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The Earth is a sphere. An observer looking up can only see the stars on their side of the planet. As the Earth rotates, it exposes the observer to the other stars visible to their hemisphere.

Simply put, the earth gets in the way. If the earth were to disappear and you were floating in space, you could freely look around at the celestial sphere and observe the constellations. The number of constellations visible would be limited only by the range of your vision, which still would be insufficient to see in every direction simultaneously.

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How many constellations are circumpolar?

There's no answer to this question, because the definition of circumpolar depends on where you are. If you're at the pole, all the constellations you can see are circumpolar. If you're on the equator, there are no circumpolar constellations.


Why cant you see all constellations throughout the year?

As we orbit the sun certain constellations are actually in the sky during the day. It is then too bright to see them. If you put a lamp in the middle of a room and stared at it, it would be difficult to see what is behind it, but if you turn around the things that are behind you are easy to see. If you then go to the other side of the lamp, now the things that were easy to see are hard to see because the lamp is in front of them and the things that you couldn't see originally you can see very easily. That is how it is with different constellations as we go around the sun. At different times of year you can see different constellations. Whatever time of year it is, at that time every year, the same constellations are visible.


Do you have see the same stars and constellations at different times of the year?

Yes we do, we all see the same star every night. But if you are in a certain spot you can see the constellations. Not all can see the constellations. If you can you are very lucky.


Do all the constellations have mythical tales?

Yes...all the constellations that we know about do have mythical tales. But the universe is made of millions of constellations. Most of these, we cannot even reach or see. But yes the ones that you see on a clear night do.


Why are some constellations visible only in summer and others only in winter?

First of all - constellations are simply patterns of stars. As Earth travels around the sun once every year (it's orbit), we see all the different stars, in all the different directions in space, as we turn away from the sun every night. So - the constellations we see at NIGHT in the SUMMER are the same ones that are in the DAYTIME sky during the WINTER - we just can't see them because our atmosphere scatters the sun's light during the day.

Related Questions

What constellations aren't in our galaxy?

All the constellations that we see, and there are 88 of them, are all in our galaxy, the Milky Way.


Which constellations can you see from New Zealand?

Almost all of them.


How many constelations are there in our solar system?

There are no constellations in our solar system. All constellations you see are outside our solar system.


How many constellations can be in a galaxy?

Constellations are not real, they are merely patterns of stars we see from our point of view. All of the constellations we see are part of the Milky way Galaxy and so are 10 billion other stars we can't see with the naked eye.


How many constellations are circumpolar?

There's no answer to this question, because the definition of circumpolar depends on where you are. If you're at the pole, all the constellations you can see are circumpolar. If you're on the equator, there are no circumpolar constellations.


Do countries on the equator see all the constellations?

No, but the people who live in them can, if they want to.


Why cant you see all constellations throughout the year?

As we orbit the sun certain constellations are actually in the sky during the day. It is then too bright to see them. If you put a lamp in the middle of a room and stared at it, it would be difficult to see what is behind it, but if you turn around the things that are behind you are easy to see. If you then go to the other side of the lamp, now the things that were easy to see are hard to see because the lamp is in front of them and the things that you couldn't see originally you can see very easily. That is how it is with different constellations as we go around the sun. At different times of year you can see different constellations. Whatever time of year it is, at that time every year, the same constellations are visible.


Do you have see the same stars and constellations at different times of the year?

Yes we do, we all see the same star every night. But if you are in a certain spot you can see the constellations. Not all can see the constellations. If you can you are very lucky.


Do all the constellations have mythical tales?

Yes...all the constellations that we know about do have mythical tales. But the universe is made of millions of constellations. Most of these, we cannot even reach or see. But yes the ones that you see on a clear night do.


Why are some constellations visible only in summer and others only in winter?

First of all - constellations are simply patterns of stars. As Earth travels around the sun once every year (it's orbit), we see all the different stars, in all the different directions in space, as we turn away from the sun every night. So - the constellations we see at NIGHT in the SUMMER are the same ones that are in the DAYTIME sky during the WINTER - we just can't see them because our atmosphere scatters the sun's light during the day.


Are all constellations in the milky way?

Yes. All the stars you see in the sky are in the Milky Way.


Are all constellations visible all the time?

No. As we orbit the Sun different constellations become visible, but we can only see them when it is dark. Constellations are in the sky during daylight, but the Sun is so bright, we cannot see them. A few months after that, they start to be visible in the evenings and soon at night, by which time other constellations are in daylight and cannot be seen. You will see any constellation at the same time of year, every year. So the constellations you see in the night sky tonight are the same as the ones you will see on this date in any other year. The only thing that will differ is where the Moon and planets are.