In observational astronomy, an asterism is a pattern or group of stars that can be seen in the night sky. Asterisms range from simple shapes of just a few stars to more complex collections of many stars covering large portions of the sky.

What is an example of an asterism?

The Summer Triangle is an example of an asterism: a group of stars that form a recognizable pattern or shape. The Big Dipper, the Little Dipper and the Great Square of Pegasus are other examples of asterisms.

What does asterism mean in science?

Asterism, a pattern of stars that is not a constellation. An asterism can be part of a constellation, such as the Big Dipper, which is in the constellation Ursa Major, and can even span across constellations, such as the Summer Triangle, which is formed by the three bright stars Deneb, Altair, and Vega.