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6th grade Constellations and the changing night sky worksheet

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Constellations and the changing night sky

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    Use this

    not to scale

  3. It is December (position B). At about midnight, which constellation is high in Ari's southern sky, and why?

    • Virgo: it sits behind the Sun
    • Pisces: Earth's spin points at it
    • Scorpius: it is closest to Earth then
    • Orion: Earth's night side faces it

  4. Three months after position A, Earth reaches B. Which constellation has replaced Pisces in Bo's midnight sky?

    Use the picture in question 1.

    • Pisces is still there
    • Orion
    • Virgo
    • Scorpius

  5. At position C (March), which constellation can Esme see at midnight, and which is hidden by daylight?

    Use the picture in question 1.

    • Both are hidden: their stars stop in March
    • Both are up through the whole night
    • Pisces is up; Virgo is hidden by daylight
    • Virgo is up; Pisces is hidden by daylight

  6. A star rises about 4 minutes earlier each night. Tonight it rose at 10:00 p.m. About when will it rise 7 nights from now, Jun?

    • About 9:32 p.m.
    • About 10:04 p.m.
    • About 9:56 p.m.
    • About 10:28 p.m.

  7. About 4 minutes earlier each night adds up. After about 30 nights, how much earlier does a star rise, Kira?

    • About 2 hours earlier
    • About 30 minutes earlier
    • About 2 hours later
    • About 4 minutes earlier

  8. In early December, Orion rises at about 8 p.m. (example time). About when will it rise one month later, Luz?

    • About 10 p.m.
    • About 8 p.m. again
    • About 6 p.m.
    • About 7:56 p.m.

  9. A claim says, "Constellations we can't see in summer have stopped shining." Agree or disagree, Noah?

    • Disagree: they are in the daytime sky then
    • Agree: stars rest during the summer
    • Disagree: Earth's spin hides them for months
    • Agree: they moved behind Earth for good

  10. Pia's classmate says the whole sky seems to turn each night because the stars circle Earth. Agree or disagree?

    • Disagree: the sky stays still through the night
    • Disagree: Earth's spin makes the sky seem to turn
    • Agree: the stars circle Earth each day
    • Agree: Earth's orbit turns the sky each night

  11. Every star seems to circle through the night except Polaris. Why does Polaris barely move, Tala?

    • Earth's spin axis points almost at it
    • Polaris is the nearest star to Earth
    • Polaris is the brightest star in the sky
    • Polaris travels along with Earth

  12. Zee's chart shows Altair, Deneb and Vega as the Summer Triangle, yet they belong to three constellations. What is the Summer Triangle?

    • The 89th official constellation
    • An asterism: a known pattern, not one of the 88
    • A constellation of three touching stars
    • A group of three planets
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6th grade Constellations and the changing night sky worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Constellations and the changing night sky. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can say what a constellation is (one of 88 official patterns) and that its stars lie at very different distances.
  • I can explain nightly motion (Earth's spin: east to west, about 15° an hour, circling Polaris) and seasonal change (Earth's orbit).
  • I can use an orbit diagram to say which constellation is in the midnight sky in a given month, and why another is hidden.

Standard: none in middle school (5-ESS1-2 is the Grade 5 PE)

Words to know

constellation: A named star pattern; the IAU recognizes 88 covering the whole sky

asterism: A well-known star pattern that is not one of the 88, like the Big Dipper

Polaris: The North Star, which seems to stay still while the sky turns

circumpolar: Close enough to Polaris to circle it without setting

latitude: How far north or south of the equator you are, in degrees

Common mistakes

Your child thought the stars themselves travel across the sky. The motion we see comes from Earth spinning each day and orbiting each year. Try spinning slowly in a room and watching the walls seem to move.

Your child mixed up Earth's daily spin and its yearly orbit. The spin moves stars across one night; the orbit changes which constellations show from season to season. Try walking around a lamp while turning.

Your child thought stars we can't see have stopped shining. Stars keep shining; daylight, the Sun's glare or outdoor lights hide them. Try looking for a flashlight's beam in a bright room and a dark one.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with constellations and the changing night sky?

Your child thought the stars themselves travel across the sky. The motion we see comes from Earth spinning each day and orbiting each year. Try spinning slowly in a room and watching the walls seem to move.

Are these 6th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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