Ursa major

Ursa major (latin: “larger bear”;also known Ursa major (latin: “larger bear”;also known as the Great Bear and as the Great Bear and CharlesCharles Wain )is a Wain )is a

constellation visible throughout the year in constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northen hemisphere. You can most of the northen hemisphere. You can

see it in April on its most perfect angle and see it in April on its most perfect angle and brightness.brightness.

ASTERISMS

The seven brightest stars of Ursa Major form

the asterism known as the Big

Dipper in the United States

and Canada, or the Plough in the United Kingdom

and Ireland.

Notable features

Stars, except for dubhe and Alkaid the stars of the Big Dipper all have proper motions heading toward a common point in Sagittarius. Mizar, a star in the Big Dipper, forms the famous optical double star with Alcor. The stars Merak & and Dubhe are known as the ‘’pointer stars’’ because they are helpful for finding Polaris,also known as the North Star.

. Deep-sky objects:Several bright galaxies are found in Ursa Major, for

example the pair Messier 81 and Messier 82.

history

• Ursa major was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century AD by the astronomer Ptolemy .It is mentioned by poets like Homer,Spenser,Shakespeare and Tennyson.

MythologyThe constellation of Ursa Major has been seen as a bear. The human being saw it

for the first time over 13,000 years ago (in Paleolitic state of the prehistory).

In Greek mythology,Zeus lusts after a young woman named Callisto.Zeus jealous at her wife,transforms the beautiful Callisto into a bear and puts them in the sky forming the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

The Iroquois Native Americans interpret Alioth,Mizar,and Alkaid as three hunters pursuing the Great Bear. According to one version of their myth, the first hunter (Alioth) is a bow and an arrow to strike down the bear. The second hunter (Mizar) carries a large pot –the star Alcor- on his shoulder to cook the bear while the third hunter (Alkaid) hauls a pile of firewood to light a fire beneath the pot .

In Hinduism,Ursa Major is known as Sapatarshi,each of the stars representing one of the Sapatarshis or Seven Sages viz: Bhrigu,Atri,Angirasa,Vasishta,Pulastya,Pulalaha and Kratu.

In Shinto, the 7 largest stars of Ursa Major belong to Amenomikanushi, the oldest and most powerful of all kami.

GRAFIC VISUALISATION

• In European star charts , the constellation was visualized with the ‘square’ of the Big Dipper forming the bear’s body and the chain of stars forming the dipper’s “handle” as a long tail. However,bears do not have long tails.

Vocabulary

• Plough= Ursa Major in the United Kingdom• Proper= (apropiado)• Listed= (catalogado)• Pursuing= (persecución) • Haul= (tirar)• Beneath= (debajo)• Sages= (sabios)

THE END