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How to Spot the Big Dipper

Visible from the northern hemisphere, the Big Dipper is a constellation of seven stars, the outline of which looks like a large water dipper. Four of the stars form what appears as the bowl of the dipper, with the remaining three stars forming the handle. To identify the Big Dipper in the sky, use the star Polaris, also known as the North Star, as a reference point. The Big Dipper rotates around this star in the sky at different positions at night, depending on the time of year.

Things You'll Need

Globe or map with longitude lines

Instructions

- 1
  Examine a globe or map to determine the latitude of your location on Earth. Use a compass to determine true North.
- 2
  Look to the sky in that direction and at an angle equal to your latitude. If you do not know your exact latitude, try looking about 35 degrees above the horizon. Look for a bright, white star -- Polaris -- at that location.
- 3
  Look away from Polaris to locate the Big Dipper. In spring, look above Polaris. During that time, the Big Dipper appears upside down in the sky. During the summer, look to the left of the North Star. In fall, look below the star along the horizon and in winter, to the right of Polaris.
- 4
  Locate two stars that align to point directly to Polaris. These are the stars Dubhe and Merak and they form the outer edge of the dipper portion of the constellation.

Astronomy