Constellation Cards

[rally]

Just wondering if anyone has come across a set of Constellations Cards
These are like Flash Cards but feature Constellations.

I would like to get some for my own use ! but also some extra sets for use with young students in the classroom to provide some interest and motivation.

I have a bit of info I have found below but nothing that is quite suitable for the Southern Hemisphere.

Does anyone have any suggestions ?

These were actually quite a popular item in the 19th century and some even featured pinholes for the stars so you could hold them up to the light to see the stars.

One such set was - "Urania's Mirror, or A View of the Heavens"
These were printed in 1825, but you can download a low res image of each card here and print off your own
http://www.ianridpath.com/atlases/urania.htm


"Star Deck" cards by Michael Shepard
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/letsgo/familyfun/Star_Deck.html
This has 52 cards - Its a free download and you can print off the cards yourself.
So far this is the best alternative but deficient in Southern constellations and suited only for the Northern Hemisphere and therefore incorrect in many respects (eg circumpolar constellations are for North Celestial Pole)

"Constellations Knowledge Cards"
http://pomegranate.stores.yahoo.net/k183.html
http://www.teachersource.com/AstronomySpace/Astronomy/ConstellationsKnowledgeCards.aspx
This has 48 cards, for Northern Hemisphere

There is a board game called "Constellations" from the The Green Board Game Company, which apparently has a set of 88 constellation cards
But I suspect its based for Northern sky viewers

Another Game "Con-Quest"
Which includes a set of constellation cards as well as other Night sky cards, based on Northern Hemisphere


http://us.dk.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780756631208,00.html
"DK StarFinder" has a complete set which includes Planisphere, case, 2 sets of constellation cards which include all 88 Northern and southern constellations (I wonder what their orientation is ?)


"Seeing Stars" is a book set with 10 punched cards of consteallations and a flash light - available from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811832058/skymaps


DIY Cards - 13 constellations for the Northern Hemisphere
http://education.sdsc.edu/teachertech/downloads/kaprosps.pdf


Here's to hoping there is a Southern Sky or All of Sky version.

Cheers

Rally

[jjjnettie]

Funny you should bring this up.
Only yesterday I was given "The Box of Stars". A practical guide to the night sky and to its myths and legends by Katherine Tennant.
On first impression it looked fantastic.
A set of 6x8 constellation cards with holes punched in them for stars.
A book describing the myths and legends.
It comes with two stylized all sky maps for both hemispheres, but .......
On reading the book, it's meant for the Northern Hemisphere, it doesn't have the Southern circumpolar constellations, and worst of all, this Katherine Tennant sheila is an Astrologist. Bah!

Still, the cards are cool. hmmm stars for cloudy nights.:thumbsup:

[lacad01]

Hi Rally, I have a set of cards similar to what you describe and have used them with my kids when we've gone out bush on holidays and get to actually see them in dark(er) skies :)
It's a set of about 55 double sided cards, probably double the size of a deck of playing cards. The set is called "100 Things to spot in the Night Sky". Good thing about these cards is that it mentions best time of the year to see the specific star or constellation for both North and South hemisphere. Here's a link to what the box looks like:
https://www.toybarn.com.au/usborne-100-things-to-spot-in-the-night-sky-pr-18609.html
cheers
Adam

[rally]

Thanks Jeanette and Adam,

I have ordered one of the set you refer to Adam, and I will see how they go.
I am still hoping for a complete Constellation set with our correct Southern orientation (and correct months and seasons if included).

I have been advised that a 52 card Southern Hemisphere set of Constellation cards is being worked on.
Will report more when I know more.

If only I had more time I could put one together myself.

In the mean time if anyone else knows of anything out there ?

Cheers
Rally

[stevoggo]

those type of cards are a great idea..
I found a guy who was using them as reward cards on astronomy nights for kids, if they could find the object they got to keep the card and they tried to collect them all, there was a moon, planets, nebula etc..
He had made them himself and they were pretty cool..
I found it whilst researching a 100 yrs of Astro evening for kids, so the link was through that website but I can't find it now.
It may have been as part of nasa website but i can't find it anymore.
cheers anyway
Steve