MAPPING THE STARS
From Comenius to Modern Constellations
let's start with an image
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
From ancient times since Tolomeus (II century AD)
Today
Galilaeus Galilei (1564 - 1642)
Prehistoric men already observed the sky to orient themselves.
Galileo in 16th century used the telescope to make celestial observations. It was an astronomical revolution!
Today, there is a new revolution. New knoledge, new instrumencts. Today, for example, astronomers officially recognize 88 constellations
Later, Claudius Ptolemy, inspired by them listed 48 constellations as part of his star catalogue. (Almagest)
the astronomical revolution of the 17th century. 3 of the most famous astonomies WHO ARE THEY?
Galileus
Comenius
Keplero
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
Subjects of the book: - the sky and the earth (cosmos) - the natural elements (air, water, earth, fire) - plants and animals, man, human life, activities and professions - religion
Orbis Sensualium Pictus
Who was Comenius?
Comenius was a Bohemian educator. He believed that children could learn better through images. So he wrote Orbis Sensualium Pictus (“The World of Sensible Things”), a book for children in Latin and deutsch language.
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
What did Comenius write about the sky?
In his book Comenius showed to his students the stars and other visible and invisible elements that characterize the celestial sphere.
Orbis Sensualium Pictus
THE CELESTIAL SPHERE
Let's read what Comenius wrote
Caelum est Stellatum undique.Stellarum fixarum numerantur plus mille; Siderum vero Septentrionarium, XXI Meridionalium, XVI.
The Heaven is full of Stars every where. There are reckoned above a thousand fixed Stars; but of Constellations toward the North, XXI. toward the South, XVI
THE CELESTIAL SPHERE
Let's continue to read what Comenius wrote about constellations...
Adde Signa, XII Zodiaci.Quodlibet graduum, XXX. Quorum nomina sunt Aries,Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Sub hoc zodiaco cursitant stellae errantes 7, quas vocant planetas, quorum via est circulus in medio zodiaci, dictus ecliptica.
Add to these the XIIsigns of the Zodiaque. every one XXX degrees, whose names are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Under this zodiac there are "running" stars, which they call planets. They describe a circle in the middle of the zodiac, called the ecliptic.
+ INFO
Zodiac Constellations
HOW MANY CONSTELLATIONS DID COMENIUS identify?
"Siderum veroSeptentrionarium, XXI Meridionalium, XVI."
"Add to these the XIIsigns of the Zodiaque."
THE ARMILLARY SPHERE
How did Comenius illustrate the celestial sphere?
The armillary sphere is an ancient model of the sky. You can see the equator, tropics, meridians, and the ecliptic (the apparent road of the Sun). The ecliptic is inside the zodiac band. Armillary sphere was used to show how the stars and planets move around the Earth.
FROM THE ARMILLARY SPHERE TO modern models for studying the sky
A long time ago, Galileo used a simple telescope. Today, we have many modern instruments to study the sky, like the James Webb Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.These telescopes are in space, so they can see the stars and planets clearly. We can use apps and digital models, like “Stellarium,” to explore the stars on our screens!
Hubble Space Telescope
James Webb Space Telescope
STELLARIUM
Stellarium is a computer software and an app.It shows the sky with stars and planets. You can travel in space and time to see how the sky changes. You can also zoom in to see the planets and stars up close. It helps you learn about space in a fun way.
How the sky map has changed?
In the past (1600 and earlier):
Constellations were mostly symbolic groups of stars—shapes people imagined in the sky (like animals, gods, objects). Different cultures had different versions.
STAR MAPS
LET'S LOOK AT THE SKY
Actualy, the sky is divided into sectors. Each sector corresponds to one of the 88 constellations officially recognized in 1922 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).Each constellation today is not just a group of stars "in the shape of..." but a real region of the sky with precise boundaries in celestial coordinates.
Why are the zodiac constellations important in astronomy?
Because the Sun and planets, in its apparent motion, moves precisely within the zodiacal belt.
The zodiac sign is the constellation behind the Sun on the day we were born.
Instruments to study and observe the sky
To study the sky and understand the movement of the celestial sphere, the ancients used the astrolabe.
We can see this with a paper astrolabe...
Or we can see it with Stellarium.
And now,let's play!
START
Pay attention to the instructions, get information about Stellarium, and be the first to answer the question!!
enter the location
select the TIME
Center and zoom
select "constellations" from the panel
+ INFO
remove the atmosphere
A baby borns today.
at the end...
Where was the Sun on the day you were born? What is your astronomical zodiac sign?
Why?
The Babylonians (5th century BC) divided the ecliptic — the Sun’s path across the sky — into 12 parts of 30°, creating the zodiac signs later adopted by the Greeks and Romans.Because of the precession of the equinoxes, the Earth’s axis slowly shifts, and over about 2.500 years, the Sun’s position has moved by roughly 30° — about one zodiac sign. Still, Western astrology uses the fixed positions set by the ancients.
Thanks!
