Interesting facts about stars. How are stars born? Constellations and stars in the sky. Northern nail or Polaris (19 photos)

The history of the constellations is very interesting. A very long time ago, sky observers united the brightest and most noticeable groups of stars into constellations and gave them various names. These were the names of various mythical heroes or animals, characters from legends and tales - Hercules, Centaurus, Taurus, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, etc. In the names of the constellations Peacock, Toucan, Indian, South. The Cross, Bird of Paradise reflected the Age of Discovery. There are a lot of constellations - 88. But not all of them are bright and noticeable. Most rich bright stars winter sky.

At first glance, the names of many constellations seem strange. Often in the arrangement of stars it is very difficult or even simply impossible to discern what the name of the constellation indicates. Big Dipper, for example, resembles a ladle, it is very difficult to imagine a Giraffe or Lynx in the sky. But if you look at ancient atlases starry sky, then the constellations are depicted in the form of animals.

WHAT DID THE ANCIENT GREEKS SAY ABOUT URSE BEARS?

There are many legends about Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Here is one of them. Once upon a time, King Lycaon, who ruled the country of Arcadia, had a daughter named Callisto. Her beauty was so extraordinary that she risked competing with Hera, the goddess and wife of the almighty supreme god Zeus. Jealous Hera eventually took revenge on Callisto: using her supernatural power, she turned her into an ugly bear. When Callisto's son, young Arkad, one day returning from a hunt, saw a wild beast at the door of his house, he, suspecting nothing, almost killed his mother bear. Zeus prevented this - he held back Arkad’s hand, and took Callisto to his sky forever, turning him into a beautiful constellation - Ursa Major. At the same time, Callisto’s beloved dog was also transformed into Ursa Minor. Arkad did not remain on Earth either: Zeus turned him into the constellation Bootes, doomed to forever guard his mother in the heavens. Main star This constellation is called Arcturus, which means “guardian of the bear.” Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are non-setting constellations, most visible in the northern sky. There is another legend about the circumpolar constellations. Fearing the evil god Kronos, who devoured babies, Zeus's mother Rhea hid her newborn in a cave, where he was fed, in addition to the goat Amalthea, by two bears - Melissa and Helica, who were subsequently placed in heaven for this. Melissa is sometimes called Kinosura, which means "dog's tail." In legends different nations The Big Dipper is often called a chariot, a cart, or simply seven bulls. Next to the star Mizar (from the Arabic word for “horse”) - the second, or middle, star in the handle of the ladle Ursa Major- the Alcor star is barely visible (in Arabic this means “horseman”, “rider”). These stars can be used to test your eyesight; every star should be visible to the naked eye.

HOW PERSEUS SAVED ANDROMEDA

The names of the starry sky reflect the myth of the hero Perseus. Once upon a time, according to the ancient Greeks, Ethiopia was ruled by a king named Cepheus and a queen named Cassiopeia. Their only daughter was the beautiful Andromeda. The queen was very proud of her daughter and one day had the imprudence to boast of her beauty and the beauty of her daughter to the mythical inhabitants of the sea - the Nereids. They were very angry, because they believed that they were the most beautiful in the world. The Nereids complained to their father, the god of the seas Poseidon, so that he would punish Cassiopeia and Andromeda. And the powerful ruler of the seas sent a huge sea monster - Whale - to Ethiopia. Fire burst out of Keith's mouth, black smoke poured out of his ears, and his tail was covered with sharp spikes. The monster devastated and burned the country, threatening the death of the entire people. To appease Poseidon, Cepheus and Cassiopeia agreed to give their beloved daughter to be devoured by the monster. Beauty Andromeda was chained to a coastal rock and meekly awaited her fate. And at this time, on the other side of the world, one of the most famous legendary heroes - Perseus - accomplished an extraordinary feat. He entered the island where gorgons lived - monsters in the form of women who had snakes instead of hair. The gaze of the gorgons was so terrible that anyone who dared to look into their eyes was instantly petrified. But nothing could stop the fearless Perseus. Seizing the moment when the gorgons fell asleep. Perseus cut off the head of one of them - the most important, the most terrible - the gorgon Medusa. At the same moment, the winged horse Pegasus flew out of Medusa’s huge body. Perseus jumped on Pegasus and rushed to his homeland. Flying over Ethiopia, he noticed Andromeda chained to a rock, who was about to be grabbed by the terrible Whale. Brave Perseus entered into battle with the monster. This struggle continued for a long time. Perseus's magical sandals lifted him into the air, and he plunged his curved sword into Keith's back. The whale roared and rushed at Perseus. Perseus directed the deathly gaze of the severed head of Medusa, which was attached to his shield, at the monster. The monster petrified and drowned, turning into an island. And Perseus unchained Andromeda and brought her to the palace of Cepheus. The delighted king gave Andromeda as his wife to Perseus. In Ethiopia the merry feast continued for many days. And since then the constellations of Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, and Perseus have been burning in the sky. On the star map you will find the constellation Cetus, Pegasus. This is how the ancient myths of the Earth found their reflection in the sky.

