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constellation Definition

con·stel·la·tion (kän′stə lā′s̸hən)

noun

    1. a group of stars in the sky, usually named after some object, animal, or mythological being that it supposedly resembles or suggests
    2. the area of the sky assigned to such a group of stars: currently the sky is considered to have 88 constellations
  2. any brilliant cluster, gathering, or collection
  3. Astrol. the grouping of celestial bodies at any particular time, esp. at a person's birth
  4. Psychol. a group of related thoughts or feelings regarded as clustered about one central idea

Etymology: ME constellacion < OFr < LL constellatio < constellatus, set with stars < L com-, with + pp. of stellare, to shine < stella, star

constellation Related Forms
con·stel′·la·to′ry (kən stel′ə tôr′ē) adjective
constellation Synonyms

constellation

n.

group of stars, configuration of stars, zodiac, sign of the zodiac, stars, planets. see also star 1, zodiac.

Commonly recognized constellations include: Southern Cross, Orion, Cancer, Taurus, Big Dipper, Ursa Major, Great Bear, Little Dipper, Little Bear, Ursa Minor, Leo, Leo Minor, Draco, Pegasus, Aries, Gemini, Virgo, Aquarius, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn, Sagittarius, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Cygnus, Pictor, Pisces;

constellation Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • recognize: Early astrologers recognized only one constellation of ' the Dog ' , that which we call Canis Major today.
  • describe: The button second from left will load a text file describing a constellation.

Adjective modifier

  • zodiacal: A very definite sense of place arises from living within a Zodiacal constellation.
  • faint: Cassini - Nasa Saturn lies in the faint constellation of Cancer, the Crab, close to the Beehive Cluster.
  • southern: Principal Stars and Features: Located between Corvus the Crow and Hydra the water snake, Crater is a small southern hemisphere constellation.
  • prominent: Taurus is located north west of the prominent constellation, Orion.
  • visible: Back to text 2 ] This zodiac is, of course, an imaginary device, which no longer tallies with the visible constellations.
  • familiar: Students may use chalk to draw a few familiar constellations on the underside of the opened umbrella.

Modifies a noun

  • ophiuchus: From the direction of the constellation Ophiuchus, near to Scorpius.
  • Aquila: W43A is about 8,500 light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Aquila, the eagle.
  • Cygnus: The Egg Nebula is located 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus.

Noun used with modifier

  • zodiac: The constellation is one of the twelve zodiac constellations.
  • satellite: Track progress of the various satellite constellation schemes by checking for new articles.. .
  • twelve: The creation of a series of twelve constellations to match the twelve months naturally came later.
  • star: Which star constellations can be used to navigate by?
  • winter: This month we will be looking for the winter constellation of Hydra, the Snake.

Preposition: in

  • sky: The ninth largest constellation in the sky, over 100 of its stars are visible to the unaided eye.

Preposition: of

  • zodiac: They are, essentially, the constellations of the zodiac.
  • satellite: A full constellation of 24 satellites was achieved in 1994.
  • star: On 28 June 2006, a constellation of compassionate stars showed up to party with PETA at Stella's boutique in Mayfair, London.
constellation Quotes

New York is one of the capitals of the world and Los Angeles is a constellation of plastic. San Francisco is a lady, Boston has become Urban Renewal, Philadelphia and Baltimore and Washington blink like dull diamonds in the smog of Eastern Megalopolis, and New Orleans is unremarkable past the French Quarter. Detroit is a one- trade town, Pittsburgh has lost its golden triangle. St Louis has become the golden arch of the corporation, and nights in Kansas City close early. The oil depletion allowance makes Houston and Dallas naught but checkerboards for this sort of game. But Chicago is a great American city. Perhaps it is the last of the great American cities.

—Mailer, Norman Kingsley

Wer zeigt ein Kind, so wie es steht? Wer stellt es ins Gestirn und gibt das MaÞ des Abstands ihm in die Hand? Who shows a child as he really is? Who sets him in his constellation and puts the measuring-rod of distance in his hand?

—Rilke, Rainer Maria