Constellation Finder: Ursa Major (The Great Bear)

The Big Dipper, as large as it is, is actually only a smaller part of a much larger constellation: Ursa Major (The Great Bear). Here’s how to find it.

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The Big Dipper is an asterism inside Ursa Major (the Great Bear), making up its tail and rear torso

The tail and torso of the Great Bear are what we commonly know as the Big Dipper, you can use them as a reference to locate the rest of the bear’s torso and legs. Ursa Major is a circumpolar constellation, meaning it’s in a northern region that never sets throughout the year. Take note of its position in the evening now and you’ll notice that in the Winter it will appear upside down in the evening!

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Ursa Major is always visible throughout the year, in Winter it appears in the North-Eastern sky and upside down

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