The northern sky's Ursa Major, popularly known as the Great Bear, is a constellation with a mythology that is most likely prehistoric in origin. Its Latin name, bigger (or larger bear), contrasts it with Ursa Minor, the lesser bear, which is located nearby. It was one of the first forty-eight constellations to be recorded in antiquity by Claudius Ptolemy in the second century AD, who drew inspiration from earlier studies by Greek, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Assyrian astronomers. It is currently the third largest of the eighty-eight constellations visible today.
The asterism of Ursa Major's seven prominent stars, sometimes known as the "Big Dipper," "The Wagon," "Charles' Wain," or "the Plough," is what most people are familiar with. Particularly, the Big Dipper's stellar arrangement resembles the "Little Dipper" in terms of shape. Its two stars, Dubhe and Merak (Ursae Majoris and Ursae Majoris, respectively), can be utilised to navigate to the location of Polaris, the present northern pole star in Ursa Minor. Numerous civilizations around the world value Ursa Major and the asterisms that include or make up it, frequently as a representation of the north. A contemporary example of this symbolism is the representation of it the Alaskan flag. |
Most of the northern hemisphere can see Ursa Major all year long, and it appears circumpolar above the mid-northern latitudes. The southern portions of the constellation can still be seen from southern temperate latitudes, but the primary asterism is not visible there.
The third largest constellation, Ursa Major occupies 1279.66 square degrees, or 3.10 percent, of the entire sky. Its official International Astronomical Union (IAU) constellation borders were established by Eugène Delporte in 1930, who described it as a 28-sided irregular polygon. The constellation is located between the right ascension coordinates of 08h 08.3m and 14h 29.0m and the declination coordinates of +28.30° and +73.14° in the equatorial coordinate system. Draco to the north and northeast, Boötes to the east, Canes Venatici to the east and southeast, Coma Berenices to the southeast, Leo and Leo Minor to the south, Lynx to the southwest, and Camelopardalis to the northwest are the eight constellations that border Ursa Major. The IAU approved the three-letter constellation abbreviation "UMa" in 1922.
The third largest constellation, Ursa Major occupies 1279.66 square degrees, or 3.10 percent, of the entire sky. Its official International Astronomical Union (IAU) constellation borders were established by Eugène Delporte in 1930, who described it as a 28-sided irregular polygon. The constellation is located between the right ascension coordinates of 08h 08.3m and 14h 29.0m and the declination coordinates of +28.30° and +73.14° in the equatorial coordinate system. Draco to the north and northeast, Boötes to the east, Canes Venatici to the east and southeast, Coma Berenices to the southeast, Leo and Leo Minor to the south, Lynx to the southwest, and Camelopardalis to the northwest are the eight constellations that border Ursa Major. The IAU approved the three-letter constellation abbreviation "UMa" in 1922.
History and Mythology
It has been determined that Ursa Major is an Indo-European constellation. (Mallory & Adams 2006) Astronomer Ptolemy named it Arktos Megale, and it was one among the forty-eight constellations he mentioned in his Almagest in the second century AD. It is cited in "Song for the Moon" by Federico Garcia Lorca as well as poets including Homer, Spenser, Shakespeare, and Tennyson. The constellation is mentioned in ancient Finnish poetry and is depicted in Vincent van Gogh's painting Starry Night Over the Rhône. (Clayson 2002) Although this is frequently contested, it might be mentioned in the biblical book of Job, which was written between the seventh and fourth centuries BC. (Botterweck 1994) Numerous diverse cultures have interpreted the constellation Ursa Major as a bear, typically a female bear (Allen 1963). This may be the result of a widespread oral history of myths about the Cosmic Hunt that dates back more than 13,000 years. (Bradley 2006) Julien d'Huy reconstructs the following Palaeolithic stage of the narrative using statistical and phylogenetic tools: "An elk is an example of a horned herbivore. One person is pursuing the ungulate. The quest finds or ascends to the skies. When the animal is changed into a constellation, it is still living. The Big Dipper is created by it." |
Hindu
Hinduism refers to the Big Bear, also known as Ursa Major, as the Saptarshi, with each star in the constellation standing for one of the Saptarishis, also known as the Seven Sages (Rishis), namely Bhrigu, Atri, Angiras, Vasishtha, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. The blessing bestowed upon the young sage Dhruva by Lord Vishnu is the explanation for why the two front stars of the constellations point to the pole star. (Mahadev 1973)
Greco Roman
In Roman mythology, Callisto, a young woman who is a nymph of Diana, is the object of Jupiter's (the king of the gods) love. When Juno, Jupiter's envious wife, learns that Callisto is the mother of Arcas, she assumes that Jupiter is the father. The stunning Callisto is then changed by Juno into a bear so that Jupiter will no longer be drawn to her. Later, Callisto encounters her son Arcas while still in bear form. Arcas is about to shoot the bear, but Jupiter intervenes to stop the tragedy by transforming Arcas into a bear as well. As a result, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are formed in the sky. Arcas, the mother, is Ursa Minor, and Callisto is Ursa Major. In a different interpretation, Arcas is the constellation Boötes.
