Constellation pinyin

The pinyin of the constellation is xěng zuī.

Constellation refers to one of the indispensable components of astrology, and also refers to the combination of stars in the sky. Since ancient times, human beings have associated three or five stars with their mythical figures or artifacts, which are called "constellations". Constellation is a means to determine the orientation of the sky in almost all civilizations and is widely used in the field of navigation.

The division of constellations is completely artificial, and different civilizations have different divisions and names. Constellations have no uniform and precise boundaries. Until 1930, in order to unify the complicated constellation division, the International Astronomical Union divided the sky into 88 official constellations with precise boundaries, so that every star in the sky belonged to a specific constellation.

Significance and application

In ancient times, the rise and fall of stars or constellations were often used to navigate and determine time. Ancient Egypt determined the beginning of a year by observing the rise of Sirius. In some areas, the ancient technology of determining position by observing stars still remains. Constellations and the literary images they represent often appear in the works of literati.

Although the importance of constellations has been relatively reduced in modern times, they have not lost their charm for astronomy lovers. Through its fascinating legend, constellations have played an extremely important role in the popularization of astronomy. Whenever there is a major astronomical phenomenon, astronomers, popular science workers and the media will always set off an astronomical upsurge in society, especially among young people.