Groups of stars that form recognizable patterns in the night sky, often named after animals, objects, or mythological figures.
From Latin 'constellatio,' combining 'con-' (together) and 'stella' (star). The word literally means 'stars together' and entered English through Old French, used to describe the grouped stars ancient people named.
Constellations are human inventions—the same stars look like completely different animals and shapes to different cultures; for example, what Western cultures see as a 'Big Dipper' is a 'Great Bear' or a 'Cosmic Chariot' in other cultures, proving that humans are natural pattern-makers.
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