HOW THE WINGED HORSE PEGASUS “FLY” INTO THE SKY

Near Andromeda is the constellation Pegasus, which is especially visible at midnight in mid-October. The three stars of this constellation and the star Alpha Andromeda form a figure that astronomers call the “Big Square”. It can be easily found in the autumn sky. The winged horse Pegasus arose from the body of the Gorgon Medusa, beheaded by Perseus, but did not inherit anything bad from her. He was the favorite of nine muses - the daughters of Zeus and the goddess of memory Mnemosyne; on the slope of Mount Helikon he knocked out the source of Hippocrene with his hoof, the water of which brought inspiration to poets. And one more legend in which Pegasus is mentioned. The grandson of King Sisifus, Bellerophon, was supposed to kill the fire-breathing monster Chimera (Chimera means “goat” in Greek). The monster had the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. Bellerophon managed to defeat the Chimera with the help of Pegasus. One day he saw a winged horse and the desire to take possession of it seized the young man. In a dream, the goddess Athena, the beloved daughter of Zeus, wise and warlike, the patroness of many heroes, appeared to him. She gave Bellerophon a wonderful horse-taming bridle. With her help, Bellerophon caught Pegasus and went to battle the Chimera. Rising high into the air, he threw arrows at the monster until it gave up the ghost. But Bellerophon was not satisfied with his luck, but wished to ascend to heaven on a winged horse, to the home of the immortals. Zeus, having learned about this, became angry, enraged Pegasus, and he threw his rider to Earth. Pegasus then ascended to Olympus, where he carried the lightning bolts of Zeus. The main attraction of the Pegasus constellation is a bright globular cluster. Through binoculars you can see a round luminous foggy speck, the edges of which sparkle like lights big city, visible from an airplane. It turns out that this globular cluster contains about six million suns!

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CONSTELLATION OF THE SOUTHERN SKY

There is no other constellation in the entire sky that would contain so many interesting and easily accessible objects for observation as Orion, located near the constellation Taurus. Orion was the son of Poseidon - the god of the seas Greek mythology(in Roman - Neptune). He was a famous hunter, fought with a bull and boasted that there was no animal that he could not defeat, for which Hera, the powerful wife of the mighty Zeus, sent Scorpio to him. Orion cleared the island of Chios from wild animals and began to ask the king of this island for the hand of his daughter, but he refused him. Orion tried to kidnap the girl, and the king took revenge on him: after getting drunk, he blinded Orion. Helios restored Orion’s sight, but Orion still died from the bite of the Scorpio sent by the Hero. Zeus placed him in the sky in such a way that he could always escape from his pursuer, and indeed, these two constellations are never visible in the sky at the same time

WHERE DOES VERONICA'S HAIR COME FROM IN THE SKY?

The ancient constellation Leo had a fairly large “territory” in the sky, and Leo himself had a magnificent “tassel” on his tail. But in 243 BC. he lost it. Happened funny story, about which the legend says. The Egyptian king Ptolemy Everget had a beautiful wife, Queen Veronica. Her luxurious hair was especially magnificent long hair. When Ptolemy went to war, his saddened wife swore an oath to the gods: if they kept her beloved husband safe and sound, she would sacrifice her hair. Soon Ptolemy returned home safely, but when he saw his shorn wife, he was upset. The royal couple was somewhat reassured by the astronomer Konon. declaring that the gods carried Veronica's hair to heaven, where it was destined to decorate the spring nights.