Chinese
The Big Dipper is known as the "North Dipper" in China and Japan (Chinese: běidǒu, Japanese: Hokuto), and in the past, each of the seven stars had a unique name, frequently originating from ancient China
The constellation is known as "the seven stars of the north" in South Korea. In the myth that is related, a widow who had seven boys found solace in the home of a widower but getting there required crossing a creek. The seven sons built stepping stones in the river out of concern for their mother. Unaware of the person who placed the stones, their mother blessed them, and as they passed away, they turned into the constellation.
Native American
The three hunters Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid were seen by the Iroquois as being after the Great Bear. One interpretation of their myth states that the first hunter (Alioth) is equipped with a bow and arrow to kill the bear. While the third hunter (Alkaid) carries a mound of firewood to start a fire beneath the pot, the second hunter (Mizar) carries a big pot—the star Alcor—on his shoulder to cook the bear.
The constellation is known by the Lakota name Wihákhiyuhapi, which means "Great Bear."
According to Thomas Morton in The New England Canaan, the Wampanoag people (Algonquian) called Ursa Major "maske," which is an Algonquian word that means "bear."
The constellation was seen by the Wasco-Wishram Native Americans as five wolves and two bears that Coyote had left in the sky. (Clark 1963)
South Asian
Pucwan Tr is the name of a constellation in Burmese that includes stars from Ursa Major's head and forelegs; the word pucwan (ပုဇွန်) is a common term for a crustacean, such as a prawn, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.
It is referred to as "lintang jong" or "the jong constellation" in Javanese. Likewise, it is referred to as "Bintang jong" in Malay. (Burnell 2018)
Hinduism refers to the Big Bear, also known as Ursa Major, as the Saptarshi, with each star in the constellation standing for one of the Saptarishis, also known as the Seven Sages (Rishis), namely Bhrigu, Atri, Angiras, Vasishtha, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu. The blessing bestowed upon the young sage Dhruva by Lord Vishnu is the explanation for why the two front stars of the constellations point to the pole star. (Mahadev 1973)
Greco Roman
In Roman mythology, Callisto, a young woman who is a nymph of Diana, is the object of Jupiter's (the king of the gods) love. When Juno, Jupiter's envious wife, learns that Callisto is the mother of Arcas, she assumes that Jupiter is the father. The stunning Callisto is then changed by Juno into a bear so that Jupiter will no longer be drawn to her. Later, Callisto encounters her son Arcas while still in bear form. Arcas is about to shoot the bear, but Jupiter intervenes to stop the tragedy by transforming Arcas into a bear as well. As a result, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are formed in the sky. Arcas, the mother, is Ursa Minor, and Callisto is Ursa Major. In a different interpretation, Arcas is the constellation Boötes.
Chinese
The Big Dipper is known as the "North Dipper" in China and Japan (Chinese: běidǒu, Japanese: Hokuto), and in the past, each of the seven stars had a unique name, frequently originating from ancient China
- Pivot 樞 - Merak (C: shū J: sū) (Alpha Ursae Majoris)
- Beautiful Jade - Merak 璇 (C: xuán J: sen) (Beta Ursae Majoris)
- Pearl is for Phecda 璣 (C: jī J: ki) (Gamma Ursae Majoris)
- Balance 權 - (C: quán J: ken) (Delta Ursae Majoris)
- Measuring rod of Jade - 玉衡 (C: yùhéng J: gyokkō) (Epsilon Ursae Majoris)
- Open of the Yang 開陽 (C: kāiyáng J: kaiyō) - (Zeta Ursae Majoris)
- Alkaid (Eta Ursae Majoris) is known by several names, including "Star of military defeat" (破軍星 (C: pójūn xīng J: hagun sei), "Flickering light," (搖光 (C: yáoguāng J: yōkō) and "Sword" (short for "End of the sword" (劍先 (C: jiàn xiān J: ken saki)). This is because travelling in the direction of this star was thought to be unlucky for an army
The constellation is known as "the seven stars of the north" in South Korea. In the myth that is related, a widow who had seven boys found solace in the home of a widower but getting there required crossing a creek. The seven sons built stepping stones in the river out of concern for their mother. Unaware of the person who placed the stones, their mother blessed them, and as they passed away, they turned into the constellation.
