annee25003 — Announcement

Bringing 88 Constellations to Your Classroom

2 January 2025

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) divides the sky into 88 official constellations. The newly launched 88 Constellations project from NSF NOIRLab brings together high-resolution images and educational resources to help bring the 88 constellations into your classroom.

German astrophotographer Eckhard Slawik meticulously photographed the 88 constellations on film. The final images are each composed of two separate exposures — one with a diffuser and one without to bring out the natural colors of the stars.

NOIRLab staff added information on the constellations, their history, and interesting objects visible in each constellation. 

This resource would complement classroom instruction relating to observing motions and patterns of the night sky, designing solutions for light pollution, and preserving the dark sky. Classroom activities can also be found at globeatnight.org.

For more information, read the full announcement here

Contacts

Rob Sparks
Senior Communications, Education and Engagement Specialist
NSF NOIRLab
Email: robert.sparks@noirlab.edu

About the Announcement

Id:annee25003

Images

All-sky photo of the night sky (annotated)
All-sky photo of the night sky (annotated)