A constellation is just a collection of stars that form a recognizable pattern in the sky. They are named for mythical characters and beasts from Greek and Roman mythology and many of them were named by Ptolemy. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is responsible for officially designating constellations. There are 88 constellations recognized by the IAU. Can you name them? About half of the 88 constellations are visible from the northern hemisphere. Some of the constellations are visible year round and these are called circumpolar: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Draco, Camelopardalis, Lacerta, and Lynx.
