Big Dipper Constellation

A constellation is a group of stars which appear to form shapes in the sky. Constellations have been named scores of years ago, which help identify and remember the different constellations in the sky. A total of 88 constellations have been officially recognized as of today. Ursa Major or Great Bear is one big constellation, to which the Big Dipper and Little Dipper belong. Several paintings and stories of the Big Dipper (some even dating back to 1400 BCE) have been found in many regions of the world. The Big Dipper is a well-known asterism and comprises seven stars, of which three appear to form a handle and four appear to form a bowl. Asterism is a term used to describe groups of stars which are notable parts of larger constellations, other than itself. These seven stars: Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar and Alkaid are the brightest stars of the Ursa Major.

The Great Bear or Ursa Major has an interesting story behind it. As per Greek mythology, nymph Callisto, after being abducted by Zeus, bore a child, Arcas. As soon as the wife of Zeus, Hera, found out about Arcas, she turned Callisto into a bear. Callisto, now a bear roamed around in the forests, while Arcas grew into a strong hunter. One day while Arcas was in the forest, Callisto rushed to meet her son. Since Arcas didn't know the bear was his mother, he charged towards her. Just as he was about to kill her, Zeus intervened and sent both Callisto and Arcas into the heavens in the form of the Great Bear and the Little Bear constellations. Thus, the Big Dipper and Little Dipper Constellations were formed.

Locating the Big Dipper Constellation

The Big Dipper star constellation is often called 'the plough' in England, 'plow' in the US, 'starry plough' in Ireland and 'Otava' in Finland. The Big Dipper never sets below the horizon (circumpolar), as it rotates around the north star (Polaris). Thus, for those in the northern Hemisphere, it is visible in northern skies all the year round, and is easy to locate. It's best to find the dipper either early in the morning or early in the evening. To have a better view of the asterism, one will need to find a dark place. Then, look for a constellation comprising seven stars. The handle of the Big Dipper, comprising three stars forming an angle is the easiest to locate. Once the handle has been located, the bowl is not difficult to find. The two stars situated at the lower end of the bowl serve as pointer stars and enable one to locate the Little Bear constellation. These two stars point to the North Pole or Polaris, which is the last star in the Little Dipper's tail. Once the Big Dipper has been located, one can start identifying many other stars and constellations, such as the constellation Libra, constellation Leo, etc.

The Big Dipper constellation is easily recognizable in the night sky, and has been used as a celestial tool to predict the future, as a navigational tool, and, believe it or not, to determine the eyesight quality of a person as well! It also played a significant role in the Underground railroad, wherein it helped slaves to escape during the Civil War.