The Big Dipper?

Answer 1

Is the constellation Ursa Major - The Great Bear.

The stars that you can see the best form 'The Dipper', which is an asterism - a star formation that looks like something, but is actually part of a larger grouping.

Some other examples of asterisms are The Great Square in the constellation Pegasus and The Teapon in Sagittarius.

The two stars that form the outside edge of the dipper itself always point to Polaris, the North Star.

Answer 2

The Big Dipper (called the Plough in Great Britain) is an asterism consisting of seven fairly bright stars arranged so they look like a large ladle or a plough. They lie within the constellation known as the Great Bear, or Ursa Major which, incidentally, has a long tail (the "handle" of the dipper) unlike bears of today.

Interestingly, five of the seven are actually members of the largest open cluster known to exist in our sky! All but two (the end of the handle, and the one on the end of the ladle nearest the north star) are at about the same distance, are moving in the same direction, and are considered an open star cluster.

Answer 3

The middle star of the handle is actually 3 stars, but usually you can only see the bright one and it's smaller companion.

The two stars forming the "bowl" of the dipper away from the handle form a pointer toward the north star.

Answer 4

The seven brightest stars of the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear, form a well-known asterism that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial.

Answer 5

yes, there is such a think as the Big Dipper...an asterism that is part of the constellation Ursa Major...

What was your question though?

Answer 6

Ursa Major! North Star! Great Bear!

Answer 7

EXCELLENT QUESTION!!!!


...keeps me awake at night also.

Glad you asked; I would have been embarrassed to ask.

Answer 8

Yes, there is a Big Dipper. Duh...!