Big Dipper
The Big Dipper is a constellation of seven stars in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is also known by the names Ursa Major (the Great Bear), the Plow, Charles’s Wain, and the Wagon. In Hinduism, the seven stars in the constellation represent the seven rishis, or holy ancient sages.
Cygnus
Cygnus is made of two rows of stars that appear to form the shape of a flying swan. The two rows of stars intersect, so they are also known as the Northern Cross. Cygnus is easiest to see during the month of September.
Ursa Major
Ursa Major is made up of many stars that appear to form the shape of a bear. Ursa Major contains the Big Dipper, a group of seven stars in the shape of a large cup with a long handle. The handle of the dipper forms the bear’s tail and the cup is located near the bear’s rear end. Ursa Major is best seen in the summer months.
Pegasus
The constellation Pegasus is named for the winged horse of Greek mythology. The constellation is made of a group of stars that appear to form the front half of an upside-down horse. Pegasus is best seen in the fall.
The Taurus Constellation
The bull-shaped Taurus constellation contains Aldebaran, one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Taurus also contains the star cluster called the Pleiades, which appears as a tight group of six individual stars toward the upper-right corner of this photograph. Each starlet in the Pleiades actually comprises several hundred stars located very close to one another but hundreds of light-years from Earth.
Constellation Names and Meanings
Ancient people and astronomers often saw designs or groupings in the stars and named them after various religious figures, animals, and objects. This table lists some of the more prominent constellations and translates their names.
Big Dipper
Big Dipper
The Big Dipper is a constellation of seven stars in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is also known by the names Ursa Major (the Great Bear), the Plow, Charles’s Wain, and the Wagon. In Hinduism, the seven stars in the constellation represent the seven rishis, or holy ancient sages.
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