These checklists and the additional exercises (at the bottom of this page) are required for the Gold Level certification (certificate and pin).  You must also complete the Obsolete Constellation checklist (the Silver Level).

In studying the constellations and star groups of other cultures, it is important to note the similarities and differences. Many cultures, for instance, saw a pattern in what we call the asterism the Big Dipper. However, their lore and traditions may be different than ours, or may have changed over time. To meet the requirements of this portion, all the information provided for the Obsolete Constellations should be provided, as well as answering these 5 questions for each grouping researched and sketched:

1. Does the selected and sketched pattern resemble any known asterism or official constellation that we use today? If so, which one(s)?
2. Did the culture in this section have a similar mythology (e.g. dogs, hunter, boat, etc.)?
3. If yes, describe any material differences in either the figure’s star pattern as imagined by the culture, and / or the difference in the mythology.
4. Is it likely that this star group, for this culture, may have been influenced by older or adjacent cultures? If so, whom?
5. If, for this culture, this group was significant for calendar, crop, or social events, describe what was involved, and how the timing or the appearance of the group was important or useful.

Special Note:

• Please note, that due to issues with differing research interpretations of some of the ancient constellations, you can substitute another constellation from the same culture if you are having difficulty identifying specific constellations of other cultures.
• For example:  Te Te – The 2 Groups (Akkadian).  This may be replaced by another constellation from the same culture (Asian) as long as all of the requirements of the program are met using the new constellation.

These constellations are a bit more of a challenge than the obsolete constellations.  We have included websites that are helpful under source.  If you discover other helpful websites, please let the Coordinator know.  We suggest asking your local library to see if they can get a copy of the books mentioned.

Native American Star Groups (20):

Asian Star Groups (10):

Central and South American Star Groups (5):

African Star Groups (5):

Flock of Birds (Sotho)PDF File

Australian Star Groups (5) (Note: only a portion of some of these are visible in the north):

Pacific Islanders Star Groups (5):

Additional Exercises:

1. Do you have a star group or groups that you enjoy that is not one of the “official” constellations? If so, sketch them on the observing form (remember to complete all required data), and answer these questions:
   1. Do you associate the star group with any date or season, or memory of its “discovery” by you?
   2. What does the figure look like (e.g. horse, king, spoon, etc.)?
   3. Do you have a story or anecdote you would like to share about this star group?
2. Sketch the following on the provided log sheet (none of the usual data is required, other than your name):
   1. The Sun is an average star, so it is not seen as spectacularly bright from other star systems as in our sky. But, assuming you could see it, and you were on a planet at the following stars, where would the Sun appear in your sky, and how would the official constellation it is “in” change from what we see here? For simplicity, assume all the other stars stay in the same relative place.
      1. Alpha Centauri
      2. Deneb
      3. Betelgeuse
   2. 12,000 years ago, at the dawn of agriculture, the precession of the equinoxes not only gave us a different North Pole Star (Vega) but caused some of the constellations we see easily now to be invisible from around 40 deg N latitude. For simplicity, ignore any changes that may have occurred over the centuries due to star proper motion.
      1. Name 2 official or alternate constellations we see now that were probably hard to see then, and sketch the southern horizon at their highest point, including both groups in the sketch
      2. Name 2 official or alternate constellations we have difficulty seeing now that would have been easy then, and repeat the sketching exercise for those 2 groups
      3. Given this, are there any alternate, official or non-European groups that make more sense if we consider that they may have been “discovered” long ago? If so, name it and indicate (with a separate sketch) how it looked at its highest point 12,000 years ago.