Ursa Major, the Big Bear (Big Dipper)

The "Big Dipper" (FCPS Starfinder, No. 1, Northern Sky) forms a striking asterism which is useful in finding Ursa Major (UR-sah MAY-jer), the Great Bear. The Dipper forms the long tail of the bear. To learn how other cultures pictured this star group, read the transcript of Birth of the Dippers, the JUL 1997 Bonus StarDate, the daily astronomy-related radio program produced by the McDonald Observatory, University of Texas.

From the "Pointer Stars" of the Big Dipper, a star-hopping trick may be used to locate Polaris, the North Star (refer to Ursa Minor, AUG CoM). To learn more about how the stars of the Big Dipper were used in celestial navigation during the U.S. Civil War, read the transcript of Following the Drinking Gourd, the 05 FEB 1997 StarDate.

Associated Mythology - Zeus fell in love with Callisto, a beautiful princess from the kingdom of Arcadia. When Callisto bore Arcas, the son of Zeus, Zeus's jealous wife Hera turned Callisto into a bear. Many years later when Arcas had grown up and become an excellent hunter, Hera sought to bring Callisto before Arcas as prey. But Zeus intervened and placed Callisto in the heavens as the Great Bear. After Arcas died, Zeus placed him in the sky near his mother as the constellation Ursa Minor, the "Little Bear" (No. 2, Northern Sky). Both bears have extraordinarily long tails which were stretched when Zeus swung the bears around while slinging them up into the sky.

Virgo, the Maiden

Sign of the Zodiac for birthdates between 23 August and 22 September. Remember that signs of the Zodiac are "Sun signs," meaning that they appear in the day sky (the Sun is "in" Virgo), therefore Virgo is not visible in the late-August through late-September night skies. It is best seen at night approximately six months later.

A curved line from the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper will pass through Arcturus (ark-TOOR-us), the brightest star in Bootes (boh-OH-teez), the Herdsman; extending the line leads to Spica (SPY-kah), the brightest star in Virgo (VUR-go). Remember the mnemonic: "Follow the arc to Arcturus, then on to Spica (FCPS Starfinder, Letter "I," Southern Sky)."

Associated Mythology - Virgo (or Astraea) was the daughter of Jupiter and Themis, the goddess of justice. In ancient times, the star Spica--meaning "ear of wheat"--was known as the "Star of Prosperity." Spica was associated with the harvest of wheat (the cash crop of the Egyptians) and was worshipped by the Egyptians.

Credits: CoM entries excerpted from Your Guide to the Constellations, by Lowell L. Koontz, former Planetarium Teacher at Edison High School, Fairfax County Public Schools.

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