CONSTELLATION TAURUS

Among the ancient peoples, the most important constellation was Taurus, since the new year began in the spring. In the zodiac, Taurus is the most ancient constellation, since cattle breeding played a role in the life of ancient peoples huge role, and the bull (Taurus) was associated with the constellation where the Sun seemed to conquer winter and herald the arrival of spring and summer. In general, many ancient peoples revered this animal and considered it sacred. IN Ancient Egypt was sacred bull Apis, who was worshiped during his lifetime and whose mummy was solemnly buried in a magnificent tomb. Every 25 years Apis was replaced with a new one. In Greece, the bull was also held in high esteem. In Crete the bull was called Minotaur. The heroes of Hellas Hercules, Theseus, and Jason pacified the bulls. The constellation Aries was also highly revered in ancient times. The supreme god of Egypt, Amon-Ra, was depicted with a ram's head, and the road to his temple was an alley of sphinxes with ram's heads. It was believed that the constellation Aries was named after Aries with the Golden Fleece, after whom the Argonauts sailed. By the way, there are a number of constellations in the sky that reflect the Argo Ship. The alpha (brightest) star of this constellation is called Gamal (Arabic for “adult ram”). The most bright Star in the constellation Taurus is called Aldebaran.

WHERE ARE THE TWINS IN SKY FROM?

In this constellation, two bright stars are very close to each other. They received their name in honor of the Argonauts Dioscuri - Castor and Pollux - twins, sons of Zeus, the most powerful of the Olympian gods, and Leda, a frivolous earthly beauty, brothers of the beautiful Helen - the culprit Trojan War. Castor was famous as a skilled charioteer, and Pollux as an unsurpassed fist fighter. They took part in the Argonauts' campaign and the Calydonian hunt. But one day the Dioscuri did not share the spoils with their cousins, the giants Idas and Lynceus. In the battle with them, the brothers were severely wounded. And when Castor died, the immortal Pollux did not want to part with his brother and asked Zeus not to separate them. Since then, by the will of Zeus, the brothers spend six months in the kingdom of gloomy Hades, and six months on Olympus. There are periods when on the same day the star Castor is visible against the background of the morning dawn, and Pollux - in the evening. Perhaps it was precisely this circumstance that gave rise to the birth of the legend about the brothers living in kingdom of the dead, then in the sky. The Dioscuri brothers were considered in ancient times to be the patrons of sailors caught in a storm. And the appearance of “St. Elmo’s Fire” on the masts of ships before a thunderstorm was considered a visit to the Twins by their sister Elena. St. Elmo's lights are luminous discharges of atmospheric electricity observed on pointed objects (tops of masts, lightning rods, etc.). The Dioscuri were also revered as guardians of the state and patrons of hospitality. IN Ancient Rome A silver coin “Dioscuri” with the image of stars was in circulation.

HOW A CANCER WALKED IN THE SKY

The constellation Cancer is one of the least noticeable zodiac constellations. His story is very interesting. There are several rather exotic explanations for the origin of the name of this constellation. For example, it was seriously argued that the Egyptians placed Cancer in this region of the sky as a symbol of destruction and death, because this animal feeds on carrion. Cancer moves tail first. About two thousand years ago there was a point in the constellation Cancer summer solstice(i.e. the longest daylight hours). The sun, having reached its maximum distance to the north at this time, began to “back away” back. The length of the day gradually decreased. According to classical ancient mythology a huge sea Cancer attacked Hercules when he was fighting the Lernaean Hydra. The hero crushed him, but the goddess Hera, who hated Hercules, placed Cancer in heaven. The Louvre houses the famous Egyptian circle of the zodiac, in which the constellation Cancer is located above all others.

IS THE LION SCARY IN THE SKY?

About 4.5 thousand years ago, the summer solstice point was located in this constellation, and the Sun was in this constellation during the hottest time of the year. Therefore, among many peoples, it was the Lion that became the symbol of fire. The Assyrians called this constellation “the great fire,” and the Chaldeans associated the fierce lion with the equally fierce heat that occurred every summer. They believed that the Sun received additional strength and warmth by being among the stars of Leo. In Egypt, this constellation was also associated with in summer: flocks of lions, fleeing the heat, migrated from the desert to the valley of the Nile, which was flooding at that time. Therefore, the Egyptians placed images in the form of a lion's head with an open mouth on the gates of irrigation canals that directed water to the fields.

