Ursa Major Constellation | Constellations In The Northern Hemisphere

URSA MAJOR CONSTELLATION – In this topic, we are going to know and learn about the constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear.

It is a constellation in the northern sky. It means “the Great Bear” or “the Larger Bear”.

It is the largest northern constellation and the third largest constellation in the sky. It houses its brightest stars, which form the Big Dipper asterism, which is also one of the most recognizable shapes in the sky.

It is well-known in most world cultures and is associated with a number of myths. In Greek mythology, it is associated with Callisto, a nymph who was turned into a bear by Hera.

As mentioned above, Callisto was a beautiful nymph who had sworn a vow of chastity to the goddess Artemis. The god Zeus fell in love with her and bore her a son named Callisto. Artemis banished the nymph upon learning her pregnancy and broken vow. She was turned into a bear for the next 15 years by Hera.

The constellation also houses the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101), Bode’s Galaxy, the Cigar Galaxy, and the Owl Nebula.

The meteor showers associated with the constellation are the Alpha Ursa Majorids and the Leonids-Ursids.

It belongs to the Ursa Major family along with Boötes, Camelopardalis, Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices, Corona Borealis, Draco, Leo Minor, Lynx, and Ursa Minor.

Stars

Among the stars include: