EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -As noted above, the constellations we see depend on the time of the year. As the Earth revolves around the Earth, it faces different directions in our galaxy. That is why we cannot see Orion in the northern hemispheric summer. The Northern Hemisphere is facing in the opposite direction of our celestial sphere.

Detailed explanation-2: -The east to west daily motions of stars, planets, the Moon, and the Sun are caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis. The Earth and all the planets revolve around the Sun on circular orbits. This produces the change in constellations observed from one time of year to the next.

Detailed explanation-3: -People can see the seasonal constellations during certain seasons. On a summer night, people on Earth are looking out toward one direction in space. On a winter night, those same people are looking at a different part of space. Therefore, they see different constellations.

Detailed explanation-4: -Why are some constellations visible to New York State observers at midnight during April, but not visible at midnight during October? Constellations move within our galaxy.