is ursa major an asterism or constellation?

Answer 1

Constellation.

Answer 2

Ursa Major itself is a constellation. The Big Dipper is made up of *some* of the stars in Ursa Major but it's an asterism. An asterism is an easily recognizable grouping of stars that isn't part of the zodiac (..constellations..) The Pleiades is another asterism.

Answer 3

Ursa Major is one of the 88 official constellations. The Big Dipper is a well-known asterism in Ursa Major, containing its seven brightest stars.

Answer 4

In Latin Ursa Major means “greater she-bear.” In Greek Arktos is the word for bear, hence the name Arctic, which means bearish and describes the far northern parts of the earth where the Great Bear constellation dominates the heavens even more than in the northern hemisphere. Ursa Major, "The Greater Bear", is probably the best known constellation, at least in the northern sky. Its position is near the North pole of the heavens and the fact that this constellation never sets makes Ursa Major one of the oldest, if not the oldest of all the constellations. The position of the stars in Ursa Major is not in any way like the picture of a bear, and yet this constellation has been known as "The Bear" by civilizations which are very far from each other. Greeks called it "The Greater Bear". The American Indians called it "A Bear". They said that the three stars which form the handle of the Big Dipper represented three hunters running after the bear. The origin of the bear idea is unknown. Ursa Major consists of the group of seven bright stars that form the Great Bear. The central star in the Bear's tail is Mizar.

Answer 5

Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. Its name means Great Bear in Latin, and is associated with the legends of Callisto and Cynosura.