VIRGO

The constellation Virgo, located next to Leo, this constellation was sometimes represented by the fairy-tale sphinx - a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. Often in early myths The virgin was identified with Rhea, the mother of the god Zeus, the wife of the god Kronos. Sometimes she was seen as Themis, the goddess of justice, who in her classical guise holds Libra (the zodiac constellation next to Virgo). There is evidence that in this constellation ancient observers saw Astraea, the daughter of Themis and the god Zeus, the last of the goddesses who left the Earth at the end Bronze Age. Ast-reya - the goddess of justice, a symbol of purity and innocence, left the Earth due to the crimes of people. This is how we see the Virgin in ancient myths. The Virgin is usually depicted with the rod of Mercury and an ear of corn. Spica (Latin for “spike”) is the name given to the brightest star in the constellation. The very name of the star and the fact that the Virgin was depicted with an ear of corn in her hands indicate the connection of this star with human agricultural activities. It is possible that her appearance in the sky coincided with the beginning of some agricultural work.

LIBRA IS THE ONLY “NON-LIVING” ZODIAC CONSTELLATION

Indeed, it seems strange that among the animals and “semi-animals” in the Zodiac there is the sign of Libra. Over two thousand years ago in this constellation there was a point autumn equinox. The equality of day and night could be one of the reasons why the zodiac constellation received the name “Libra”. The appearance of Libra in the sky in the middle latitudes indicated that the time for sowing had come, and the ancient Egyptians, already at the end of spring, could consider this as a signal to begin harvesting the first harvest. Scales - a symbol of balance - could simply remind ancient farmers of the need to weigh the harvest. Among the ancient Greeks, Astraea, the goddess of justice, weighed the destinies of people with the help of Libra. One of the myths explains the appearance zodiac constellation Libra as a reminder to people of the need to strictly adhere to laws. The fact is that Astraea was the daughter of the almighty Zeus and the goddess of justice Themis. On behalf of Zeus and Themis, Astraea regularly “inspected” the Earth (armed with scales and blindfolded, in order to judge everything objectively, supply Olympus with good information and mercilessly punish deceivers, liars and everyone who dared to commit all kinds of unfair acts). So Zeus decided that his daughter’s Libra should be placed in heaven.

IS THE CONSTELLATION REALLY LIKE SCORPIO?

Not only because of its external similarity, this constellation was assigned the role of a poisonous creature. The sun entered this area of ​​the sky in late autumn, when all nature seemed to be dying, to be reborn again, like the god Dionysus, in early spring next year. The sun was considered to have been “stinged” by some poisonous creature (by the way, in this area of ​​the sky there is also the constellation Snake!), “as a result of which it was sick” all winter, remaining weak and pale. According to classical Greek mythology, this is the same Scorpio that stung the giant Orion and was hidden by the goddess Hera on the diametrically opposite part of the celestial sphere. It was he, the heavenly Scorpio, who most frightened the unfortunate Phaeton, the son of the god Helios, who decided to ride across the sky on his fiery chariot, without listening to his father’s warnings. Other peoples gave this constellation their names. For example, for the inhabitants of Polynesia it seemed like a fishing hook, with which the god Maun pulled out an island from the depths of the Pacific Ocean New Zealand. The Mayan Indians associated this constellation with the name Yalagau, which means “Lord of Darkness.” According to many astronomers, the sign of Scorpio is the most sinister - a symbol of death. It seemed especially scary when the planet of disasters - Saturn - appeared in it. Scorpio is a constellation where new stars often flare up, in addition, this constellation is rich in bright star clusters.

WHO IS THE STAR SAGITTARIUS AIMING AT?

