Constellations

I am a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and currently sit on the council. I presented a series of astronomy talks on YouTube called ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Cosmos. I also present lectures on cruise ships all over the world, and to various clubs and societies at home. I have a monthly astronomy feature on BBC Radio York and my own weekly Astronomy Show on a community radio station called Drystone Radio, which can be heard on line. I also write a monthly ‘What’s in the night sky?’ feature for the Craven Herald newspaper which covers the Yorkshire Dales.

Episodes

Vulpecula the Fox

March 22, 2021 • 3 mins

Introduced by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in the 1680s this faint constellation was orginally called Vulpecula cum Anser, the Fox and Goose. Since then however the goose is no more!!

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Volans the Flying Fish

March 22, 2021 • 2 mins

This constellation on the bordres with Carina was introduced on the Uranometria star map by Johann Bayer in 1603.

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Virgo the Virgin

March 21, 2021 • 7 mins

The 2nd largest constellation in the sky. many myths are associated with this constellation, which has usually been seen as a beautiful and virtuous maiden.

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Vela the Sails

March 20, 2021 • 4 mins

Formerly a part of the ancient constellation of Argo Navis, representing the ship of Jason and the Argonauts, until that vessel was broken up by the French astronomer Lacaille in the 1750s.

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Ursa Minor the Lesser Bear

March 19, 2021 • 5 mins

Ursa Minor contains the present North Pole Star which lies within one degree of the North Celestial Pole, this star is called Polaris.

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Ursa Major the Great Bear

March 19, 2021 • 12 mins

The 3rd largest constellation in the sky. Its central feature is the seven stars that make up the shape variously called the Plough or Big Dipper, this is probably the best known of all the star patterns.

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Tucana the Toucan

March 19, 2021 • 4 mins

A constellation near the South Pole of the sky, introduced by Johann Bayer on his uranometria star chart of 1603.

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Triangulum Australe the Southern Triangle

March 18, 2021 • 2 mins

A small but readily distinguishable constellation introduced in 1603 by the German astronomer Johann Bayer as a southern equivalent of the northern triangle, Triangulum.

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Triangulum the Triangle

March 18, 2021 • 4 mins

A small but distictive constellation lying between Andromeda and Aries, consisiting of three main stars that form a thin delta shape; the Greek referred to it as Deltoton.

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Telescopium the Telescope

March 18, 2021 • 1 min

A constellation invented by the Frenchman Lacaille to honour the most important of astronomical instruments. As with so many of Lacaille's constellations it is faint and contrived.

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Taurus the Bull

March 17, 2021 • 8 mins

One of the most ancient constellations, Taurus has been known to peoples throughout the world since the dawn of civilization, for the bull's strength and fertility mean it has always held an honoured place in ceremony and religion.

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Sextant the Sextant

March 16, 2021 • 1 min

A barren constellation south of Leo, introduced in the 1680s by the Polish astronomer Hevelius. It commemorates the instrument he used for observing star positions.

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Serpens the Serpent

March 16, 2021 • 3 mins

An ancient constellation, representing a serpent wound around the body of the serpent bearer, Ophiuchus. In fact Serpens is split into two halves, one either side of Ophiuchus, Serpens Caput, the Head and Serpens Cauda, the Tail.

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Scutum the Shield

March 15, 2021 • 2 mins

A faint constellation between Aquila and Serpens, introduced in the 1680s by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in honour of his patron, King John Sobieski III.

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Sculptor the Sculptor

March 15, 2021 • 2 mins

One of the faint and half forgotten constellations introduced in the 1750s by Lacaille to fill in the southern hemisphere. This constellation represents a sculptor's workshop, for reasons that remain obscure.

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Scorpius the Scorpion

March 14, 2021 • 10 mins

A resplendent constellation lying ina rich area of the Milky Way, and packed with excitingobjects for people to see either with the naked eye or small telescopes.

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Sagittarius the Archer

March 13, 2021 • 15 mins

An ancient constellation depicting a centaur, half man, half beast, with a raised bow and arrow. Sagittarius has been visualised this way since at least the times of ancient Greece.

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Sagitta the Arrow

March 12, 2021 • 4 mins

Despite its small size, it is the 3rd smallest constellation in the sky, this distinctive arrow shaped group was known to the ancient Greeks.

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Reticulum the Net

March 12, 2021 • 2 mins

A small faint constellation introduced in the 1750s by Lacaille to commemorate an instrument known as the reticule which he used for measuring the positions on his survey of the southern sky.

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Pyxis the Compass

March 11, 2021 • 2 mins

The smallest and least impressive of the four parts into which the constellation of Argo Navis was divided in the 1750s by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.

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Constellations

Episodes

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Volans the Flying Fish

Virgo the Virgin

Vela the Sails

Ursa Minor the Lesser Bear

Ursa Major the Great Bear

Tucana the Toucan

Triangulum Australe the Southern Triangle

Triangulum the Triangle

Telescopium the Telescope

Taurus the Bull

Sextant the Sextant

Serpens the Serpent

Scutum the Shield

Sculptor the Sculptor

Scorpius the Scorpion

Sagittarius the Archer

Sagitta the Arrow

Reticulum the Net

Pyxis the Compass

Popular Podcasts

Vulpecula the Fox

Volans the Flying Fish