Constellations

Part I of Essay
Every culture known to history and anthropology has seen in the heavens distinctive patterns, called , and formed by the stars. are usually comprised of bright stars that appear close to each other. Oriental cultures (the ancient Chinese, for example) formed intricate patt ....

Part II of Essay
.... bits. They are used as mnemonics, or memory aids. For example, if you spot three bright stars in a row in the winter evening, you might realise, "Oh! That's part of Orion!" Suddenly, the rest of the constellation falls into place and you can declare: "There's Betelgeuse in Orion's left shoulder and Rigel is his foot." And once you recognise Orion, you can remember that Orion's Hunting Dogs are always nearby. Where did the come from? OK, so we know the are helpful for remembering the stars, but why would people want to do that (besides an ....