Is Ursa Minor to the Left or Right of Ursa Major? Im having trouble finding polaris the North pole star!?

Question

Thanks in advance for any help.

What I thought was the little dipper for all these years isnt.

Answer 1

It depends on the time of day!

It is a circumpolar constellation--which means that on summer nights it will on one side of the North Star, while six months later, (at the same time of night), it will be on the opposite side of the North Star--it rotates AROUND THE NORTH STAR.

Answer 2

There is no right or left (or up and down) in space; there are only positions relative to other objects.

When you are looking north, Polaris (the north star) will always be as many degrees north of the horizon as your latitude on earth. The stars revolve counter-clockwise around Polaris, going around once every day.

Ursa Minor curves to the south from Polaris (because every direction from Polaris is south), in the direction of the bowl of Ursa Major. When the Big Dipper is rising in the east, the Little Dipper will be above and to the left of the bowl. As the hours go by, however, Polaris will be directly left of the Big Dipper, then below and left, then directly below, then below and right, and so on.

Of course you can't see the whole circuit in one night since it will be daytime for several hours (unless you are very far north in the winter), but during the year you will see these constellations in slightly different positions night after night at the same time.

PS: I'd really be interested in why someone gave a thumbs down to this perfectly correct answer.

Answer 3

It is difficult to say left or right in a rotating system.

Try following an imaginary line formed by the last two stars in the big dipper (Ursa Major) cup, opposite the handle. The line (more of a slight arc) will intersect Polaris.

Also helps: Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursa_Minor
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursa_Major

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Ursa Minor is to the left and somewhat upwards (i.e., towards the celestial pole) releative to Ursa Major. The constellation Draco sits between them.

Answer 5

i believe it is to the right of the ursa major...the end of the ursa major (the ladle part) is pointed toward the north star which is on the ursa minor.

Answer 6

Go to http://www.wikipedia.org, and search Ursa Minor.

Answer 7

It is neither left nor right. It is "above" the bowl of the Big Dipper.