| Stargazing for the beginner. | | | | had a son, Actas. Zeus' wife, Hera, became so |
| | | | enraged when she found out, she turned |
| Stargazing is an educational and interesting | | | | Callisto into a "Great Bear", to take away |
| way to spend our nights. If you are looking | | | | her beauty. Callisto's son grew up to become |
| to start, here's some information that can | | | | a strong hunter. He was out hunting one day |
| help and inspire you while observing. The Big | | | | and saw the bear his mother had become. |
| Dipper, part of the Ursa Major constellation, | | | | Callisto was so excited at seeing her son she |
| is the easiest to recognize in the night sky. | | | | had forgotten she was a bear, and ran to him. |
| Ursa Major means "Big Bear" called that by | | | | Actas was just about to kill her, when Zeus, |
| our ancestors. When viewing the Big Dipper it | | | | taking pity on the boy, changed him into a |
| is important to know it is made up of 7 | | | | "Little Bear" and placed him in the sky next |
| stars. Those stars are: | | | | to his mother, becoming the Big and Little |
| | | | Bear constellations. In the Latin language, |
| 1. Alkaid | | | | Big Bear and Little Bear translates to Ursa |
| | | | Major and Ursa Minor. Most of us have to look |
| 2. Mizar | | | | hard to see any resemblance of a bear, but |
| | | | the names of the constellations came from the |
| 3. Dubhe | | | | imaginations of our ancestors, not from a |
| | | | scientific standpoint. |
| 4. Merak | | | | |
| | | | Scientifically speaking, if planning on |
| 5. Alioth | | | | viewing The Big Dipper and other |
| | | | constellations, make sure to have a |
| 6. Phecda | | | | planisphere. A planisphere is defined as, "A |
| | | | star chart that can be adjusted to display |
| 7. Megrez | | | | the night sky for any given latitude, time |
| | | | and date," by It will significantly help the |
| Alkaid (going from east to West of Big | | | | starting out astronomer in finding |
| Dipper) is a main sequence star (or dwarf), | | | | constellations. |
| and not part of the Ursa Major constellation. | | | | |
| | | | Next, make sure to be away from city lights. |
| Mizar, the second star, is the brightest star | | | | It is best to be in a dark area, such as a |
| of the Big Dipper, and a multiple star | | | | field, away from any lights that will |
| system. It has 2 double stars Mizar A and | | | | prohibit sight. |
| Mizar B. Without a telescope, another star | | | | |
| can be seen right above it, a dwarf star | | | | After that is accomplished, set up the |
| called Alcor, which is not part of The Big | | | | telescope for observing. Be patient and |
| Dipper. Whether or not Alcor is Mizar's | | | | observe the stars. Relax. Use the planisphere |
| companion star is still being speculated. | | | | as your guide for finding The Big Dipper. |
| | | | Once found; set your sights on finding the |
| Dubhe and Merak are called pointer stars | | | | North Star, Sagittarius, and Little Dipper. |
| because they point towards the North Star | | | | With 88 constellations in the sky, you can |
| (Polaris). | | | | now look forward to numerous nights |
| | | | stargazing. |
| Alioth is the third star on the handle of The | | | | |
| Big Dipper, an Ap star, and the brightest of | | | | Simply by looking upon The Big Dipper, our |
| Ursa Major. | | | | ancestors could ascertain the location of the |
| | | | North Star. With this significant knowledge, |
| Phecda, a main sequence star, is located on | | | | slaves in the Underground Railroad utilized |
| the bottom left of The Big Dipper. | | | | the Big Dipper for needed direction. |
| | | | Uneducated, so consequentially illiterate, |
| Megrez is located on the upper left of the | | | | slaves before the Civil War would communicate |
| cup. It is also a main sequence star. | | | | through songs. The Big Dipper was referred to |
| | | | as "The Drinking Gourd". The slaves disguised |
| Ursa Minor, known as The Little Dipper, is | | | | songs would convey information, telling other |
| considered to be the son of Ursa Major. | | | | slaves to head north towards Canada. |
| | | | |
| There are different variations in Greek | | | | Next time we look upon The Big Dipper when we |
| mythology of how Ursa Major and Ursa Minor | | | | are stargazing, let us appreciate the |
| became constellations. One version is that | | | | significance of The Big Dipper, and share our |
| the God, Zeus had seduced a young maiden | | | | newfound knowledge with someone else. |
| named Callisto. Callisto became pregnant and | | | | |