(Sportsmax) Retired Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt has been chosen to be one of the new set of constellations representing stars of sport, literature and science.
A constellation is a group of stars, considered to form imaginary outlines or meaningful patterns on the celestial sphere, typically representing animals, mythological people or gods, mythological creatures, or manufactured devices.
The new star alignments, created by researchers at The University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, are based on modern-day inspirational figures in a bid to get more children looking up to the stars and interested in the universe.
The new star alignments also honour tennis star Serena Williams and a book in honour of Malala Yousafzai
Some of the other shapes, include the boots of Paddington Bear and the trademark round-rimmed glasses worn by Harry Potter.
The new constellations were created after research showed that the traditional classical star formations, based on the zodiac and characters from ancient mythology, were failing to inspire children today.
Emma Willett, who led the university’s research team, says “we really hope these new creations will help people of all ages develop their interest in space and astronomy, working to inspire the next generation of astronomers to take an interest in the field.
There are currently 88 existing constellations officially recognised by the International Astronomical Union.
The new creations include well-known stars to make it easier to find them in the night sky, researchers said.
Bolt, 31, retired from track and field after the IAAF World Championships in Rio on August 12 after winning eight Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles cemented himself as the greatest sprinter of all time.