By ancient greek mythology The wisest of the centaurs, Chiron, the son of the god Chronos and the goddess Themis, created the first model of the celestial sphere. At the same time, he reserved one place in the Zodiac for himself. But he was ahead of him by the insidious centaur Krotos, who took his place by deception and became the constellation Sagittarius. And after his death, the god Zeus turned Chiron himself into the constellation Centaur. That's how two centaurs ended up in the sky. Even Scorpio himself is afraid of the evil Sagittarius, at whom he aims with a bow. Sometimes you can find an image of Sagittarius in the form of a centaur with two faces: one facing backward, the other forward. In this way he resembles the Roman god Janus. The first month of the year, January, is associated with the name Janus. And the Sun is in Sagittarius in winter. Thus, the constellation seems to symbolize the end of the old and the beginning of the new year, with one of its faces looking into the past, and the other into the future. In the direction of the constellation Sagittarius is the center of our Galaxy. If you look at a star map, the Milky Way also passes through the constellation Sagittarius. Like Scorpio, Sagittarius is very rich in beautiful nebulae. Perhaps this constellation, more than any other, deserves the name “celestial treasury.” Many star clusters and the nebulae are strikingly beautiful.

WHERE WILL CAPRICORN GO?

Capricorn - mythical creature with the body of a goat and the tail of a fish. According to the most common ancient Greek legend the goat-footed god Pan, son of Hermes, patron of shepherds, was frightened by the hundred-headed giant Typhon and threw himself into the water in horror. From then on he became a water god and grew a fish tail. Transformed into a constellation by the god Zeus, Capricorn became the ruler of the waters and the harbinger of storms. It was believed that he sent abundant rains to the earth. According to another legend, this is the goat Amalthea, who fed Zeus with her milk. The Indians called this constellation Makara, i.e. a miracle dragon, also half goat, half fish. Some peoples depicted him as a half-crocodile - half-bird. Similar ideas existed in South America. When the Sun entered the constellation Capricorn, the Indians celebrated New Year, wearing masks depicting goat heads for ceremonial dances. But the indigenous Australians called the constellation Capricorn the constellation Kangaroo, which celestial hunters are chasing in order to kill it and roast it on a big fire. Many ancient peoples revered the goat as a sacred animal, and services were held in honor of the goat. People dressed in sacred clothes made of goat skins and brought a gift to the gods - a sacrificial goat. It is with such customs and with this constellation that the idea of ​​the “scapegoat” - Azazel - is associated. Azazel - (scapegoat) - the name of one of the goat-shaped gods, demons of the desert. On the so-called day of scapegoating, two goats were selected: one for sacrifice, the other for release into the desert. Of the two goats, the priests chose which one would be for God and which one would be for Azazel. First, a sacrifice was made to God, and then another goat was brought to the high priest, on which he laid his hands and thereby, as it were, transferred to him all the sins of the people. And after that the goat was released into the desert. The desert was a symbol underground kingdom and a natural place for sins. The constellation Capricorn is located in the lower part of the ecliptic. Perhaps this gave rise to the idea of ​​the underworld. About 2 thousand years ago, the winter solstice point was located in the constellation Capricorn. The ancient philosopher Macrobius believed that the Sun, having passed the lowest point, begins to climb upward, like a mountain goat striving for the top.

WHERE DOES AQUARIUS POUR WATER?

This constellation was called Hydrochos by the Greeks, Acuarius by the Romans, and Sakib-al-ma by the Arabs. All this meant the same thing: a man pouring water. The Greek myth about Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, the only people who escaped from global flood. The name of the constellation really leads to the “homeland of the Flood” in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In some letters ancient people- Sumerians - these two rivers are depicted flowing from the vessel of Aquarius. The eleventh month of the Sumerians was called the “month of the water curse.” According to the Sumerians, the constellation Aquarius was located in the center of the “heavenly sea”, and therefore foreshadowed the rainy season. It was identified with God, who warned people about the flood. This legend of the ancient Sumerians is similar to the biblical tale of Noah and his family - the only people saved from the flood in the ark. In Egypt, the constellation Aquarius was observed in the sky on the days of the highest water level in the Nile River. It was believed that the god of water, Knemu, was throwing a huge ladle into the Nile. It was also believed that the White and Blue Nile rivers, tributaries of the Nile, flow from the vessels of God. It is possible that the legend about one of the labors of Hercules is connected with the constellation Aquarius - the cleaning of the Augean stables (for which the hero needed to dam three rivers).

