Build your own planetarium and rotate the constellation plate until it matches the date and time.
Have the direction you are facing (North, South, East or West) pointed towards you, then use the chart to find out which constellations you can see in the sky. Keep track of the constellations in the night sky in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres simply by switching out the constellation plates.
The word constellation comes from a late Latin term cōnstellātiō, which when translated means “set of stars”. These sets of stars are an area on the celestial sphere in which a pattern or outline can be seen. Usually in the forms of animals, inanimate objects or characters from mythology.
There are 88 officially recognised constellations with asterisms being a subset of star patterns and positions used for navigation. Known as astronavigation, this process allows an individual to locate their position using sights or angular measurements between heavenly bodies. This practice was mainly used at sea but now in modern times we use GPS instead.
The most accepted time for constellations to be noted and used by humans is from 3000 BC in Mesopotamia where they were discovered on clay tablets and inscribed on stones. Constellations appear in many ancient cultures including Babylonian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Persian, Greek and Chinese.
- 29 pieces
- Illustrated instructions
- Timber parts, constellation plates
- CHOKING HAZARD: Contains small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
- 2 x AA batteries required
Ages 8 years +