The zodiac constellations
A Modern representation
MAPPING THE STARS
Caterina Abbriano
Created on October 25, 2025
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Women's Presentation
View
Vintage Photo Album
View
Geniaflix Presentation
View
Shadow Presentation
View
Newspaper Presentation
View
Memories Presentation
View
Zen Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
MAPPING THE STARS
From Comenius to Modern Constellations
let's start with an image
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
From ancient times since Tolomeus (II century AD)
Today
Galilaeus Galilei (1564 - 1642)
Prehistoric men already observed the sky to orient themselves.
Galileo in 16th century used the telescope to make celestial observations. It was an astronomical revolution!
Today, there is a new revolution. New knoledge, new instrumencts. Today, for example, astronomers officially recognize 88 constellations
Later, Claudius Ptolemy, inspired by them listed 48 constellations as part of his star catalogue. (Almagest)
the astronomical revolution of the 17th century. 3 of the most famous astonomies WHO ARE THEY?
Galileus
Comenius
Keplero
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
Subjects of the book: - the sky and the earth (cosmos) - the natural elements (air, water, earth, fire) - plants and animals, man, human life, activities and professions - religion
Orbis Sensualium Pictus
Who was Comenius?
Comenius was a Bohemian educator. He believed that children could learn better through images. So he wrote Orbis Sensualium Pictus (“The World of Sensible Things”), a book for children in Latin and deutsch language.
A SHORT HISTORY OF SKY OBSERVATION
What did Comenius write about the sky?
In his book Comenius showed to his students the stars and other visible and invisible elements that characterize the celestial sphere.
Orbis Sensualium Pictus
THE CELESTIAL SPHERE
Let's read what Comenius wrote
Caelum est Stellatum undique.Stellarum fixarum numerantur plus mille; Siderum vero Septentrionarium, XXI Meridionalium, XVI.
The Heaven is full of Stars every where. There are reckoned above a thousand fixed Stars; but of Constellations toward the North, XXI. toward the South, XVI
THE CELESTIAL SPHERE
Let's continue to read what Comenius wrote about constellations...
Adde Signa, XII Zodiaci.Quodlibet graduum, XXX. Quorum nomina sunt Aries,Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Sub hoc zodiaco cursitant stellae errantes 7, quas vocant planetas, quorum via est circulus in medio zodiaci, dictus ecliptica.
Add to these the XIIsigns of the Zodiaque. every one XXX degrees, whose names are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Under this zodiac there are "running" stars, which they call planets. They describe a circle in the middle of the zodiac, called the ecliptic.
+ INFO
Zodiac Constellations
HOW MANY CONSTELLATIONS DID COMENIUS identify?
"Siderum veroSeptentrionarium, XXI Meridionalium, XVI."
"Add to these the XIIsigns of the Zodiaque."
THE ARMILLARY SPHERE
How did Comenius illustrate the celestial sphere?
The armillary sphere is an ancient model of the sky. You can see the equator, tropics, meridians, and the ecliptic (the apparent road of the Sun). The ecliptic is inside the zodiac band. Armillary sphere was used to show how the stars and planets move around the Earth.
FROM THE ARMILLARY SPHERE TO modern models for studying the sky
A long time ago, Galileo used a simple telescope. Today, we have many modern instruments to study the sky, like the James Webb Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.These telescopes are in space, so they can see the stars and planets clearly. We can use apps and digital models, like “Stellarium,” to explore the stars on our screens!
Hubble Space Telescope
James Webb Space Telescope
STELLARIUM
Stellarium is a computer software and an app.It shows the sky with stars and planets. You can travel in space and time to see how the sky changes. You can also zoom in to see the planets and stars up close. It helps you learn about space in a fun way.
How the sky map has changed?
In the past (1600 and earlier):
Constellations were mostly symbolic groups of stars—shapes people imagined in the sky (like animals, gods, objects). Different cultures had different versions.
STAR MAPS
LET'S LOOK AT THE SKY
Actualy, the sky is divided into sectors. Each sector corresponds to one of the 88 constellations officially recognized in 1922 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).Each constellation today is not just a group of stars "in the shape of..." but a real region of the sky with precise boundaries in celestial coordinates.
Why are the zodiac constellations important in astronomy?
Because the Sun and planets, in its apparent motion, moves precisely within the zodiacal belt. The zodiac sign is the constellation behind the Sun on the day we were born.
Instruments to study and observe the sky
To study the sky and understand the movement of the celestial sphere, the ancients used the astrolabe.
We can see this with a paper astrolabe...
Or we can see it with Stellarium.
And now,let's play!
START
Pay attention to the instructions, get information about Stellarium, and be the first to answer the question!!
enter the location
select the TIME
Center and zoom
select "constellations" from the panel
+ INFO
remove the atmosphere
A baby borns today.
at the end...
Where was the Sun on the day you were born? What is your astronomical zodiac sign?
Why?
The Babylonians (5th century BC) divided the ecliptic — the Sun’s path across the sky — into 12 parts of 30°, creating the zodiac signs later adopted by the Greeks and Romans.Because of the precession of the equinoxes, the Earth’s axis slowly shifts, and over about 2.500 years, the Sun’s position has moved by roughly 30° — about one zodiac sign. Still, Western astrology uses the fixed positions set by the ancients.
Thanks!
The zodiac constellations
A Modern representation