeda, I just cannot "turn" it into a memorable shape; nor would I recognize it if someone drew it out for me.

Anyone else have any similar mental blocks?

Cheers (light-heartedly frustrated at having just had to drag all my kit back in again when clouds refused to dissipate as the forecast ordered them to)

Magnus

Edited October 5, 2021 by Captain Magenta

[Fegato]

I've got hooked on astrophotography and can't call myself an astronomer. I've promised myself I will spend more time looking (with eyes and bins), and will try and start to properly recognise the constellations. The Plough bit of Ursa Major and Cassiopeia were the only ones I could easily identify, but I've got Cygnus now too, albeit it works for me as the Northern Cross.

I was likewise frustrated by cloud last night, having heaved everything outside.  I think it might have cleared in the early hours, but I took fright of a possible shower on the electrics and it at went back inside at by 11!

[Zermelo]

This was the attempt in Hevelius's Uranographia:

 

 

 

 

[Zermelo]

My other half always complains that the constellations don't look anything like their names. I went through the whole Cepheus-Cassiopeia-Andromeda-Perseus-Pegasus story the other night and she wasn't impressed with any of them.

But she couldn't argue with Triangulum.

[pete_81]

6 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

But she couldn't argue with Triangulum

🤣 Very true!