What is Asterism (astronomy)?
[[File:Cr399.jpg|thumb|250px|A group of bright blue and white stars. They are called the [[Collinder 399|Coathanger]], in the constellation [[Vulpecula]].]] [[File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg|thumb|250px|Flag of Australia]] [[File:Big Dipper 20210116.jpg|thumb|right|159px|The Big Dipper seen from [[Fujian]]]] An '''asterism''' is an observed pattern or group of [[star]]s in the [[sky]]. Constellations are based on asterisms, but asterisms can be any pattern or group of stars. They are a more general concept than the 88 [[constellations]] of the [[IAU]]. Several countries use these patterns in their flags. *The area of the [[Crux|southern cross]] is known as the constellation [[Crux]]. In this case the asterism and the constellation are more or less the same thing. *The [[Big Dipper]], also known as The Plough, is made of the seven brightest stars in [[Ursa Major]]. It is certainly the best-known asterism in the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. [[Category:Stars]]