Native American
The three hunters Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid were seen by the Iroquois as being after the Great Bear. One interpretation of their myth states that the first hunter (Alioth) is equipped with a bow and arrow to kill the bear. While the third hunter (Alkaid) carries a mound of firewood to start a fire beneath the pot, the second hunter (Mizar) carries a big pot—the star Alcor—on his shoulder to cook the bear.
The constellation is known by the Lakota name Wihákhiyuhapi, which means "Great Bear."
According to Thomas Morton in The New England Canaan, the Wampanoag people (Algonquian) called Ursa Major "maske," which is an Algonquian word that means "bear."
The constellation was seen by the Wasco-Wishram Native Americans as five wolves and two bears that Coyote had left in the sky. (Clark 1963)
South Asian
Pucwan Tr is the name of a constellation in Burmese that includes stars from Ursa Major's head and forelegs; the word pucwan (ပုဇွန်) is a common term for a crustacean, such as a prawn, shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.
It is referred to as "lintang jong" or "the jong constellation" in Javanese. Likewise, it is referred to as "Bintang jong" in Malay. (Burnell 2018)
North European
Asterism is occasionally referred to in Finnish by its former name, Otava. In Modern Finnish, the name refers to a salmon weir, a connotation that has all but been forgotten. When a bear was killed, its head was placed on a tree to let the bear's spirit return to Ursa Major, according to ancient Finns who believed the bear (Ursus arctos) was dropped to earth in a golden basket off the Ursa Major. The Big Dipper without Dubhe and Merak is referred to in the Sámi languages of Northern Europe as the bow of the renowned hunter Fávdna (the star Arcturus). Its name is Fávdnadávgi ("Fávdna's Bow") in North Sámi, the primary Sámi language ("the Bow"). The lyrics Guhkkin davvin dávggaid vuolde sabmá suolggai Sámieanan, which roughly translate to "Far to the north, under the Bow, the Land of the Sámi slowly comes into view," are a notable reference to the constellation in the Sámi national song. The Great Reindeer, Sarva, is a prominent constellation that occupies over half of the night sky. In the traditional Sámi narrative about the night sky, many hunters attempt to track down Sarva. Every night, according to tradition, Fávdna prepares to shoot his bow but holds off because he does not want to hit Stella Polaris, also known as Boahji ("the Rivet") because that would cause the sky to fall and bring about the end of the world. Judeo Christian The Jewish people also depicted Ursa Major as a bear. Ursa Major is one of the few star groups mentioned in the Bible (Job 9:9; 38:32; Orion and the Pleiades are other examples). The King James Version of the Bible retained Vulgate's translation of "The Bear" as "Arcturus." |
|
Deep-sky Object
Main stars - 20
Bayer stars - 93
Stars with planets - 21
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 7
Stars within 32 Ly - 8
Messier objects - 7
Meteor showers
Bordering
constellations
- Messier 40 (M40) – Winnecke 4 – Optical Double Star
- Messier 81 (M81) – Grand Design Spiral Galaxy
- Messier 82 (M82) – Starburst galaxy
- Messier 97 (M97) –Owl Nebula - Planetary Nebula
- Messier 101 (M101) – Spiral Galaxy
- Messier 108 (M108) – Barred Spiral Galaxy
- Messier 109 (M109) – Barred Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 2787 – Lenticular Galaxy
- NGC 2841 – Tigers eye Galaxy – Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 2950 – Lenticular Galaxy
- NGC 3077 – Garland Galaxy - Elliptical Galaxy
- NGC 3079 – Barred Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 3310 – Grand Design Spiral Galaxy
- NGC 4013 – Barred Spiral Galaxy
Main stars - 20
Bayer stars - 93
Stars with planets - 21
Stars brighter than magnitude 3.00 - 7
Stars within 32 Ly - 8
Messier objects - 7
Meteor showers
- Alpha Ursae Majorids
- Leonids
Bordering
constellations
- Draco
- Camelopardalis
- Lynx
- Leo Minor
- Leo
- Coma Berenices
- Canes Venatici
- Boötes