Why is the Big Dipper important? What does it do? In what way is it important.
Thanks,
Doing some research for a 101 class.
2007-04-26 20:20:29 · 7 answers · asked by chicata25 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The Big Dipper is one of the most easily recognizable groups of stars in the sky, being circumpolar (never setting below the horizon) and therefore visible in northern skies year-round.
You can learn, as did ancient sailors or western cowhands on the night watch, to tell the time of the night by the position of the big dipper. Due to the daily rotation of the earth, the dipper rotates around the north star (Polaris) every twenty four hours.Finding other constellations using the Big Dipper.You can go to this website: http://homepage.mac.com/kvmagruder/bcp/aster/general/dipper.htm
2007-04-26 20:31:52 · answer #1 · answered by ask me 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The side opposite of the handle on the Big Dipper points at Polaris, the North Star. The North Star is used for navigation.
2007-04-26 20:35:07 · answer #2 · answered by eks_spurt 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Slaves in the southern states called the big dipper "the gourd" and had songs about following the gourd. To the slave holders, they just seemed to be singing traditional songs - in fact they were teaching people how to do celestial navigation and make their way north when they escaped.
2007-04-26 22:20:45 · answer #3 · answered by Iridflare 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The side of it points to the north star. That's how I find Polaris, the north star.
2007-04-27 02:04:22 · answer #4 · answered by Robert L 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well if you follow those two stars from the cup they do point to the north star, but I don't know of any "Benefits" of ANY constellation.
2007-04-26 20:31:15 · answer #5 · answered by vacmag 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't benefit.
2016-04-01 09:37:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Navigation. Long ago, when we didn't have GPS, ships didn't get lost thanks to star positions.
2007-04-26 20:34:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