when i did this in school years ago with the stars joined dot to dot style, it looked more like a saucepan to me
2007-03-24 05:11:15 · 9 answers · asked by howardpbaker 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It's called "the plough" in the UK. It's called "the Big Dipper" in America. I guess that's because the Brits mostly use cows as draft animals whereas the Yanks mostly have cows so they can drink cow milk. Isn't it about planting season up there? When an English farmer is behind a cow, he's plowing a field. When an American farmer is behind a cow, he's milking the cow. When an African farmer is behind a cow... Well, just watch the relevant part of "Mondo Magic," and you'll see!
2007-03-24 05:59:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's formally called Ursa Major, and more commonly known as the asterism The Big Dipper -- hence your sauce pan.
But also been known to people as the plow or the wain. Looks like different things to different people. If we first saw it today maybe it'd be called The Flight Attendant's Suitcase.
2007-03-24 12:17:58 · answer #2 · answered by KevinStud99 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"The saucepan" isn't a great name for a constellation though, is it? It sort of looks a bit like an old fashioned plough, sort of.
2007-03-24 12:15:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
URSA MAJOR OR THE GREAT BEAR, THE PLOUGH IS AN
ASTARISM OF URSA MAJOR CONSISTING OF THE FOUR STARS THAT MAKE THE BOX AND THE THREE STARS
( CURVED THAT MAKE THE HANDLE THE MIDDLE STAR OF THE THREE IS A DOUBLE ) IN OTHER PLACES ITS CALLED THE BIG DIPPER
2007-03-26 15:13:00 · answer #4 · answered by astro_chaser 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you consider the panhandle to be the handle of the plow, and the bowl to be the blade of a plow, it is a reasonable facsimile... as much as any constellation is, anyhow.
I think I'm going to name a constellation "a bunch of stars" and see if the IAU accepts it. "Hey, that's a great name. It really looks like a bunch of stars!"
2007-03-24 12:23:10 · answer #5 · answered by poorcocoboiboi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because some guy thousands of years ago looked up and thought he saw a familiar shape! He was probably lying on his back in a field somewhere, with his girlfriend next to him!
God knows what they had been doing, but he was obviously a little bit out-of-it!
2007-03-28 08:10:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not only called the plough or big dipper. It is also called the big bear, or ursa major.
2007-03-27 10:25:17 · answer #7 · answered by runes12002 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe what you saw is the star formation of the satelite dishes seen on walls today. Psychic or what?
2007-03-26 13:12:35 · answer #8 · answered by jupiteress 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it LOOKS like a plough.
2007-03-24 12:58:02 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