Asterism
Contents
Image: An example of an asterism, The Big Dipper in
Ursa Major, is a familar pattern of stars in North America.
In the United Kingdom the same stars form a similar pattern
known as The Plough.
Credit: K.R.Carr/Stellarium
Overview
An asterism is a pattern of a familar object formed by a group of stars that are not necessarily in the same constellation. Examples of asterisms are the teapot in Sagittarius, the Plough in Ursa Major, the big dipper in Ursa Major, the winter triangle and the summer triangle.
Table of asterisms
| Asterism | Constellation(s) | Formed by |
|---|---|---|
| The Plough | Ursa Major | |
| Big Dipper | Ursa Major | |
| Orion's Belt | Orion | Alnitak, Anilam, Mintaka |
| Sword of Orion | Orion | |
| Square of Pegasus | Pegasus, Andromeda | |
| The Teapot | Sagittarius | |
| Summer Triangle | Aquila, Cygnus, Lyra | Altair, Deneb, Vega |
| Winter Triangle | Orion, Canis Minor, Canis Major | Betelgeuse, Procyon, Sirius |
| The Double-U or 'W' or 'M' | Cassiopeia | |
| The Flying Minnow | Auriga | |
| The Coathanger or Brocchi's Cluster | Vulpecula |