PISCES CLOSES THE RING OF THE ZODIAC CONSTELLATIONS

The very arrangement of the stars in the sky suggests the idea of ​​two fish tied together with a ribbon or rope. The origin of the name of the constellation Pisces is very ancient and, apparently, is associated with Phoenician mythology. The Sun entered this constellation just in time for the rich fishing. The goddess of fertility was depicted as a woman with a fish tail, which, as legend has it, appeared when she and her son, frightened by a monster, threw themselves into the water. A similar legend existed among the ancient Greeks. Only they believed that Aphrodite and her son Eros had turned into fish: they walked along the river bank, but frightened by the evil Typhon, they threw themselves into the water and were saved by turning into fish. Aphrodite became the southern Pisces, and Eros became the northern Pisces.

Stars have always been attractive to humans. Once upon a time in ancient times they were an object of worship. And modern researchers, based on the study of these celestial bodies, were able to predict how the Universe will exist in the future. Stars attract people with their beauty and mystery.

Nearest star

Currently already collected a large number of interesting facts about stars. Perhaps every reader will be curious to know that the closest celestial body of this category in relation to the Earth is the Sun. The star is located 150 million km away from us. The sun is classified by astronomers as a yellow dwarf, but by scientific standards it is a star average size. Scientists estimate that solar fuel will last for another 7 billion years. But when it ends, our star will quickly turn into a red giant. The size of the Sun will be increased many times. It will devour the nearest planets - Venus, Mercury, and possibly the Earth.

Formation of luminaries

Another interesting fact about stars is that all luminaries have the same chemical composition. All stars contain the same substances that make up the entire Universe. They are largely made from the same material. For example, the Sun is 70% hydrogen and 29% helium. The question of the composition of luminaries is also closely related to how stars are born. Typically, the process of star formation begins in a gas cloud consisting of cold molecular hydrogen.

Gradually it begins to shrink more and more. When compression occurs in parts, in fragments, stars are formed from these pieces. The material becomes more and more compact, gathering into a ball. At the same time, it continues to shrink, because the forces of its own gravity act on it. This process occurs until the temperature in the center becomes capable of starting the process of nuclear fusion. The source gas that makes up all stars was originally formed during the Big Bang. It is 74% hydrogen and 29% helium.

The influence of opposing forces in the stars

We looked at how stars are born, but no less interesting are the laws that govern their lives. Each of the luminaries seems to be in conflict with itself. On the one hand, they have gigantic masses, as a result of which the star is constantly compressed under the force of gravity. On the other hand, inside the star there is a hot gas that exerts enormous pressure. Nuclear fusion processes produce enormous amounts of energy. Before reaching the surface of a star, photons must pass through all its layers - sometimes this process takes up to 100 thousand years.

Those who want to know everything about stars will probably be interested in what happens to the star during its life. As it becomes brighter, it gradually turns into a red giant. When the processes of nuclear fusion inside the star stop, then nothing can hold back the pressure of those layers of gas that are closer to the surface. The star is destroyed, I transform into white dwarf or a black hole. It is quite possible that those luminaries that we have the opportunity to observe in the night sky have no longer existed for a long time. After all, they are located very far from us, and it takes billions of years for light to reach the Earth.

Biggest star

You can learn many interesting facts about stars by studying mysterious world Universe. Looking at the night sky, dotted with bright luminaries, it is easy to feel tiny. The largest star is in the Scutum constellation. It's called UY Shield. Since its discovery, it has been considered the largest, surpassing such giants as Betelgeuse, VY Canis Major. Its radius is 1,700 times the solar radius and is 1,321,450,000 miles.

If you put this luminary instead of the Sun, then the first thing it will do is destroy the five closest planets and go beyond the orbit of Jupiter. Anyone who would like to know everything about the stars can add this fact to their knowledge base. There are astronomers who believe that UY Scuti could even reach Saturn. One can only be glad that it is located at a distance of 9500 light years from solar system.

Binary star systems

The luminaries in the sky form various clusters among themselves. They can be dense or, conversely, scattered. One of the first advances in astronomy that occurred after the invention was the discovery of double stars. It turns out that luminaries, like people, prefer to form pairs with each other. The first of these duets was the pair Mizar in the constellation Ursa Major. The discovery belongs to the Italian astronomer Riccoli. In 1804, astronomer W. Herschel compiled a catalog describing 700 double stars. It is believed that most of Such luminaries are located in the Milky Way galaxy.

