Hobbies And Interests
Not a Constellation
The Big Dipper is not a constellation, but is a group of stars that is part of the large constellation of Great Bear. The Big Dipper's handle makes up the bear's tail. The official name for the Great Bear constellation is Ursa Major, which means "the big she-bear" in Latin.
Seven Major Stars
The Big Dipper consists of seven major stars. Beginning at the tip of the handle, working down and then clockwise around the bowl of the dipper they are Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Dubhe, Merak and Phecda.
Pointer Stars
The two stars at the tip of the bowl of the Big Dipper, Dubhe and Merak, point towards the North Star. Slave songs referred to a drinking gourd to follow to a better life, referring to the Big Dipper and these pointer stars to aid escaping slaves on their trip north to freedom in Canada.
Double Star
The middle star in the handle of the Big Dipper, Mizar, is actually a double star. Alcor is a smaller star that is close to Mizar. You can see both stars through a set of binoculars or a telescope, though many can see Alcor unaided. Another term for Alcor and Mizar is "horse and rider."
Brightness
The stars in the Big Dipper are as bright as the North Star and are the brightest stars in the Great Bear constellation.
Changes Position
The Big Dipper rotates around the North Star, so its position depends on the time of night and the season.
Multiple Names
Native Americans refer to the Big Dipper as the Big Bear, with the bowl representing a bear and the three stars in the handle representing three hunters. The French refer to the Big Dipper as the saucepan and the British refer to it as the plough.
Featured on a Flag
Designed by then 13-year-old Benny Benson in 1926, the state flag of Alaska features the seven stars of the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Distance
The closest star in the Big Dipper is Alioth at 68 light-years from the Earth. The furthest star in the Big Dipper is Alkaid at 210 light-years away.
Location
The Big Dipper is in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere.