A natural human tendency is to see patterns and relationships between objects
even when no true connection exists, and people long ago connected the brightest
stars into configurations called constellations, which ancient astronomers named
after mythological beings, heroes, and animals - whatever was important to them.
Early astronomers had very practical reasons for studying the sky.
Other constellations served as primitive calendars to predict planting and harvesting seasons.
For example, many cultures knew well that the appearance of certain stars on the horizon just before
daybreak signaled the beginning of spring and the end of winter.
