Constellations and the changing night sky

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   On a camping trip, Ari joins stars with imaginary lines into a named picture. What is a named star pattern like that called?

   • A galaxy
   • A constellation
   • A cluster of stars touching each other
   • An orbit
2. 2.

   Bo reads that astronomers split the whole sky into official constellations. How many does the International Astronomical Union recognize?

   • 7
   • 1922
   • 88
   • 12
3. 3.

   The stars of a constellation look close together on Esme's chart. How far apart are they really?

   • At exactly the same distance
   • Touching, like beads on a string
   • Often very far apart, at different distances
   • Joined by real glowing lines

4. Read this first

   Use this

   Star chart (dot-and-line), Northern Hemisphere, facing north. Seven dots joined by lines make the Big Dipper, part of Ursa Major: four stars form the bowl and three form the handle. The two outer bowl stars are labeled Merak (bottom) and Dubhe (top). A dashed line from Merak through Dubhe reaches a star labeled Polaris.

5. 4.

   Using the chart, which two stars point the way to Polaris, Jun?

   • The three handle stars
   • Merak and Dubhe
   • The two bowl stars nearest the handle
   • Polaris and the Sun
6. 5.

   The Big Dipper on Kira's chart is a famous pattern inside a larger constellation. Which constellation is it part of?

   • Scorpius
   • Polaris
   • Ursa Major
   • Orion
7. 6.

   Using the chart, which star seems to stay still while the others circle it through the night, Luz?

   • Polaris
   • The last star of the handle
   • Merak
   • Dubhe
8. 7.

   From a tent, Milo sees Orion slide from the east toward the west over one night. What causes that motion?

   • Earth orbiting the Sun
   • Earth spinning on its axis
   • The Moon pulling the stars
   • The stars of Orion traveling
9. 8.

   Noah sees different constellations on winter evenings than on summer evenings. What causes that change?

   • Stars switching off in summer
   • The stars changing places
   • Earth's daily spin
   • Earth's trip around the Sun

10. Use this

    not to scale

12. 9.

    Using the orbit diagram, which constellation is in Ren's night sky when Earth is at position A (September)?

    • Orion
    • Scorpius
    • Pisces
    • Virgo
13. 10.

    At position A (September), why can't Zee see Virgo at night?

    Use the picture in question 9.

    • Virgo is on the Sun's side, up in the daytime
    • Earth's spin hides Virgo for the year
    • Virgo's stars stop shining in September
    • Virgo moved to another part of space