ursa major constellation: the great bear. ursa major ursae majoris abbreviation uma on meridian 9pm...
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Ursa MajorConstellation:
The Great Bear
Ursa Major Ursae Majoris
Abbreviation Uma On meridian 9pm April 20
Ursa Major Best-known (with possible exception of
Orion) Third-largest Asterism
Big Dipper (US/Canada) Plough (UK/Ireland) 1st, 2nd, & 3rd leap (Arab culture)
Ursa Major Part of our cultural and literary history
Noted by Homer, Spenser, Shakespeare, Tennyson
Mentioned in Finnish Kalevala
Ursa Major Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone
Ursa Major Flag of Alaska
8 stars – Ursa Major & Polaris Designed 1927 by 13-year-old Benny Benson
Ursa Major Often seen as bear
Greek Kallisto Greek αρκτος “bear” – origin of word arctic
Jewish culture One of few star groups mentioned in Bible
Iroquois Native Americans Alioth, Mizar, Alkaid are hunters pursuing Great Bear Housatonic said bear’s falling blood colored leaves in
autumn
Ursa Major Other interpretations
Egyptians – thigh of bull China – Tseh Sing “the government” Europe – wagon or chariot
Identified with Arthur Some say stars revolving around Polaris origin of
Round Table
Ursa Major Notable stars
Dubhe (a UMa) Arabic for “bear”
Merak (β UMa) Arabic for “flank” (of bear)
Phecda (γ) “thigh”
Megrez (δ) “root of tail”
North Star Polaris
αUMi – Alpha Ursae Minoris Greek Cynosura (Κυνόσουρα)
“tail of the dog” cynosure: something that guides
or center of attention ½° degree from NCP classical Population I Cepheid
highly studied
Ursa Major Messier 81 (M81)/NGC 3031
One of sky’s brightest galaxies
Ursa Major Messier 81 & 82
Ursa Major