Devin's+Page+-+Star+Map+and+Stellar+Brightness

 A star map is a map that shows you different constellations. This is an example of a star map; it shows you many of the different constellations. This is a star map of the Northern Hemisphere. [1] The Northern star can be easily spotted because of its brightness, it is one of the brightest stars and that is why it is easily found. The Nothern Star is used for direction, because you can locate it easily, because of its apparent magnitude. 

A constellation is a group of stars that seem to form shapes or patterns, a good example of that is the big and small dipper. Those are easy to spot because they a in the shape of a spoon, and can be seen very easy when the stars are shining. Constellations can be used as calendars, time keepers, and direction finders for those who know how to read the stars. The ancient Greeks, Orion; who was a great hunter, and he was a part founder of the constellations. [2] The Greeks were the main founders of constellations because they used them to guide them in their long journeys throughout lands. Polaris is an easy star to spot in the sky and it is used for navigation purposes; because they will know which way they are suppose to go from there. The Egyptians also used stars for navigation purposes because they didn't have maps like the Greeks, so they would use the stars and constellations to guide them. The left side represents the commonly known name, the middle column represents apparent magnitude, and the right side represents absolute magnitude.


 * Sun || -26.72 || 4.8 ||
 * [|Sirius] || -1.46 || -2.5 ||
 * [|Canopus] || -0.72 || -2.5 ||
 * [|Rigil Kentaurus] || -0.27 || 4.4 ||
 * [|Arcturus] || -0.04 || 0.2 ||
 * [|Vega] || 0.03 || 0.6 ||
 * [|Capella] || 0.08 || 0.4 ||
 * [|Rigel] || 0.12 || -8.1 ||
 * [|Procyon] || 0.38 || 2.6 ||
 * [|Achernar] || 0.46 || -1.3 ||
 * [|Betelgeuse] || 0.50 (var.) || -7.2 ||
 * [|Hadar] || 0.61 (var.) || -4.4 ||
 * [|Acrux] || 0.76 || -4.6 ||
 * [|Altair] || 0.77 || 2.3 ||
 * [|Aldebaran] || 0.85 (var.) || -0.3 ||
 * [|Antares] || 0.96 (var.) || -5.2 ||
 * [|Spica] || 0.98 (var.) || -3.2 ||
 * [|Pollux] || 1.14 || 0.7 ||
 * [|Fomalhaut] || 1.16 || 2.0 ||
 * [|Becrux] || 1.25 (var.) || -4.7 ||
 * [|Deneb] || 1.25 || -7.2 ||
 * [|Regulus] || 1.35 || -0.3 ||
 * [|Adhara] || 1.50 || -4.8 ||

This table represents 'apparent and absolute magnitudes'. Apparent magnitude is the measure of brightness the viewer can see. [3] Meaning that; the brightness that we can see from earth is calculated and can be given a measure, that measure is called apparent magnitude. Absolute magnitude, measures a celestial object's intrinsic brightness  [4]  . Meaning that it is a measure of a star or moons naturally produced brightness, astronomers have developed an equation that can determine the absolute magnitude. Stellar brightness is a star's brightness as we see it from Earth; meaning that how we see the stars brightness from earth. [5]  

The Greeks discovered 48 of the 88 constellations that have been discovered so far. Many of the other 40 constellations were discovered by the Arabs, Egyptians, & the Babylonian. Some of the constellations were named after some of the people that found them, a good example of that is Orion, because he was a Greek astronomer that discovered constellations and helped to understand how they can help with direction. [6]  The way you could recognize a particular constellation is by getting familiar with the constellations or by looking through a telescope to see more clearly, that way you can see the different constellations more clearly and are able to recognize them better. You can also look at pictures of constellations and familiarize yourself with them, and then you would know part of the history and are able to understand where the constellations are and what they look like. There are particular constellations that shine brighter than others so you would know which ones they are; because you can see them more clearly then you can understand them more.

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"Absolute magnitude -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 20 May 2009. 31 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_magnitude>. "Apparent magnitude -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 31 May 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_magnitude>. "Star Maps". Astronomy 161. 31 May 2009 <http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/maps.html>.

"Constellations, history, identification." __Mallorca__ __@ MallorcaWeb:__ __Mallorca__ __travel and local guide (map, pictures, accommodation,...__ 31 Jan. 2004. Masm. 31 May 2009 <http://www.mallorcaweb.net/masm/descon1.htm>.

Kornreich, Dave. "Curious About Astronomy: What are constellations used for?" __Curious About Astronomy? Ask an Astronomer__. 31 May 2009 <http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=340>.

Stellar Brightness|Guide. 15 Sept. 2008. American Museum of Natural History. 31 May 2009 <http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/universe/duguide/mwt_star_brightness.php>.