Those who want to know everything about stars may be interested in the definition of a double star. Essentially, these are two luminaries that revolve in the same orbit. They have the same center of mass, and these stars are connected by gravitational forces. It is interesting that in addition to binaries, there are systems of three, four, five and even six members in the Universe. The latter are very rare. An example is Castor, the main star of Gemini. It consists of 6 objects. A double satellite orbits a pair of luminaries, which are also pairs.

Why do we need to group luminaries into constellations?

We continue to consider the most Interesting Facts about the stars. The entire star map is divided into special sections. They are called constellations. In ancient times, people were animals - for example, Leo, Fish, Snake. The names of various mythological heroes(Orion). Currently, astronomers also use these names to designate one of the 88 areas of the vast sky.

Constellations and stars in the sky are needed to facilitate the search for various objects. Also on constellation maps, the ecliptic is usually indicated - a dotted line that indicates the trajectory of the Sun. The 12 constellations that are located along this line are called Zodiacal.

The closest star to the solar system

The closest star to us is This star very bright, it looks like our Sun. It is slightly smaller in size, and its light has a slightly orange tint. This is due to the fact that the temperature on its surface is slightly lower - about 4800 o C, while the temperature of our star reaches 5800 o C.

Other neighboring luminaries

Another of our neighbors is a star called Barnard. It was named after astronomer Edward Barnard, who was rumored to be the keenest observer on earth. This modest star is located in the constellation Ophiuchus. According to the classification, this star is a red dwarf, one of the most common types of stars in space. There are also many red dwarfs located not far from Earth, for example, Lalande 21 185, as well as UV Ceti.

There is another star located near the solar system - Wolf 359. It is located in the constellation Leo, scientists classify it as a red giant. Not far from the Sun is also located bright Sirius, which is sometimes called the “Dog Star” (it is located in the constellation Canis Major). In 1862, astronomers discovered that Sirius is a double star. The stars Sirius A and Sirius B rotate relative to each other with a period of 50 years. The average distance between the luminaries is approximately 20 times greater than the distance from the Earth to the Sun.

In ancient times, people believed that the stars were silver nails driven into the firmament - the “crystal dome of the sky.” On a cloudless night you can see a lot of stars in the sky. They differ from each other in shine, color, and size (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Starry sky

Previously, people who studied the stars were called astrologers. Later they got another name - astronomers(translated from Greek “astro” means star). Astronomers have found that stars are spherical hot gas bodies.

The stars vary in size. Many of them are much larger than the Sun. These are giant stars. There are some that are smaller than the Sun, they are called dwarf stars.

The starry sky is conventionally divided into areas with strictly established boundaries. They are called constellations. For a long time, people have given them names, for example, the constellations Wolf, Chanterelle, Cancer, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Hercules, Hare, etc. Scientists believe that the constellation Ursa Major has the most ancient name (Fig. 3). In the starry sky this constellation is the most noticeable and looks like big ladle. Not far from it you can see a small bucket - the constellation Ursa Minor. In this constellation there is a bright star from which the handle of the small dipper begins. They call it Polar. polar Star located above the North Pole and has long been used for navigation - it serves as a reference point to the north.

Rice. 3. Constellation Ursa Major. This constellation is the most noticeable in the starry sky

This legend has come down to us from the ancient Greeks. Once upon a time, in time immemorial, King Lyokaon, who ruled Arcadia, had a beautiful daughter, Callisto. She competed in beauty with the goddess Hera, the wife of the almighty Zeus. The jealous goddess turned Callisto into an ugly bear. When Callisto's son, young Arcas, returning from a hunt, saw a bear at the door of his house, he wanted to kill her. But almighty Zeus did not allow the crime. He held Arkas's hand, and Callisto took it to the sky, turning it into a beautiful constellation.

Currently there are 88 constellations. To make it easy to navigate among the many stars, scientists created a map of the starry sky (Fig. 4).

When we look at the sky, it seems to us that all the stars included in the constellation are close to each other. In fact, the stars of the same constellation are at great distances from each other.

Rice. 4. Star map

Observing the stars, you can notice that they differ from each other in brightness. There is a scale of their brightness - from the first to the sixth magnitude.

