Ursa Major

Also known as Great Bear, Larger Bear, Charles's Wain, UMa, Ursae Majoris, Arctus, Arktos

constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere

AI overview

Ursa Major is a constellation of stars visible year-round in most of the northern sky. It matters because it contains the Big Dipper, a recognizable star pattern that has long helped people navigate and locate other stars in the night sky.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Official name: Ursa Major
Area: 1280
Image: UrsaMajorCC.jpg

Show 4 more facts

native label: Orsa Maggiore
short name: UMa
Commons category: Ursa Major (constellation)
Commons gallery: Ursa Major

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Article

Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation in the Northern Sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) bear", referring to and contrasting it with nearby Ursa Minor, the lesser bear. In antiquity, it was one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD, drawing on earlier works by Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian astronomers. It is the third largest of the 88 modern constellations.

Ursa Major is primarily known from the asterism of its main seven stars, which has been called the "Big Dipper", "the Wagon", "Charles's Wain", or "the Plough", among other names. In particular, the Big Dipper's stellar configuration mimics the shape of the "Little Dipper". Two of its stars, named Dubhe and Merak (α Ursae Majoris and β Ursae Majoris), can be used as the navigational pointer towards the place of the northern pole star, Polaris in Ursa Minor.