They are the most recognisable shapes in the night sky , tracing distinctive patterns that have enabled astronomers to navigate the starscape above them for thousands of years . Yet for anyone staring at the heavens 98,000 year from now , the constellations could look very different indeed . Martin Vargic , a graphic designer from Slovakia , has created a chart that shows how the most famous of the constellations have changed from 50,000 BC to 100,000CE . Martin Vargic used satellite data to chart how the constellation stars have shifted and will change in the future . Using data collected by the European Space Agency on the gradually shifting position of stars , he has estimated how the constellations will change between . The results suggest that many of the most distinctive constellations will become almost unrecognisable in the future and some may need to be renamed entirely . Stars generate sounds on their surface in an unexpected way , according to new experimental evidence . Of course , as space is a vacuum it is impossible to hear sound in space , but the discovery reveals a new way that fluids can interact to produce a sound - one with an extremely high frequency . The researchers found that , when material - dust or gas from nearby - falls onto a star , it can produce an extremely high pitched sound in the plasma . The researchers said the phenomenon is 'more common in younger stars ' that are still accumulating material from their surroundings . It would be less common in more mature stars , like our sun . The Big Dipper , for example , will change from looking like a plough to something that looks more like duck , while the proud form of Leo will mutate into an unrecognisable shape . Orion , named after the hunter in Greek mythology , will lose his head and the Crux will become little more than two parallel lines similar to an equals sign . Mr Vargic 's chart also shows how some of the more abstract constellations , like Cassiopeia , were almost unrecognisable further back in human history when our ancestors were still living in caves . Lyra would also have faced completely the wrong way 52,000 years ago . Mr Vargic said : 'On a short timescale , stars appear to maintain nearly fixed positions in relation to each other , long term observations show that all stars indeed move and all constellations gradually change over time . ' Astronomers have been recording the position of the stars since the Ancient Greeks , who believed the Earth was at the centre of the universe due to the apparent unchanging nature of the stars . This animation shows how the constellation Leo changed from 50,000BC to what it will look like in 100,000CE . The constellations were initially named after real life objects and mythical figures they appeared to represent and that tradition has continued . There are now 88 officially recognised constellations . In some cases ancient travelers used the constellations to help find their way at night . Now , using sophisticated observations from space telescopes like Hubble and the European Space Agency 's Hipparcos satellite , scientists have been able to watch the movement of the stars . This has allowed astronomers to predict the position of the stars thousands of years into the future . Mr Vargic 's chart shows how some of the constellations will become probably need to be renamed . From left to right the image above shows how they changed from 50,000BC , 2,000AD , 50,000CE and 100,000CE . This animation shows how Leo has changed since 50,000BC and how unrecognisable it will be in 100,000CE . Mr Vargic used data from the four year long Hipparcos satellite mission , which was launched in 1989 , to collect data on the position of the stars . While there are some celestial objects that move across the sky quite regularly - such as the planets and the Moon - most of the stars vary little in relation to each other . Obviously their position in the sky changes as the Earth itself spins on its axis and moves around the Sun , the constellations have remained appeared constant through out human history . This animation show the changing face of the constellation Cassiopia from 50,000BC to 100,000CE . This animation shows how Orion 's distinctive shape will change to become headless in the next 98,000 years . In fact many stars , including our own sun , are moving through space at thousands of miles per hour . However the vast distances between the Earth and the stars makes them appear static and those that are closer appear to move more . Dr Marek Kukula , public astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich , said : 'In art and poetry the idea of the stars being fixed and eternal is a strong theme . 'However , we now know our solar system is moving through the Milky Way and other stars have their own particular paths . 'The constellations shapes already look a bid dodgy when trying to see the patterns in them , but in the future we may need to find some different names for them altogether . ' The Big Dipper could eventually start to look more like the Big Duck over the next 98,000 years . This animation shows how the Crux will shift from being a distinct crucifix to two parallel lines by 100,000CE .
New charts show how the constellations will look thousands of years in the future . Graphic designer Martin Vargic created the charts using observation data . The Big Dipper , Leo , Cassiopeia and Crux will change beyond recognition . The stars will shift position as our solar system moves through the galaxy .