How to Make a Constellarium

     Stars can help the traveler to locate positions and directions whether he/she travels by air or by water .The stars are not equally spread out in outer space. Many of them appear to be arranged in groups or patterns.Stars form figures in the sky called constellations and move across the heavens called celestial sphere.A star map may be used to locate a certain constellation. most constellations are visible only at certain times of the year.
  
  MATERIALS;
     shoe box w/ cover                                           tape
     aluminum foil                                                  small nail
     pencil                                                                pin
     pictures of different constellations              sheets of bond paper
     blade or scissors                                           star map
 
 PROCEDURES;
     
    1. Measure 1 1/2 cm at one end of the shoe box 
   
    2. At the opposite end, cut a 1 cm hole at the center. This will be viewing hole .
  
    3. Draw several constellations on a sheet of bond paper. Refer to the star 
                  map.

    4. Cut several pieces of tin foil 1cm bigger on all sides than the size of the 
                  window on the shoe box.
    
    5. Get one cut tin foil and place it under one constellation drawn on the bond
                  paper. Put the foil and paper on the top of a cardboard or styrofoam 
                   or folded newspaper.
  
    6. Transfer the drawing of the constellation on the tin foil by pricking the stars
                  drawn on the paper w/ a pin (for smaller stars) and a nail (for bigger
                   stars) Label the foil w/ the name of the constellations.

    7. Repeat the above procedures for each constellation you trace in a tin foil.
  
    8. Tape one foil inside the window and cover the shoe box.

    9. Hold your constellarium against a light source and look through viewing hole.
 
    10. You can also place all the polar constellations on one thin foil for viewing 
                  through the constellarium.