The starry night sky is a vast and beautiful realm that appears every night. It has fascinated humanity since the dawn of time. Along with our wonderful gifts of creativity and imagination, the night sky was our ultimate canvas and perhaps the oldest storybook. The sky has provided us with a place to draw mythical creatures and commemorate epic heroes. Our earliest records of the constellations date back approximately 6,000 years and were written in cuneiform (Coder, 2012). These texts were found in the Euphrates river valley and are simple constellations of animals (Coder, 2012). The question is: why? It could be that the human brain often looks for patterns in randomness. That humanity will see images in the sky to help our brains deal with the disorganized nature of the universe. However, I believe this belittles humanity. Constellations are much more than the brain catching patterns and creating something it recognizes. These groupings of stars and stellar objects preserve our history today. We have been passing down the stories of the constellations for thousands of years. After all, the sky is the perfect medium. It can store images and help tell stories and lessons that last. As a child I vividly remember the legend of the chariot. Like the little girl, seeking water for her sick mother, she was compassionate in her journey. For her compassion she was rewarded and a memory of this compassion is fixed in the night sky (Bennett & Hague, 1995). I have never forgotten the story, or its message. How could I? That diamond-encrusted ladle appears in the sky every night! It's wonderful how constellations cross time, culture and beliefs. The most recognizable constellations usually originate from... middle of the card... believe the stars guide your life and look to them for answers. Or if you simply love spending a night admiring the beauty of the twinkling sky. There is no denying the extraordinary impact that stars have on humanity. Works Cited "Asclepius". Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, November 1, 2013. Web. November 11, 2013. Palla, Cathy. "Bull." The mythology of the constellations. Np, Nd Web. November 11, 2013. Bennett, William J., and Michael Hague. "The Legend of the Tank." The book of virtues for children. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. PrintCoder, Errol. The constellations: myths of the stars. Np, 2013. Kindle file. 3, 79,10."Ophiuchus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 October 2013. Web. 11 November 2013."Taurus (constellation)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 8 November 2013. Web. 13 November. 2013.