A constellation is a star group that forms a specific pattern or shape based on the positions of the stars. Constellations are used to map out the night sky and to recognise specific stars in the sky.

What do the constellations mean?

1 : the configuration of stars especially at one's birth. 2 : any of 88 arbitrary configurations of stars or an area of the celestial sphere covering one of these configurations the constellation Orion. 3 : an assemblage, collection, or group of usually related persons, qualities, or things …

What do the constellations in the sky really represent?

The real purpose for the constellations is to help us tell which stars are which, nothing more. On a really dark night, you can see about 1000 to 1500 stars. Trying to tell which is which is hard. The constellations help by breaking up the sky into more managable bits.