An Example

One of the most famous constellations is Orion, which can be seen in most of the Northern hemisphere in the winter.

The Constellation Orion Click on the image for a larger view. Copyright Bernd Mienert. Courtesy of the Astronomical Image Data Archive.

When the ancient Greeks saw Orion, the shape reminded them of a hunter. They told the story of Orion, a brave but arrogant hunter who was killed by a scorpion. The gods put Orion in the sky, where he chases his prey but runs away from Scorpius, the Scorpion.

The image below shows how the stars connect to form the shape of Orion the hunter:

Orion the Hunter Copyright Richard Dibon-Smith. Courtesy of The Constellations web page.

The bright stars Betelgeuse and Bellatrix mark Orion's shoulders, while Saiph and Rigel mark his feet. The three bright stars between his shoulders and feet are his belt, and three fainter stars below the belt are his sword. The stars above Betelgeuse form his raised right arm, while the six stars to the right of Bellatrix form his bow.