The Big Dipper, also known as the Plough or the Saptarishi (after the seven rishis), is an asterism of seven stars that has been recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures from time immemorial. The component stars are the seven brightest of the formal constellation Ursa Major.
The North Star (Polaris), the current northern pole star on Earth, can be located by using it. Polaris is part of the "Little Dipper", Ursa Minor.
Read more about Big Dipper: Stars, Guidepost, Cultural Associations
Famous quotes containing the word big:
“Everything our children hear, see, and feel is recorded onto a cassette. Guess who is the big star in their movie? You are. What you say and, more important, what you do, is recorded there for them to replay over and over again. We all have videocassettes. Adults just have larger libraries of tapes available.”
—Stephanie Martson (20th century)