Since time immemorial, a starry night has been the subject of curiosity for mankind and has turned out to be something that recurrently triggered the imaginative human mind to find some logical patterns in the visible existence of stars. Be it the arrangement of stars in a specific manner or a shape emerging out of them, they have immensely helped from voyagers to astronomers, in identifying the directions of their travel and in co-relating explicit star patterns to make predictions. These types of patterns or shapes forming as a result of grouping of stars with a precise periphery are known as Constellations.

Mythical significance of constellations in many cultures across the world is quite ancient and interestingly, it rests upon the thought that specific grouping of stars and formation of patterns thereby, has something to point out or forecast. But based upon the studies on how civilizations like Babylonians, Arabs, Egyptians or Greeks used constellations and further the astrological and scientific findings, International Astronomical Union presented a more definitive view that "the universe has been alienated in eighty eight constellations comprising exact frontiers".

Almost all of these eighty eight constellations get visible in all parts of globe but there are some that get seen during a particular portion of year and in the northern or southern hemisphere. It is interesting to note that most of the constellations are best viewed from the Northern hemisphere but the Southern constellations are more in number than the Northern constellations. Also, those constellations that are best viewed from the Northern hemisphere include all twelve constellations named after the zodiac signs i.e. Aries to Pisces. Besides, naming of constellations has also come from an ancient story, a mythological prodigy or animals.

Looking at their historic consequence, fact cannot be denied that from planting to harvesting, agriculture too must have largely depended on constellations in ancient times and farmers must be having their own ways of predicting weather conditions suitable to their profession. It is not surprising that olden studies about constellations have been more elaborated today and are used in reading past and future, flawlessly. Their nomenclature on zodiac signs is not a coincidence and numerous things can be forecasted when a typical constellation named after a sun sign gets visible in the sky.

Amongst some of the profound constellations, you may often come across Orion. Orion constellation is known to have formed when stars create a hunter-like pattern and seem to be travelling against the motion of earth. Ursa Major is another known constellation that gets identified as formation of great bear as a result of star pattern. Consisting of 7 stars, this constellation is called "sapta-rishi" in India. Existence of some stars that shine relatively less, bear like figure gets visible to our eyes. This constellation is also known as the Big Dipper.

With the growth of astronomical studies in China, a considerable variance can be noticed between the western and Chinese constellations. Though the division of sky for classification of constellations differs, constellations dedicated to zodiac signs do exist in Chinese astronomy too.