Ursa Major

The Big Dipper consists of seven bright stars: Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, and Dubhe. The stars Merak and Dubhe are known as the "Pointer Stars" because a line drawn through them points toward Polaris, the North Star, in the constellation Ursa Minor.

Ursa Major contains several notable deep-sky objects, including the galaxy pair M81 (Bode's Galaxy) and M82 (the Cigar Galaxy), both visible through small amateur telescopes. The constellation also hosts the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) and the planetary nebula known as the Owl Nebula (M97).

Ursa Major is a northern constellation and is not visible from most of the Southern Hemisphere, though some of its lower stars can be glimpsed from locations near the equator. From much of the Northern Hemisphere, the constellation is circumpolar, meaning it never sets below the horizon and can be seen year-round.

Ursa Major has been recognized by cultures worldwide for thousands of years. In Greek mythology it represents the nymph Callisto, transformed into a bear by Zeus; in many Native American traditions the three stars of the handle represent hunters pursuing a great bear; and in British tradition the Big Dipper asterism is known as the Plough.