The brightest ones are called stars of the first magnitude. The color of stars depends greatly on their temperature. Scientists have found that the hottest stars are white or slightly bluish in color. Less hot ones, such as our Sun, are yellow or orange color. Red stars are the coldest. In the most beautiful constellation of Orion is the first magnitude star Rigel. This white giant emits as much light as 27 00 ° Suns combined! The light from it travels to the Earth for 600 years.

Stars that are barely visible from Earth with the naked eye are - sixth magnitude.

The stars in the sky can be observed with binoculars and a telescope (Fig. 5). But these devices give a very small magnification. In order not only to observe, but also to study stars, scientists created telescope(translated from Greek “tele” - far and "skopos" - observer). A telescope is a very complex instrument; gives an increase of 500 times (Fig. 6). As a rule, it is installed in special rooms - observatories. They are built far from large cities, preferably in the mountains, where the air is less polluted by smoke and dust.

Rice. 5. School telescope and binoculars - instruments with which to observe stars

Rice. 6. Telescope

The stars are in constant motion. Telescopic observations make it possible to determine their movement.

Look at Figure 7; it depicts the changing appearance of the constellation Ursa Major over 100,000 years. The location of the stars continues to change today.

Rice. 7. Change in the appearance of the constellation Ursa Major over 100 thousand years

A little history. From time immemorial, people have observed the movement of the Moon and the Sun in the sky. Full picture first created the world Claudius Ptolemy(c. 90–160 AD), Greek by nationality. He believed that the spherical Earth occupies a central stationary position, and around it they move in circular orbits. celestial bodies: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. This idea of ​​the Earth as the center of the world, despite doubts expressed about its correctness, lasted in science for 14 centuries.

K. Ptolemy and his world system

In the middle of the 16th century. Polish scientist Nicolaus Copernicus(1473–1543) proposed his theory, according to which the Sun is at the center of the system, and all the planets, including the Earth, move around it in circular orbits. Copernicus believed that the movements of the luminaries observed in the sky can be explained by the fact that the Earth simultaneously rotates around its axis and around the Sun. However, Copernicus failed to prove the validity of his proposed new system peace. In 1616, Copernicus’s work “On the Rotation of the Celestial Spheres” was included by the Catholic Church in the “Index of Prohibited Books.” This shameful ban lasted for more than 200 years.

N. Copernicus and his world system

The teachings of Nicolaus Copernicus were expanded and developed by the great Italian scientist Giordano Bruno(1548–1600). He devoted almost his entire life to popularizing the teachings of Copernicus. Bruno suggested that there are many worlds similar to ours; that the Sun is not the only star in the Universe around which planets revolve.

Giordano Bruno (1548–1600)

Representatives of the Inquisition did not like Bruno's public appearances. He was captured and imprisoned for eight years. The Church demanded that Bruno renounce his ideas. But Bruno remained unshaken, and then he was burned at the stake.

However, observations of the starry sky continued. Italian physicist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, who built the world's first telescope, on January 7, 1610, saw through it a lunar landscape with craters and hills that struck him with extraordinary beauty. Another achievement of Galileo was the discovery of the moons of Jupiter. Before this, Earth was the only planet with a known satellite. Galileo's research confirmed the correctness of Copernicus' teachings. Catholic Church accused Galileo of deviating from the Holy Scriptures, and in 1633 the Inquisition carried out a trial that ended with “solemn repentance” and Galileo’s public renunciation of “errors.” Then came house arrest.

Galileo Galilei (1564–1642)

There is a legend that after renouncing the Copernican theory, Galileo exclaimed: “Eppur si muove!” (“And yet she spins!”). In fact, such words were not uttered either on the day of the renunciation or later. And yet, the unspoken legendary phrase is believed to express the actual beliefs of Galileo Galilei.

1. What are stars?

2. How do stars differ in color and brightness?

3. What is a constellation?

4. With what instruments can you observe the starry sky?

1. Carefully look at the star map.

2. Find the constellations: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor. Count how many stars are included in each of them.

3. Find the North Star. What constellation is it in?

4. Find the constellations Cassiopeia, Draco, Canes Venatici. Carefully consider the location of the stars included in the constellations. Draw the constellations and write their names.

5. In the evening, look at the starry sky with adults. Try to find the constellations that you sketched in your notebook.