Asterisms · Asterism, also the Plough · 7 stars across Ursa Major
Asterism
Big Dipper
The Big Dipper, or the Plough: seven stars that have been a wagon, a ladle, seven sages and a coffin — and the most useful signpost in the northern sky.
- Stars
- Alioth, Dubhe, Alkaid, Mizar, Merak, Phecda, Megrez
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Spans
- about 26° of sky
- Highest at midnight
- late March
Look for
The Pointers at the end of the bowl lead to Polaris. The handle arcs to Arcturus. The two stars where the handle joins the bowl lead south to Regulus.
Science
Five of the seven are a real family, the Ursa Major Moving Group, travelling through space together. Dubhe and Alkaid are going another way, so in 50,000 years the Dipper will be bent out of shape.
Other skies
In the American South, “Follow the Drinking Gourd” was a song of escape: keep the Dipper ahead and walk north to freedom.