Asterisms (astronomy)

Asterisms are recognizable patterns of stars in the night sky that are smaller than constellations. Unlike official constellations, which have defined boundaries, asterisms can be informal groupings based on how stars appear from Earth. For example, the Big Dipper is an asterism formed by seven bright stars from the constellation Ursa Major. Asterisms are used by stargazers for navigation and as reference points to identify other celestial objects, making them an important part of astronomy and the way we connect with the night sky.