As long as people have been looking at the sky they have been able to see shapes and patterns in the stars. The kinds of patterns people saw depended on the myths and legends that were part of their culture.
Constellation of Orion
Source: Nasa
Today, astronomers divide the sky into 88 different regions or constellations. The constellations in the northern hemisphere are mostly based on stories from the Middle East and Mediterranean region that date back more than 2000 years. Some southern constellations are much younger (circa 15th and 16th centuries) and are named after scientific equipment such as Caelum, the chisel and Norma, the level.
The Melbourne Planetarium has created a series of "Sky Tours for Binoculars" for each major constellation visible in the southern sky.
Canis Major, the large dog, is one of the hunting dogs of Orion the hunter. It can be found near Orion in the night sky and is prominent after sunset during summer.
Crux is the small constellation more commonly known as the Southern Cross for the shape made by the four brightest stars. The two bright stars near the Cross, known as the Pointers, are not part of this constellation but are part of the neighbouring constellation, Centaurus.
The constellation of Gemini, the Twins, contains the two bright stars Castor and Pollux. Gemini is visible in our northern summer skies and is one of the constellations of the Zodiac, in which we find the Sun, Moon and planets.
The constellation of Orion is one of the most impressive sights in the night sky. From Melbourne it is best seen in the summer, when it dominates our northern skies.
Of all the constellations in the Zodiac - the region where we find the Sun, Moon and planets - Sagittarius is the furthest south. This means it is highest in our part of the world, passing overhead in our evening skies during late winter.
The constellation of Scorpius can be found in our evening skies in winter. These stars are directly overhead during August at about 9:00 pm.
The constellation of Taurus can be found next to Orion and represents a mythical giant bull, which is confronting the Hunter, Orion. From Melbourne, it is best seen during summer, when it is in our northern skies.