Asterisms

An asterism is a grouping of stars that, from our point of view, form a recognizable pattern. The stars in an asterism usually have no close physical association and may have vastly different distances from Earth. A couple of exceptions include the Hyades and the Pleiades. Both are open star clusters that are also considered asterisms. Stars that define one of the 88 official constellations are not considered asterisms. One of the most famous asterisms is the Big Dipper.