A constellation is a group of stars that makes a recognizable pattern in the night sky. The stars are connected with imaginary lines to form shapes or patterns. Each constellation has a name.
Conduct a safe search on the internet or look in your local library for information about constellations. Answer the following questions:
Find a constellation that forms a polygon. For example, the Big Dipper forms a quadrilateral. What is the name of your constellation?
Describe how your constellation looks. What type of polygon does your constellation form?
Is the polygon regular or irregular? How do you know?
Find a constellation that does not form any polygons. What is the name of this constellation?
Describe what this constellation looks like and explain why it does not form any polygons.
Answer:
The constellation that forms a polygon is the Great Square of Pegasus. It forms a square, which is a regular polygon because all of its sides are equal in length and all of its angles are equal.
The constellation that does not form any polygons is the constellation Orion. It is made up of three stars in a row, with two stars on either side of the middle star. It does not form any polygons because the stars are not connected by imaginary lines.
Constellation that forms a polygon:
One example of a constellation that forms a polygon is Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia forms a five-sided polygon, specifically a pentagon.
Cassiopeia is a prominent constellation in the northern hemisphere. Its shape resembles the letter "W" or "M" depending on its position in the sky. When oriented properly, it forms a pentagon, with two long sides and three shorter sides connecting the stars.
The polygon formed by Cassiopeia is irregular. This is because the sides of the pentagon are not of equal length, and the angles between the sides are not equal.
Constellation that does not form any polygons:
An example of a constellation that does not form any polygons is Orion.
Orion is a well-known constellation in the winter night sky. It is easily identifiable thanks to its distinctive shape, often described as a "belt" of three stars in a straight line, along with additional stars forming a larger pattern around it.
Although Orion consists of several stars connected by imaginary lines, it does not form any recognizable polygon. This is because the stars in Orion are not arranged in a way that would create a closed shape with straight sides. Instead, they form a more irregular and complex pattern.